Update on 30 April from horobeyo who is suggesting that there is no elevator on the port side.
edit: Another update also from Henri Kenhmann
Last edited:
CV-18 Fujian/003 CATOBAR carrier thread
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Update on 30 April from horobeyo who is suggesting that there is no elevator on the port side.
edit: Another update also from Henri Kenhmann
Intrepid
Major
That would be in line with expectations based on the murals at meetings and other semi-official early publications.
Is there any reason why they have 2 instead of 3 elevators?
Intrepid
Major
With two aircraft elevators, there is a different concept for using the flight deck area than with three aircraft elevators.
Ah so both configuration has its advantages?
Intrepid
Major
Yes. If there are no parking spaces to the left of the runway for aircraft that are parked permanently, an aircraft elevator makes little sense there. The advantage is that you do not have to keep any space on port side in the hangar, but can provide positions for aircraft maintenance and associated workshops.
So basically more space in hangar for maintenance without port elevator? Does it affect sortie rate/time?
It depends on the elevator size, speed, and the hangar layout. The Nimitzs have 4 elevators but clearly that was a little excessive so they adjusted that to 3 for the Fords.
Part of it has to do with US carriers having smaller airwings compared to before. Whereas you can theoretically stuff each CVN with 80+ aircraft, moving them around the ship becomes a nightmare, and they realized they were better off downsizing to ~50 where each aircraft has adequate space for maintenance, handling, etc. With fewer aircraft on board, you don't need 4 elevators to toss to and from the flight deck at breakneck pace.
The 003 having 2 elevators is a little bit strange, considering that if one of them were disabled or malfunctioned, it would cut its sortie rate in half. But assuming they both worked properly, and that each elevator is large enough to fit two fighters, it should be sufficient. And also unlike USN carriers, there are only 3 catapults to launch from, not 4, so that is an existing constraint to sortie rate that perhaps 2 elevators can quite readily meet. After all, it doesn't make sense to have only 3 catapults, but also 3 or 4 elevators that can shuttle planes onto the flight deck faster than they can be launched.
If they are confident enough in their elevators, they can always run them a little faster to compensate for having only 2 of them. Overall, 2 elevators running speedily delivering aircraft to 3 catapults, should be about as effective as the Ford's 3 perhaps less speedy elevators delivering aircraft to 4 catapults, in terms of sortie rate.
Intrepid
Major
Neither on Chinese nor on American aircraft carriers it is common practice to move planes taking off from the hangar immediately beforehand and aircraft that land in the hangar immediately afterwards. Therefore it does not affect the sortie rate / time.
Hendrik_2000
Lieutenant General
Via chinese tiger Any comment?
The left elevator is here.
CVN-78
003
The left elevator is here.
CVN-78
003