Somewhere during this show they mention that Navy planes never arrive to shore on the carriers. The day before a carrier would arrive all the planes take off & land on shore. When leaving shore the carriers would leave first, the next day the planes leave there bases and land on the carriers.
I'm still curious as to why, it wasn't really mentioned as to why they do that.
Who's The More Foolish
The Fool, Or The Fool Who Follows Him?
This is because the carrier air wings are based at a different location than where the ship is docked. In the case of the Nimitz and CVW-11, at the time the Nimitz was based in San Diego but CVW-11 was and still is based at NAS Lemoore. The Marines depicted are based at Miramar.
Also, in order to launch and recover aircraft, the carrier has to be underway, because a 30 knot headwind (the ambient headwind plus whatever speed the ship needs to run to make it 30 knots) is required to do so. A ship tied to the pier cannot launch aircraft, so the aircraft would have no way of getting to their shore bases from a docked carrier.
Thanks, didn't relies it would be something so blatantly obvious.
Who's The More Foolish
The Fool, Or The Fool Who Follows Him?
Also keep in mind the Air Wing and all it's planes, parts, and people, are separate from the Carrier. When they are on board the carrier, they are not a part of the Ship's crew.
For example. If you are an Aircraft Mechanic assigned to VF/-111 SunDowners squadron, you are not a part of the USS Kitty Hawk's crew, you are a part of the Squadron personnel and you go where the Squadron goes. Even if that Squadron is assigned to a Carrier, The Squadron is your command, not the Carrier.
The Carrier's crew is separate from the Air Wing Crew.
When a Carrier is not on deployment, they do not have an embarked Air Wing.
When going out for training they may have Air Wing personnel go out with them and planes from that air wing may fly out for training and carrier quals etc...
Meanwhile that Air Wing is going to be based at a Naval Air Station. They may even go to a different carrier next time they deploy.
So in summation.
A carrier and it's crew.....
And an Air Wing and all it's crew from the squadrons making up the wing....
Are completely separate commands.
I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!
Also it should be mentioned that Flight Operations can only be conducted from a Carrier while it is underway. A plane cannot land or take off from the carrier while it is tied up in port. Depending on the A/C the carrier has to be going into the wind at anywhere between 17 and 28 knots for a launch.
You're taking a dump and they call GQ do you pinch it off or finish your business?