How do aircraft catapults work?

Ever wonder how warplanes are able to land and take off from aircraft carriers? 🤔
Are you curious how they are able to fly out of such a small runway on an aircraft carrier? ✈
Today, we focus on how aircraft catapults work. Watch our video to discover the engineering behind aircraft catapult technology! 🤓
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#engineering

[@Interestingengineeringofficial]

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[@machia0705]

The power of compressed steam is incredible.

[@dentonsbackyardshow1013]

And proven to work .

[@wymbruh]

Ikr

[@aniking6641]

It can kill U with a boom lol

[@coughingpenguin4346]

ye

[@jimferoce4862]

90,000 psi can push a lot of metal.

[@jasonlovern2322]

My mother, who was also a nurse, cared for one of the primary design engineers of the steam powered catapult system used on aircraft carriers today. So cool!

[@mikeoxbigg8324]

"Drones are too heavy for steam catapult" (shows drone being launched with steam)

[@NotEvenDeathCanSaveU]

Yeah that must be a mistake lol, even the heaviest drone weights like an empty superhornet so I doubt it would be too heavy, maybe the problem is they tend to be too light and it produces too much of a stress on them

[@user-dc8kr5wk2j]

Yeah Id also say drones are too light for this catapults, less friction and more stress on the drone itself

[@dsdy1205]

I always thought it was that drones are too _fragile_ for steam catapults

[@ddk9467]

@@dsdy1205 Mainly as a function of how insanely light they are compared to fighters etc

[@HighAway]

yeah that made no sense. needs to rectify that.

[@spacelite1896]

Meanwhile in China : Write that down, write that down!

[@wwhite2958]

I believe the one airccarrier china has uses a ski jump design vs a catapult

[@dsagar12341]

😂

[@POPO-od8jb]

Compressed steam to create pressure is not a very abstract idea, any engineer could think about it. Steam engines follow the same principle of compressed air.

[@VKazuo]

D E A D M E M E

[@spacelite1896]

@@VKazuo shut up

[@hmdiiazln2545]

That piston will make a good potato gun

[@Chris-ey6rn]

No more Aqua Net 🤷‍♂️

[@prestonace2448]

Indeed you could make a very good investment

[@timengineman2nd714]

Those pistons going up and down (while they were talking about the Reactors) are from a VTE (Vertical Triple Expansion) engine. Basically an advance on the old Double Expansion Cylinders that a Steam Locomotive use, mounted straight up and down to turn a Ship's shaft (which turns the ship's propeller).

[@Cavemanner]

There's no way an XQ Valkyrie drone is heavier than a bear-loaded F/A-18C. There has to be a better reason that newer drones can't launch off steam catapults than that malarkey.

[@timengineman2nd714]

Perhaps how the steam impulse is delivered.... Namely, an uneven acceleration with the biggest increase in speed is for the first few feet. Perhaps that's too much for the drone's landing gear and/or, the drone's electronics. They've probably already figure out how to make the Electro-magnetic Cat., have a much more even acceleration!

[@GAR1342]

A few mistake on this video. I remember the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) launching drones fine. CVN-71 uses steam. The Navy is done investigating electromagnetic catapults as well. USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) uses magnetic catapults and USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) and USS Enterprise (CVN-80) obviously will use them as well.

[@YourGuySmiley]

The video is like a complete copy paste of the Wikipedia page for the catapult system.

[@torn-_shuttle123]

CVN-72 through CVN-77 use steam as well. I honestly don’t know about future Electromagnetic catapults on the “planned” carrier builds. The Gerald Ford carrier was in production for a very long time and had cost the government a shit ton of money. It obviously took way longer than expected to get that ship commissioned due to correcting Catapult and the new AAG (Arresting Gear) systems.

[@subm]

pls make the font size of subtitle a bit smaller..everything else was great

[@Mike_Stanford]

agree, and/or move down, flatten to one line if possible.. for the future👍🏾

[@lewislam5773]

Come on,,,not everyone's English is so good as u,,pal,,,,,some people needs to read,,,,,such as me,,,,

[@trashbug1]

Think about where the subtitles should be.

[@mayur4699]

Thnx for simplified version. I'll use this in my carrier.

[@TheTonystark1998]

For a moment there i thought this channel isn't the official one. Criminally underrated!

[@chiaza7735]

How on God's green earth do you guys get so few views? Massively underrated channel!

[@Interestingengineeringofficial]

KZbin should rank us higher. :(

[@chiaza7735]

So what can we do to help?

