Ski-jump (aviation)

In aviation, a ski-jump is an upward-curved ramp that allows aircraft to take off from a runway that is shorter than the aircraft's required takeoff roll. By forcing the aircraft upwards, lift-off can be achieved at a lower airspeed than that required for sustained flight, while allowing the aircraft to accelerate to such speed in the air rather than on the runway. Ski-jumps are commonly used to launch airplanes from aircraft carriers that lack catapults. It is believed that the first use of the ski-jump occurred during the Second World War, where a temporary ramp was added to to assist the take-off of heavily laden Fairey Barracudas conducting a strike mission against the German battleship . During the Cold War era, the concept was studied as a means of reducing the length of flight decks required for future aircraft carriers as well as to facilitate ever-increasingly heavy aircraft at sea. The Royal Navy took a particular interest in the ski-jump during the 1970s, conducting a series of trials in conjunction with the newly developed Hawker Siddeley Harrier VSTOL fighter, before choosing to integrate the feature into their next generation of aircraft carrier, the . Having proven its operational value, numerous naval services have adopted the ski-jump for their own aircraft carriers and amphibious assault platforms, while land-based uses have been examined as well. Ski-jump can be used in two different approaches, these being the Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) and the Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing aircraft (STOVL); these pertain to the operation of conventional and VSTOL aircraft respectively. Catapult-equipped aircraft carriers have become a minority in the twenty-first century in part due to the decreased cost and complexity of ski-jump operations. A fixed-wing aircraft must build up forward speed during a lengthy takeoff roll. As the forward velocity increases, the wings produce greater amounts of lift. At a high enough speed, the lift force will exceed the weight of the aircraft, and the aircraft will become capable of sustained flight.

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Trajectories and air flow features of ski jump-generated jets

Michael Pfister

Ski jumps are frequently applied as spillways of high dams. The resulting jet impact location on the plunge pool surface is often distant from the dam toe so that the latter is protected from scouring. Furthermore, the jet disintegrates and disperses prior ...

Taylor & Francis Ltd2014

Orientation of body segments in ski jumps using wearable sensors: Analysis of relevant parameters during stable flight phase

Kamiar Aminian, Julien Favre, Julien Chardonnens

3D kinematic and dynamic analysis is highly required in ski jumping. Current recording techniques (e.g. camera systems) suffered from limitations, such as volume capture or complexity of use and processing. This study proposed a new 3D approach based on in ...

2010

1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier

The 1942 Design Light Fleet Carrier, commonly referred to as the British Light Fleet Carrier, was a light aircraft carrier design created by the Royal Navy during the Second World War, and used by eight naval forces between 1944 and 2001. They were designed and constructed by civilian shipyards to serve as an intermediate step between the expensive, full-size fleet aircraft carriers and the less expensive but limited-capability escort carriers. Sixteen Light Fleet carriers were ordered, and all were laid down to the Colossus class design during 1942 and 1943.

Aircraft catapult

An aircraft catapult is a device used to allow aircraft to take off in a limited distance, typically from the deck of a vessel. They can also be installed on land-based runways, although this is rarely done. They are usually used on aircraft carriers as a form of assisted take off. In the form used on aircraft carriers the catapult consists of a track, or slot, built into the flight deck, below which is a large piston or shuttle that is attached through the track to the nose gear of the aircraft, or in some cases a wire rope, called a catapult bridle, is attached to the aircraft and the catapult shuttle.

Naval aviation

Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation units are typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based aircraft must be sturdy enough to withstand demanding carrier operations. They must be able to launch in a short distance and be sturdy and flexible enough to come to a sudden stop on a pitching flight deck; they typically have robust folding mechanisms that allow higher numbers of them to be stored in below-decks hangars and small spaces on flight decks.