On Board the Bush

Several civilians went underway aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) on a breezy Monday morning in June. The carrier and her crew were conducting carrier qualifications. We civilians – mostly engineers from Newport News Shipbuilding – were there to see the ship systems we design and build in operation and to speak with the sailors who use them.

Before embarking, we asked fans of Aircraft Carriers on Facebook what they would like to know about the ship and its operations. Armed with questions before our departure, we have the answers – and then some – now that we’ve returned.

The first question we received was surprising: Do the toilets still go out every other day? The quick answer is no. During the five days I spent on the ship, the toilets worked beautifully, with a satisfying whoosh whenever engaged. Back in November, in response to the brouhaha over the toilets, the commanding officer (CO) of the ship, Capt. Brian Luther, posted a note on the ship’s Facebook page. Read it here.

On a related note, I observed how aircraft carriers handle trash in the restrooms, aka “the heads.” There were large paper bags placed in the heads, each marked with what should go in them: paper, plastic, metal and, in the women’s head, FHP (feminine hygiene products). Each day, the bags were collected and processed appropriately. Paper and FHP is often incinerated. Plastic waste is heated and compressed into disks or “pucks.” These and metal trash are stored for disposal in port.

— TBS, Huntington Ingalls Industries

July 10, 2012
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Chow time

How many cooks does it take to feed the crew of an aircraft carrier? Seventy, according to Senior Chief Petola of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). During a regular deployment, his seven galleys produce 16,000-20,000 meals every day, at a cost of about $50,000.

How do they do it? They begin with the Navy-prescribed 14-day menu that they serve aboard the ship. Asian Thursday, anyone?

As you might imagine, meals are prepared in large quantities. On a day where ribs were to be served, each cooking vat contained 1,256 portions. Standard recipes are used for preparing the menu items, but some culinary specialists like to make the dishes their own (such as adding extra red pepper).

Adding a little something special.

(Adding a little something special.)

In related news, the Navy Times recently reported that the Navy is looking to make the food sailors eat tastier and healthier.

— TBS, Huntington Ingalls Industries

July 17, 2012
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On the Flight Deck

It’s been said that the flight deck of an aircraft carrier is the most dangerous place in the world to work. That’s probably true.

The obvious hazards are very large aircraft landing and taking off, jet blasts, jet fumes, propellers and moving deck surfaces. All activity on the flight deck is coordinated and controlled from flight operations, and those working on the deck are all highly trained to do their specific tasks.

It’s an awesome experience to stand on the deck of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) and see, hear, smell (jet fuel) and feel it for yourself. Enough with words. Here’s some video from Bush on Tuesday, June 19.

If you can’t get enough of screaming jets, here’s 31 more minutes of video from the flight deck of USS George H.W. Bush.

— TBS, Huntington Ingalls Industries

July 24, 2012
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Daylight and ocean breezes

Here’s another question from a fan of Aircraft Carriers on Facebook: For those not working on flight operations, such as engineers, how long do you go without seeing daylight? The answer: It depends who you ask.

I spoke with a young sailor who worked below deck in engineering. He said he makes a point every day to go up to the hangar deck to see sunlight and get fresh air. The laundry supervisor, however, told me that sometimes days go by without her seeing the sun. Work is hard, and time not working is a luxury often spent sleeping.

Here’s a photo of the ocean (and daylight) I took from the hangar deck:

And another taken the same week by the U.S. Navy:

(June 18, 2012) Sailors exercise in the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kasey Krall/Released)

— TBS, Huntington Ingalls Industries

July 30, 2012
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A View From the Captain’s Chair

It’s likely the most comfortable chair on USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). It’s the seat at the front of the pilot house (or bridge) reserved for the commanding officer (CO), Capt. Brian Luther.

As you can see, it provides a great view of the flight deck. The crew on the bridge is not permitted to sit in the CO’s chair — even when he’s not there — but civilians are not restricted thus. These photos are taken while seated in the CO’s chair.

At top, look for the glasses, laptop and coffee mug, which likely belong to Capt. Luther.

TBS — Huntington Ingalls Industries

August 10, 2012
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Flight Control Ouija Board

There is a Ouija board on USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). It’s not used to communicate with spirits. It’s actually a system used to keep track of all the planes on the flight deck and hangar deck, and all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers use them.

The Ouija board is a GA (general arrangement) drawing of the flight and hangar decks and catwalks made out of stainless steel and covered by Plexiglass. Many aircraft carriers, like Bush, have customized the boards, color-coded for quick and easy reading.