[@bintangassiediqie5706]

@@chiaza7735 subscribe!

[@turbogamer3230]

@@chiaza7735 a million ain't less lol

[@kingkunta21]

Let’s be honest, you didn’t search for this.

[@DOI_ARTS]

The chinese did

[@vibhanshududi2532]

@@DOI_ARTS 🤣🤣😂😂

[@TRY208]

Let’s be honest you’ve copied this comment

[@t-blade]

@@DOI_ARTS Chinese can’t access youtube

[@DOI_ARTS]

@@t-blade yeah cause VPN dont exist and only the citizen cant the government does.

[@Rossi-sp4wx]

अतिउत्तम विश्लेषण व ज्ञानवर्धक प्रस्तुति| अभिनंदन👌👍💐

[@andyb2028]

If they make the new system, I hope pilots will have the good sense to write "You've got mail" on the sides of their strike aircraft

[@joandewinnaar4972]

Wow I feel clever today. ..thank you

[@decineproducciones]

🙏🏻 gracias! Muy bien explicado

[@vivekkumar16108]

In simple words, take the aircraft as an arrow and the catapult system as the bow

[@nathanebbinghaus2375]

The electro magnetic one has been implemented I think it's on the uss Ford

[@geminivijay1]

Excellent content and narration 👍👍

[@joelperillotempra9324]

Is that catapult system used a Elgiloy super alloy to endure the stress of the speed force of the system?

[@shootermcgavin633]

A "launch bar" is what attaches the aircraft nose gear into the shuttle, not a "tow bar"

[@11clarkm]

What happens when the plane comes back into land? Doesn’t the launch bar get in the way of the tyre?

[@shootermcgavin633]

@@11clarkm The launch bar is extended or in the down position for launch, once airborne the pilot retracts the launch bar to up and locked position

[@torn-_shuttle123]

@@shootermcgavin633Exactly.

[@fancylad2006]

The footage from 1:29 - 1:43 of the reciprocating pistons was definitely not from one of our carriers, perhaps it was a bit of footage from the movie Titanic.

[@janus3555]

A number of images can't be shown for obvious reasons, so the video creator found alternatives. That one was far fetched, I agree.

[@torn-_shuttle123]

Yes, I agree that a lot of what actually goes into creating “Steam” is not included. And actually goes into much more detail than what’s explained.

[@Yora21]

Great. Always putting the subtitles where they cover up the part of the footage where the important stuff is show.

[@nalinbranden]

such an amazing content. many thanks for that. it would've been even better if most of the important content at the bottom area of the video not covered by the massive font subtitles. If someone wants, they can activate CC. Your English is super clear, either most people won't need subtitles or the automatic close caption can easily pickup accurately.

[@kedmark]

Would like to hear more about the use and design of the holdback bar

[@chrismaggio7879]

The holdback bar is a highly technical piece of gear despite its appearance. It is calibrated to "break" or release its mechanical grip at a certain tension. The aircraft on the cat is put into military power (full throttle) and pulls against this holdback bar as it waits fort the launch button to be depressed... If the holdback releases before the cat is fired then the aircraft will roll forward with NOT ENOUGH speed to leave the deck and fly, but instead it would roll off the end and be run over by 97,000 tons of tax payer's dollars. We try very very hard to not let that happen! Each type of aircraft has its own holdback bar, and they are constantly being calibrated to ensure they are accurate in their breaking tension. When the catapult is fired the pull from the shuttle/pistons easily overcomes the holdback bar strength and it "breaks", and off goes the bird. The older version of holdbacks had color coded dumbbell-looking pieces that were replaced after each launch. They actually did break! half stayed with the holdback bar and half went over the end of the ship when the plane retracted the gear. Big FOD issues if you weren't paying attention.

[@jacksteel6590]

@@chrismaggio7879 Yes, it's kind-of like a giant torque wrench.

[@user-sp1tz1lw1l]

if then, the normal flight can use this system, if it has the similar size ?

[@muthurathnam4994]

Thank you for uploading..... Still now I thought almost every Jet will takeoff similar to the GTA hydra😇😅

[@KenSmith-bv4si]

Ok where did you get the colorized version of the Titanic engine room?

[@JS-zc2jr]

Great 👍 thanks 🙏

[@666ingz]

How is the gear not ripped straight off? Is there a gradual acceleration at the start?

