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¶ Operations
¶ Briefing
Operation start times signify the beginning of the mass briefing, typically held in 
Ready Room on the CSG-8 Discord server. Please attend and pay attention to the briefing officer. Direct any questions you may have to your flight lead, so they may ask them when questions are allowed.
After the mass briefing, please move to your flight’s briefing channel to attend your flight’s briefing and wait for further instruction from your flight lead.
¶ Joining the Server
¶ Naming Conventions
Please change your name to {Modex} | {Flight Callsign} where
{Modex}: Your assigned modex as listed by the CVW1 Flight Comp{Flight Callsign}: Your flight callsign as listed by the CVW1 Flight Comp. The callsign shall be displayed with a capitalized first letter and lowercase name, a space separating the name from the numbers, and no dashes between numbers.
Example callsigns are displayed below:
401 | Inferno 11423 | Sol 24304 | Spartan 32340 | Apollo 94
¶ Spawning In
Wait until given the signal to spawn in by your flight lead. Typically, flights are allowed to spawn in when the flight before them in the launch order has all members spawned in and stable. If the flight before your flight has F-14s, please wait until all F-14s have spawned in and are airborne.
¶ Before Takeoff
¶ Liveries & Modex
The LOW livery for your squadron should be used unless you have your own squadron livery (LTJG+) or you are told otherwise by your flight lead or briefing officer.
Your modex (a.k.a. side number or board number) should be set to yours on the CSG-8 Roster unless you are told otherwise by your flight lead or briefing officer.
¶ Takeoff & Landing
¶ Carrier Operations
CSG-8 uses the standard NATOPS CASE I, CASE II, and CASE III procedures. Detailed procedures and radio communications can be found on the vCSG-8 website.
¶ CASE III
Members attending operations where the planned carrier recovery state is CASE III must have completed their CASE III qualification to attend.
CSG-8 uses the CV-1 approach by default.
ACLS is allowed and encouraged in harsh conditions.
¶ Field Operations
Standard ICAO procedures and radio communications are encouraged. Traffic advisories on CTAF are required if the airfield tower is unmanned.
¶ Exterior Lights
Exterior lights should default to the cruise setting unless otherwise specified.
The first row describes which exterior lights the setting corresponds to (position lights, formation lights, strobe lights, and landing/taxi lights. The first column describes specific circumstances where the light settings will differ from cruise.
¶ Daytime Carrier Operations
During daytime carrier operations, exterior lights will be off in all situations.
| Position | Formation | Strobe | Landing/Taxi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Situations |
¶ Nighttime Carrier Operations
During nighttime carrier operations, exterior position, formation, and strobe lights will be on unless specified below. While on the deck, all lights should be off until saluting. The landing/taxi light should not be used unless the Supercarrier is not illuminated.
| Position | Formation | Strobe | Landing/Taxi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cruise | ||||
| Deck (Startup & Taxi) | ||||
| Aerial Refueling | ||||
| Combat |
¶ Daytime Field Operations
During daytime field operations, exterior strobe lights will be on unless specified below. The landing/taxi light must be turned on while below 10,000 ft MSL.
| Position | Formation | Strobe | Landing/Taxi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cruise | ||||
| Aerial Refueling | ||||
| Combat |
¶ Nighttime Field Operations
During nighttime field operations, exterior position, formation, and strobe lights will be on unless specified below. The landing/taxi light must be turned on while below 10,000 ft MSL.
| Position | Formation | Strobe | Landing/Taxi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cruise | ||||
| Aerial Refueling | ||||
| Combat |
¶ FENCE Checks & Items Checks
FENCE checks are crucial to preparing your aircraft, ordnance, and equipment for combat operations. FENCE stands for FUEL, EMITTERS, NAVIGATION, COUNTERMEASURES, and EMPLOYMENT. “Fencing in” signifies getting ready for combat operations, while “fencing out” lets your flight know you have ceased combat operations.
Upon your flight leader calling “fence in,” you will perform the following checks.
- F - Fuel
- Total fuel checked
- BINGO fuel state set
- E - Emitters
- TACAN set
- Radar warning receiver (RWR) on
- Datalink set
- Radar is sanitizing
- IFF on
- Lights are off (per Exterior Lights)
- N - Navigation
- INS checked
- Waypoint set
- Target verified
- C - Countermeasures
- Dispenser armed
- ECM set
- Chaff quantity checked
- Flare quantity checked
- E - Employment
- Master arm on
- A/A or A/G mode set
- Laser code set
- FLIR set
- Weapon settings set
- GPS alignment good
- Gear is up
- Laser is armed
- Laser trigger set as desired
No radio communications are required until your flight leader orders an “items check.” Items checks exist to ensure countermeasure dispensers are configured and working properly. Your flight leader will signal individual elements to perform an items check, and then call out what they see.
Spartan 32, items check…visual, flare.
Your flight leader will advise that items checks are complete, and state “fenced in” followed by their fuel state.
Items checks complete. Spartan 31 fenced in, state 10.5.
You will then follow the same pattern by stating you are “fenced in,” followed by your fuel state.