Just PM'd Darth Rotor re: the no-comms triangle flight pattern thing. He used to be an OS, although he did Awfully Slow Warfare with helos IIRC.
Not quite, Joey. I used to be a helo pilot, and worked a great deal with OS sorts.
Also spent some time on the scope to learn from them what their side of the mission was. Good bunch of guys. Also spent some spare time in tracker alley learning from those professionals. Aegis Cruisers are just too cool to take for granted.
You youngsters and your fancy SPY-1D. Spoiled, you are!
As to the triangles:
(IIRC, this was a way to notify radar controllers that your radio was out, derived when most planes had one radio and it were none too reliable ... beachnut's comments on the lack of fuel in a go faster considered, as it be true. Ditto for Brother Reheat.)
Pilots lost or uncertain of position_and_experiencing either transmitter or complete radio failure (after figuring out radio is AFU) flies two triangular patterns before resuming course for destination.
Radio transmission out: right hand turns.
Total radio failure: left hand turns.
Each leg of the triangle should be flown:
for 2 minutes (where aircraft speed is 300kts or less)
for 1 minute when speed is more than 300kts.
This is sort of like using your airplanes as your hands while you play charades with the controller. He hopefully gets it and finds a way to render aid. If you can hear him(right turns), he'll give you something like "if you can hear me, turn right heading two seven zero" or somesuch to make sure that even if you can't talk, you can receive his guidance. He can then steer you to base.
DR