[@Messerjockel]

5:15 So youre telling me steam catapults can launch a E-2 Hawkeye weighing 17 tons but it cant launch a 6 ton X-47 drone cause its too heavy?

[@wiffy1346]

the reason is wrong that it is too heavy for steam catapults, but yes, steam catapults can’t launch drones steam catapults are less-controllable compared to EMALS, meaning the amount of force steam catapults give to the plane is way bigger than what the drones need and can handle, thus destroying it for EMALS you can apply less elecricity for less force and even controll the acceleration while launch

[@Messerjockel]

@@wiffy1346 so basically its like trying to launch a paper airplane with a AR-15...

[@wiffy1346]

@@Messerjockel that makes the perfect explanation!

[@al906]

Most other countries: Use catapults to launch planes. Britain: Fuck that, our planes take off vertically!

[@gurkirat7165]

India just hold it a minute

[@gumnaamaadmi007]

F-35s are made in the USA.

[@jamessheppard4372]

@@gumnaamaadmi007 He's talking about Harrier jets you doofus

[@trek.music.official]

No actually most other countries use ski-jumps to take off with - including the UK. The F-35 is a STOVL aircraft (Short Take-Off and/but Vertical Landing) UK, Russia (When Kuznetsov was "sailable"), India, China all use ski-jumps - the US Navy is actually doing testing to see whether the F-18 can be launched using ski-jumps (The first tests have been successful). The US, France, & Brazil are the only countries to use the CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Assisted Recovery) system. Though India's 2nd Vikram class carrier is supposed to use a steam catapult.

[@larrythompson5617]

How does the hold back bar disengage from the nose gear?

[@janus3555]

If you mean the bar in the front latched into the shuttle, when the nose gear goes up, it locks into the parallel position allowing for a landing.

[@rahuljaiswal9388]

Thanks for increasing my knowledge much love

[@stevelogan5475]

It is amazing that with all the technology these days that the one thing that works the best to get a jet to rotate speed on a carrier that has a very short runway is still a build up of quickly expelled steam

[@deniasmihendarsah5511]

Wow amazing

[@TwstedTV]

0:40 Aircraft carrier's aka The Boat to navy men, has a runway of 800 feet and is 80 feet wide and is tilted at 9° left. The deck is divided into 3 sections. A, B and C. from front to back there are usually 4 elevators, but more recent boats are 3 elevators for efficiency. its #3 elevator thats closed next to the island. The Nimits class are larger runway of 1,065 feet and 90 feet wide and 10° tilt to left. The displacement of "The Boat" is 102k tons accompanying 6000k crew members, 100 are USMC. The nimit's class ship is known as the CVN 68 class ship. It has 4 catapults, 2 in the front and 2 on its side. Overall length of the "Boat" is 1,115-feet.

[@torn-_shuttle123]

What in the hell are you talking about?? I was under the assumption that we were discussing Catapult operations. What the fuck are you talking about the Ship being divided into 3 different sections and displacement of “The Boat”.???

[@timscroggins2345]

Great job

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

The hold-back bar behind the nose gear is not part of the aircraft; There is a machined engineered 'breakable' metal link (sort of shaped like an hourglass), designed to break at a certain force. They are one time use and are of different sizes for different aircraft. To give the steam and shuttle time to build up force, the holdback bar will keep the aircraft from moving forward and allows the shuttle to remain under tension until a certain force level is reached and then the link breaks, which allows the aircraft to have MUCH more stable force applied and a MUCH quicker launch. The whole catapult system is amazing, as is the arresting system (you should do a video on that, too), and both use tons of grease. You covered it very well.

[@chrismaggio7879]

The more recent holdbacks are no longer using the corroded dumbbells we used to use. They are now calibrated to break at predetermined tensions. I remember schlepping boxes to the centerdeck of red, green, and yellow breakers and having 5 different bars!

[@yaksvk]

That's interesting. This was a new piece of information for me! Thanks! I didn't know they were one time use, I thought they were using some kind of remote latch-release system akin to a trigger on a crossbow.

[@chrismaggio7879]

@@yaksvk The holdback bars have a "claw" if you will, that latches on to the nosegear attachment point. That is the calibrated connection, that is strong enough to hold back a screaming jet until the catapult is fired.

[@torn-_shuttle123]

@@chrismaggio7879I sure hope that no carrier is using “corroded dumbbells”. They’re actually called “release elements”. With the S-3 Vikings being out of the picture on any aircraft launch (those were the purple or “magenta” by text book reference), there is still the C-2 Greyhounds that utilize the “white” release elements. I know that the EA6Bs had used the white T-Bars, but I’m not sure if carriers still launch them.

