What Safety Protocols Must Be Abided On An Aircraft Carrier Flight Deck?

Sometimes called "controlled chaos," the flight deck of an aircraft carrier is known as the most dangerous place to work in the military. Movies like "Top Gun" and "Behind Enemy Lines" perpetuate the idea that the flight deck is an exciting place to be, and while it may be exhilarating, it also requires a high degree of skill and precision.

George C. Wilson, former national defense correspondent for The Washington Post and author of Supercarrier, a book that recounts a seven-month tour aboard the John F. Kennedy, said that the flight deck "is a million accidents waiting to happen." Personnel on an aircraft carrier flight deck work in very close proximity to moving aircraft, which exposes them not only to physical hazards, but also extreme noise, heat, and respiratory hazards. They work near jet intakes, jet blasts, and propeller and rotor wash. There's the risk of arresting cables separating and injuring workers, and of course if the worst happens and an aircraft crashes on deck, there could be flying debris and fire. Of course, all of this happens in an area a few hundred feet in width.

Personnel working on the flight deck are highly trained, and must learn the do's and don'ts to stay safe. This includes wearing the correct gear, maintaining situational awareness, attending safety briefings, following standard procedure, and more.

Those popular movies often focus on just a few key deck personnel, such as the pilots and the personnel dramatically directing the aircraft into the air. In reality, there can be over a hundred people on the flight deck at any given time, all doing different jobs. This includes the Air Boss, who supervises all flight deck operations; a crash and salvage officer; arresting gear personnel; safety personnel; maintenance; landing officers; medical personnel, and more.

Following the appropriate training, flight deck safety basics start with the right gear. Personnel are required to wear helmets, goggles, hearing protection, a float coat, steel-toed boots, a colored jersey, and fire-retardant gloves. Sailors on the flight deck must also take part in all drills and flight deck "walkdowns" that look for debris that could potentially cause damage. They must always remain vigilant and aware of what's going on around them, use appropriate hand signals, and never walk in front of jet intakes or behind jet exhaust.

There are rules about when and how personnel can cross the landing area, and protocol for misplaced tools or other objects. Personnel cannot wear jewelry, and they're not allowed to sit on the flight deck, or turn their back on the landing area during recovery. There are dozens of other rules that keep personnel safe on aircraft carrier flight decks. Our military is considered one of the most highly-trained in the world, and that's partly to keep its members safe.