FLIGHT DECK SAFETY The flight deck of an aircraft carrier is a very busy and dangerous place during launching, recovery, and respotting of aircraft. Plane captains and other maintenance personnel assigned specific duties associated with the flight deck must be constantly aware of the dangerous environment in which they work. You should receive predeployment training lectures on aircraft handling procedures, flight and hangar deck safety precautions, responsibilities during launch and recovery of aircraft, tie-down requirements and techniques, and special shipboard maintenance procedures and safety precautions. This training requirement is in addition to the general indoctrination given all personnel concerning flight quarters, general quarters, fire, abandon ship, man overboard, and other general drills. Also, this indoctrination covers ship conditions, smoking and safety precautions, and watchstanding requirements peculiar to shipboard operations. Flight line safety precautions (previously discussed) apply to flight deck operations. The primary difference is the limited space and tempo of operations experienced on the flight deck, causing flight deck operations to be more dangerous. During launch and recovery of aircraft, all personnel not required should leave the flight deck and catwalk areas. The safe parking area aft of the island is also an unauthorized space for personnel during aircraft recovery. Personnel should not stand in or otherwise block entrances to the island structure or exits leading off the catwalks. Never turn your back on aircraft taxiing on the flight deck. Always be alert for the unexpected. There is never room for carelessness, daydreaming, or skylarking on the flight deck. All personnel assigned flight quarters on or above the hangar deck must wear appropriate jerseys and helmets. Personnel on the flight deck during flight quarters must wear the cranial impact helmet or its equivalent, goggles, sound attenuators, flight deck shoes, flotation gear, an adequately secured whistle, and a survival light. The authorized flight quarters clothing for the different flight deck jobs is shown in figure 5-15. Any maintenance performed on aircraft that will require wingspread/fold, respot, turnup, blade track, jacking, or maintenance that will prevent the aircraft from being moved must be approved through the activity’s maintenance control. This is true regardless of how much or how little time is required for the work to be performed. The activity’s maintenance control, before it can grant approval, must obtain permission from the aircraft handling officer by way of the air wing, group maintenance liaison officer, or his or her representative. When an aircraft is being turned up or jacking operations are being performed, make sure that the permission of the aircraft handling officer has been received and that all ship’s safety regulations are observed. Safety men, with sufficient line to block off the area, must be stationed around the aircraft. Each ship may have safety precautions unique to that ship due to operational requirements and special circumstances. Petty officers are responsible for knowing and enforcing the safety precautions that apply to their area of work and their personnel. Q29. Q30. Q31. Q32. Q33. What system or mechanism should you always treat with the same respect as a loaded gun? In relation to overheated wheel brakes, what area is considered the “danger area”? What item, if used to cool overheated brakes, is likely to cause an explosion? Why is it important to keep tools, work areas, and clothing free from grease and oil when working around LOX? What are the primary differences between flight line and flight deck operations? SPECIAL PROGRAMS LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Identify the Navy’s special maintenance programs related to Naval Aviation and their purposes. The special programs discussed in this chapter are covered in detail in the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program, OPNAVINST 4790.2. Until Volume V of OPNAVINST 4790.2 is issued, which covers Naval Aviation Maintenance Standard Operation Procedures (NAMSOP), a local, more convenient source of information on these special programs is your squadron maintenance instructions (MIs). Technical information and local policy are issued through MIs. MIs describe techniques that do not direct the performance of work at defined intervals but are sustaining in nature. MIs include policy, procedures, and methods of managing specific maintenance 5-22