[@chrismaggio7879]

@@torn-_shuttle123 We used to "bowl" with t bars... We would set up ten of the white "pins" and try to accurately roll one across the compartment deck (in the coop, not on the flight deck) for a dollar a game. 3 rolls per game, highest points wins. (Hint: smaller t bars roll straighter). Couldn't hurl it or throw it... had to roll it, so if you roll it aggressively it went way off track, roll it carefully and you had a better chance.

[@hamdansyakirin2250]

How abt the landing on that such short distance runway?

[@Trameries]

Black bird:how fast is your 0-165 F-35:2 seconds

[@vnth2186]

Please make the captions smaller. Captions can also be added later than having fixed overlay

[@manjunatha11]

Please make video about landing system also,

[@naveen2438]

Thanks ✌️

[@teddybear-qp8wp]

imagine a roller coaster with this launch

[@jochen_schueller]

These catapults are really impressive.. One has to consider, any failure of the system, including any issues that lead to reduced power during launch, always result in a loss of the aircraft being launched. There's no way to abort a launch, is it?

[@chrismaggio7879]

The reason for multiple cats is partially to have backup in case one or more cats goes down due to mechanical issues. Yes, there are a hundred safety measures and constant monitoring of all systems to prevent catapult mishaps, but very rarely you might get what is called a cold shot or creep, and that puts aircraft and crews in jeopardy. Most can be mitigated, but a cold shot where the aircraft is slowly pulled down the length of the cat (like walking or jogging speed) the crew will actually eject and the plane goes swimming.

[@just_an_average_handle]

can you make a video about how tailhooks

[@samiaosman8461]

Very interesting ...

[@prabhakarkmv4135]

Do Aircraft carrier use drones also!? Bcz i never saw a drone operating on an aircraft carrier! But I am really thrilled &very enthusiastic about this catapult system! Great idea!!👍

[@areeshaarshad5974]

excellent information

[@GBY13]

very interesting!

[@lynxextic4272]

Nice Video

[@carlosd.2335]

Weight of Valkyrie Drone: 6,000 lbs. Weight of a loaded F4: 52,000 lbs. No, drones are not "too heavy" to launch off a carrier.

[@jaredbrown3249]

That's so cool

[@kedmark]

I would like to hear a lot more about the holdback bars purpose.

[@tezo3305]

The holdback is a mechanical link between the gear and the deck. It is designed that it releases at a given amount of pressure, depending on the take off weight of the plane (they are color coded). When the needed pressere is reached, the holdback realeases the plane in a very short moment so the acceleration can be maximized.

[@kedmark]

Yes sir I understand and thank you. However this does explain why the holdback bar is needed, in other words, why is the holdback needed and when was it added to the catapult system? Thank you and regards.

[@a.j.zadrozny1752]

@@kedmark The pilot will bring the aircraft up to full throttle just before it is launched, hence the blast shields that pop up behind the engines. The holdback bar will hold lock the aircraft to the deck of the ship until the catapult is released. The plane is essentially going full speed before it takes off.

[@dustyflair]

@@a.j.zadrozny1752 full throttle.....

[@5RoastedPotatoes]

1) Fasten plane to catapult 2) Start plane engine 3) *_YEET_* the plane

[@randell1992]

Anybody know the 2nd song ?

[@paulg.9256]

I was hoping for a description of the sealing strips on the cylinders. But no. And why the footage from the Titanic ?

[@jochen_schueller]

Why should the propulsion mechanism of the sled affect the stress on the aircraft?

[@chrismaggio7879]

First off I wish they wouldn't use the term sled... it's not accurate. Shuttle is correct. The reason the forces are different is that with the steam cats the valves that hold back the energy are banged open and it jolts the shit out of the nose gear (and hence to the frame of the aircraft as well). The EMALS is a smoother start and run, so the forces are applied in a more constant buildup to end speed.

[@hedgehog51]

anyone know the background music?

[@REYMARK__AMATA]

Wowww

[@sapipoel]

Amazing

[@seangelarden8753]

When I was on the Forrestal my berthing area was under the waist cats and later my petty officer berthing was by the LSO platform so I was next to the arresting gear

[@mekboppin7904]

4:10 WHERE DO U GET UR INFO. WE HAVE BEEN USING ELECTROMAGNETIC LAUNCHERS 20 YEARS AGO.