Handler

There are plastic cutouts of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters that the aircraft handling officer (also known as the handler and easily identified by “HANDLER” painted on his green shirt) moves on the Ouija board as they take off, land and are moved on the flight and hangar decks. Colored pins and hex nuts are used to show the status of the aircraft, whether it’s getting fueled (purple hex nut), getting ready to launch (green pin) or undergoing some other activity on one of the decks.

Pictured is Lt. Cmdr. Ron Rancourt, the handler aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). He works in Flight Deck Control and is responsible for the movement and arrangement of all aircraft on the flight and hangar decks.

Read “How Things Work: The Ouija Board,” in Air & Space Magazine for more about Ouija Boards on aircraft carriers.

TBS — Huntington Ingalls Industries

August 14, 2012
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Engineers get under way

How do you improve something as big and complex as an aircraft carrier? Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) has developed a program to give its engineers experiences to do just that.

Called “Engineer to Sea,” the program sends NNS employees to sea aboard Nimitz-class carriers to give them an opportunity to experience and observe the company-built ships in action. Their experiences inform and influence their design work when they return to the shipyard.

In June of this year, 10 engineers (along with two communications staffers, three subject matter experts and a videographer) walked on USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) in Norfolk, Va., for the latest Engineer to Sea experience. Among them were a design apprentice, a modeling and simulation engineer, a structural engineer, a nuclear engineer and a cost control analyst.

The engineers get an introduction to the medical clinic on USS George H. W. Bush from the ship's chief medical officer, Cmdr. Toone.
(The engineers get an introduction to the medical clinic on USS George H. W. Bush from the ship’s chief medical officer, Cmdr. Toone.)

The group toured the ship, from the fueling systems on the lowest deck (Deck 7) to the bridge on the highest (Deck 09). They listened as sailors talked about their jobs and the ship. They asked questions to learn more about the systems they help to design, all with the purpose of designing a better ship.

Watch a video of the engineers talking about their experiences.

Read a story about the program in the August issue of Yardlines, the employee magazine for Newport News Shipbuilding.

— TBS, Huntington Ingalls Industries

August 20, 2012
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In this photo from last year’s Thanksgiving aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Matthew J. McQuown helps prepare a feast for the crew. Sailors were treated to 400 pounds of ham, 50 turkeys, 300 pies, and hundreds of pounds of cranberry sauce, green-bean casserole, and sweet potatoes. Happy Thanksgiving to all of our service members and their families!

In this photo from last year’s Thanksgiving aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Matthew J. McQuown helps prepare a feast for the crew. Sailors were treated to 400 pounds of ham, 50 turkeys, 300 pies, and hundreds of pounds of cranberry sauce, green-bean casserole, and sweet potatoes.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our service members and their families!

November 21, 2012
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♫ On the Eleventh Day of Carriers,the Navy gave to me:Eleven ships attached to BushTen years since the crew first boarded ReaganNinety-thousand Tons of Diplomacy on TrumanEight ties on Stennis’ sealSeventy-five aircraft in Washington’s airwingA six-month deployment on the LincolnA five-acre (almost!) flight deck on RooseveltFour steam turbines on VinsonThree 20mm Phalanx rotary gun systems on EisenhowerTwo nuclear reactors on NimitzAnd an island house on the Enterprise!

♫ On the Eleventh Day of Carriers,
the Navy gave to me:
Eleven ships attached to Bush
Ten years since the crew first boarded Reagan
Ninety-thousand Tons of Diplomacy on Truman
Eight ties on Stennis’ seal
Seventy-five aircraft in Washington’s airwing
A six-month deployment on the Lincoln
A five-acre (almost!) flight deck on Roosevelt
Four steam turbines on Vinson
Three 20mm Phalanx rotary gun systems on Eisenhower
Two nuclear reactors on Nimitz
And an island house on the Enterprise!

December 21, 2012
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#USS George H.W. Bush #CVN 77 #aircraft carriers #aircraft carrier #Barack Obama #George H.W. Bush


Photographer, author and Photoshop expert Scott Kelby spent a few days aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77). As you might expect, he left with scores of awesome photos and a few great stories. See more photos and read about Scott’s trip on his blog, ScottKelby.com.

Photographer, author and Photoshop expert Scott Kelby spent a few days aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77). As you might expect, he left with scores of awesome photos and a few great stories. See more photos and read about Scott’s trip on his blog, ScottKelby.com.

February 01, 2013
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#Scott Kelby #USS George H.W. Bush #aircraft carrier #CVN 77 #photography #Photoshop