You shouldn't have stolen from me and endangered my family.

I noted earlier that scene from the 1982 "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" where one of them supposedly resembled Richard Gere. On the same day Phoebe's movie premiered nation-wide, Richard Gere portrayed a U.S. Navy aviation candidate in "An Officer And A Gentleman." That character in Phoebe's movie who supposedly resembled Richard Gere more resembled me, from my artificial and symbolic memory of 1982. I didn't start parting my hair on the side until 1987 and I can specifically "remember" Diane Broch making a comment about that when I was picking her up at that airport when she came to visit me, which seems an odd detail to "remember" so clearly. The character they said resembled Richard Gere ordered a meatball sandwich in "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" and I believe that was another clue to associate Phoebe with my career in the U.S. Navy as an aircraft carrier pilot. There is also that scene of her sitting on the diving board, which I described, along with the others that have symbolic connections with an aircraft carrier aviator of the U.S. Navy, which I was. I have also been thinking about how Phoebe was sitting on her hands on the diving board and I believe that is symbolic of me putting my hands under my legs as I was about to launch from the aircraft carrier so I wouldn't bump the throttles or stick. There is also an element of that scene where the floating pool chair is turned upside down and that is similar to the so-called "dilbert dunker" which was featured in "An Officer And A Gentleman."

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node=How%20to%20land%20a%20jet%20plane%20on%20an%20aircraft%20carrier

In some ways aircraft carrier landings are a zen experience. For the fifteen to twenty seconds you are on final approach, there are only three things in the entire universe you care about: Meatball, lineup, and angle-of-attack. Everything else fades into irrelevance. It's a very simple existence.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_Carrier

Landing system

Another British invention was the glide-slope indicator (also known as a "meatball"). This was a gyroscopically-controlled lamp (which used a Fresnel lens) on the port side of the deck which could be seen by the aviator who was about to land, indicating to him whether he was too high or too low in relation to the desired glidepath. It also took into account the effect of the waves on the flight deck. The device became a necessity as the landing speed of aircraft increased.



http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/k2/stn/archives/archive52/newposts/385/topic385636.shtm

From: bob(from black rock) ® 18/03/2003 12:33:35
Subject: Some aviation questions post id: 385636
On last nights 4 corners I noticed the following:

1, an F/A 18 doing a catapult carrier take off with what appeared only one engine at full afterburner, the other at partial a/burner, is this done if the T/O weight is low?2, on the other cat, another F/A 18 launched with the pilot holding his right arm fully extended in front of him, at or above shoulder height, this was maintained until the A/C was airbourne".Why is it so?" (J.S-M)


Subject: re: Some aviation questions post id: 386138

The 'extended arm' is quite normal for jet cariier take-offs.

The purpose is two fold.

Firstly, it is to stop the pilot accidently retarding the throttle when the aircraft accelerates down the catapult.

Secondly, the pilots tend to keep their hands off the flight controls for the same reason. As soon as the aircraft has cleared the deck, the aircraft automatically commences a gentle climb and bank. This is when the pilot will once again take hold of the flight controls.



http://www.flyingmag.com/article.asp?section_id=13&article_id=811&print_page=y

With the jet at full power, just shy of the afterburners, and a quick triple-checking glance, I look left at the catapult officer and give him a salute. Not really for him, he can’t even see me, it’s too dark. More so for my own familiarity. With my pinky finger on the throttles I click forward the exterior light master switch, and the deck comes alive with the light of the form lights, red and green nav lights, and strobes. This is the official salute that I’m ready.

Left palm open and pressed against the throttles (so I don’t inadvertently pull them back from the force of the cat shot), right hand up on the canopy grip, and I press my head back against the seat looking forward down the cat. The only light in front of me is the green cat status light. I’m about to be shot into a black rainy sky, why? With that thought the jet squats again and then it comes. WHAM! I slam the throttle to full afterburner and stare at the airspeed to make sure I see three digits by the end of the cat stroke. Over the span of the next 310 feet and roughly two seconds, myself and my jet have accelerated to over 175 knots. At least that was the last speed I saw prior to the jolt of coming off the front of the ship. It almost hurts. As the jet rotates itself to a nice climb attitude I grab the stick, raise the gear and pull the throttles out of blower. You know what? It’s freakin’ dark out here.

I make my airborne call and get switched over to marshal. Kind of like approach control for the ship. I also realize that I’m in the weather, and it’s dark. This sucks. I check in and my marshal instructions are immediately force-fed to me.



http://www.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/031114-N-6436W-003.jpg

031114-N-6436W-003 Oak Harbor, Wash. (Nov. 14, 2003) - Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Capt. Stephen Black will be the last person in Naval Aviation history to ride the famous “Dilbert Dunker”. He was marked as the 8,333 person to ride dunker at Whidbey Island. The dunker was used to train new Naval Aviators on how to get out of their seat restraints in case they had to ditch their aircraft at sea, and will be replaced by a newer system. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Michael B. W. Watkins (RELEASED)




http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084434/releaseinfo

Release dates for

An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

USA 13 August 1982



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083929/releaseinfo

Release dates for

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

USA 13 August 1982

















http://www.dodmedia.osd.mil/Assets/Still/1987/Navy/DN-SC-87-06104.JPEG

ID: DN-SC-87-06104
Service Depicted: Navy

An F-14A TOMCAT aircraft flies by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN 69). In the foreground another F-14A is positioned for LAUNCH.

Camera Operator: PH3 LOSHAW
Date Shot: 1 Feb 1985




http://www.military.com/Opinions/0,,Carroll_081005,00.html

Ward Carroll: Sunset Glows on the Tomcat

August 10, 2005


He salutes. We both lean forward slightly. (No self-respecting Tomcat crew would take a cat shot with their heads against the headrest, not to mention that would be a good way to get your bell rung because of the way the airplane surges down before it starts moving forward.) A couple of potatoes later we're off. Airborne.

And for the next hours we stand ready to bring this machine, this manifestation of American know-how, to bear however it might be required. Or maybe today isn't our day to save the world, so we accommodate one of the small boy's requests for a fly-by or break the sound barrier just because we can (and we're far enough above our fuel ladder to get away with it).

We're flying a Tomcat. And we're getting paid to do it.

Alas, I speak of days gone by. What remains of what once gave my working life purpose will soon only be found in front of main gates, aviation museums, and VFW halls around the country. In the blink of an eye I have become the guy with the ill-fitting ball cap and the weathered flight jacket who bores young ensigns (and anyone else who happens to make eye contact) with his tales of derring-do. “VF, dang it!” I rail. “Those were real fighter squadrons.” And they were. Swordsmen, Pukin' Dogs, Grim Reapers, Diamondbacks – mascots of an adventure. At the center of it all was the airplane itself, and when an airplane has so much heart, personality, and character it ceases to be inanimate to those who climb into it on a regular basis.

So it's goodbye, dear friend. Forgive my depression. I've heard the promises of a brighter future, but my time in the arena was with you. I watch you zorch into the sunset and wonder how it all could have passed so quickly. It doesn't seem like that long ago when we were together, inextricably linked, one defining the other. Ours was a world of unlimited possibilities and missions accomplished. Ours was a world of victory.

So goodbye, Big Fighter, blessed protector of the American way and our hides. We who knew you well will miss your class, your swagger, your raw power. Even in the face of technological advances you bowed to no other. Thanks for the memories. They are indeed the stuff of novels.