[@torn-_shuttle123]

The catapult electromagnetic has been in production for years, but we haven’t been using it. There has been a shit load of “tweaking” to get that system working properly. And the only Ford class carrier operating with that system just got commissioned back in 2017.

[@a320nick]

Cool vid👍

[@aaronpedrajas3147]

Can anyone tell me what plane is at 3:20?

[@ndakhter7820]

Awesome

[@Adrian-ho3rz]

We need to show this video to the guy who designed the Baku

[@lottnio8207]

These kind of things are the closest thing to magic in the modern world.

[@orhanunsal2327]

Bir Türk şirketi olmanız ve kalitenizle ünlenmenizden memnun oldum.

[@doxielain2231]

The subtitles are large and get in the way of what we want to see.

[@cwatson42785]

Drones are heavier?

[@Macho98]

Whats the plane at 3:19

[@tauseefahmad3452]

Everyone got disturbed with the subtitles !!

[@ergun9980]

very nice information but It was murdered by high volume-background music.

[@airtronmechanical170]

How did they catapult a F4u Corsair tail dragger

[@yusufbalaban733]

can you sharing to us. like a 3D simulations

[@hughsgarbagetrucks]

Shat just went from 0 to 165 knots real quick

[@mikezerker6925]

FYI: the F35 JSF doesn’t need a cat to launch off the deck.

[@Iamrocky5687]

Yeah that's cool but call me when they make a trebuchet launch system

[@chrismaggio7879]

Good work right up until the comment about drones being too heavy... We launched 64,000 lbs F-14s so I believe a 35-40k lb drone is no problem.

[@Pratte0112]

Thank you for the subtitles that block everything. I understood nothing much.

[@ariringo7212]

3:18 what plane is that?

[@Predator42ID]

Tanker drone the Navy has been developing.

[@The1Karking]

Thanks 🫡

[@TegoSuwarto]

top aircraft

[@dustyflair]

were there some AIRFORCE planes being launced from carriers?

[@chrismaggio7879]

No, but the F35C Navy version was shown.

[@chrismaggio7879]

As was the Marine version

[@bigsur175]

My son helped build the Gerald r Ford it's all ready in place on it

[@kennethcorre4923]

nice content Sir, but may be next time you should make the subtitle a little more smaller 😅

[@908mar2]

You mentioned that drones are too heavy for steam, is that the other way around? Drones are too light for steam.

[@jejakamalaya1484]

Yep Ive lost in these Run with the admirals

[@bruiser0159]

As a former Catapult flight deck crew man ( green shirt ) He is NOT Signaling the Plane to “ take off “ He is signaling the Shooter ( Plane Director) His directions to hook up the tow bar to the shuttle and once the tow bar is locked in he then signals to the Plane Director that all sides Are clear and completes the safety check, he then gets out of the way and the shooter then signals the pilot to go to full military power and clears the rear, sides and front of the aircraft once more than sends the signal to the shooter who sits in a bubble in the middle of the flight deck who then pulls the trigger to launch…. JS

[@goodguy4607]

There you go ⚠ You guys made my day ( Once again)🚩💡💫💥 IT'S SICK BRO🔥🔥

[@Interscope100]

I didn't know that they used steam to push the jet. I had always thought that it was the afterburners that did it!

[@torn-_shuttle123]

It’s every thing that incorporates water, steam, pneumatics and hydraulics. Water from the boiler systems is turned into Steam, which is supplied to numerous components and systems throughout the ship. But, also has to be regulated. Obviously, the sole function for Aircraft Carriers, goes to the Catapults. That Steam, which is regulated by Engineering MM’s, is fed to the Catapult Launching Valve system. And through numerous Hydraulic and Pneumatic components is what actually makes the Catapult system work. There’s a lot more that’s involved that most won’t understand until you learn the basics.

[@sauraV_Verma]

3:30 Just like they showed with Tom Cruise in Top Gun

[@FarrisTX]

How can I see the catapult in action while you have the subtitle blocking it!!!!

[@sumitdas292]

412 disliked ppl are aliens.

[@roc8179]

Any clue what craft is at 3:18?

[@torn-_shuttle123]

Drone.

[@roc8179]

@@torn-_shuttle123 Just seeing this now. Thank you for telling me it was unmanned. I did some cursory search its called the X-47B which would cost $1.5 Billion but it was cancelled for the RQ-170.