# X-47B takes off from carrier **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410 "2013-05-15T15:21:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/21 "2013-05-16T02:46:18Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Holy shit. > > That’s landing, though, not taking off. [This clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjNyQvhsQE8) shows the takeoff as well. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/22 "2013-05-16T02:49:27Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Carrier-based planes have been auto-landed before. See here from 2011 (as part of the same X-47B program): [ALEXABET88: Situs Slot Gacor Maxwin Terbaru Hari Ini & Link Judi Slot Terpercaya](http://defensetech.org/2011/07/07/navy-one-step-closer-to-uav-carrier-ops/) > > You are correct that it is not widely deployed at this time. > > ETA: And **Great Sun Jester** is correct. It was not remote controlled. The operator hit “LAND” and the F/A-18 landed on the deck. I stand corrected (as I thought I might). Holy shit. A live pilot had to LIVE through that? :eek: I’d be terrified. I still am. Drones are worrisome to me. ETA: I can’t believe the C-130’s wings didn’t come close to scraping the superstructure! ---
**Author:** ![yendis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yendis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yendis)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/23 "2013-05-16T11:05:24Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > Just to avoid starting a new thread, what’s the biggest plane to take off from a carrier deck? Is it still the B-25? Just to put things in perspective an F-14 Tomcat is longer than a B-25 and twice the weight. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/24 "2013-05-16T13:43:57Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Holy shit. Although the phrase is bandied about quite a bit for more trivial matters, I think this is one of the few instances for which it was actually created. There really is not much else one can say. Except maybe, "Holy shit. :eek: " ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/25 "2013-05-16T15:05:56Z")
Me, I’m struck by how extraordinarily precise that landing was. The pilot managed to touch down the rear wheels within what, about ten feet of the edge of the deck? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/26 "2013-05-16T15:08:27Z")
Yep. He’s either really good or he almost nerfed it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/27 "2013-05-16T15:13:09Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > Yep. He’s either really good or he almost nerfed it. I doubt they selected him by drawing names from a hat. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/28 "2013-05-16T17:58:12Z")
I noticed that the wheels were already coming up, on takeoff, before he ran out of deck. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/29 "2013-05-16T18:03:44Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I doubt they selected him by drawing names from a hat. 🙂 Might have been part of some punitive action… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/30 "2013-05-16T18:07:20Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > Might have been part of some punitive action… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/31 "2013-06-15T23:46:21Z")
I found this, X-47-heads: Search for “airboyd” in YouTube. In his channel (everyone know how to subscribe?), is a playlist of 20 videos on the X-47, dating from 2003. A bunch on the carrier launch and prep. Here’s one: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Bg41gdRFD9A/maxresdefault.jpg "X-47B Loaded Onto USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg41gdRFD9A) He also has some 400 (quick scan) other vids on air and space. Because he’s popular, he made a deal to sell ads, which sucks but you can kill them after five seconds. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/32 "2013-06-16T02:59:10Z")
I was a bit surprised to see that no one had followed up on this thread after the flurry of posts ending on May 16. On May 20, the [X-47B was recorded doing touch-and-goes](http://defensetech.org/2013/05/20/x-47b-performs-historic-touch-and-go/) on the _Bush_. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/33 "2013-06-16T04:02:18Z")
Wonder how it will do when low on fuel, ( one chance to do it correctly ) in rough seas at night in heavy rain and strong & variable winds. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Ayebaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darth_ayebaw/32/9870_2.png) [@Darth\_Ayebaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Ayebaw)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/34 "2013-06-16T08:04:35Z")
Well theoretically, it should both see better and react faster than a human pilot. But it’ll be interesting to know if they’ve got it right. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/35 "2013-06-16T18:54:52Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > My God, someone on the Internet used “home in” correctly! _faints_ > > _wakes groggily_ uh…what was that about drones? How is it often used incorrectly? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/36 "2013-06-16T18:55:09Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > a kimikaze drone Or kamikaze, even. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/37 "2013-06-16T19:00:49Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > How is it often used incorrectly? Never mind, I figured it out when I googled for “home in” and the second result was a link to [merriam-webster.com’s entry](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hone%20in) for “hone in”, including a discussion about how the whole “hone in” usage is a mistake, and an argument in the comments about whether “hone in” is acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/38 "2013-06-17T01:15:05Z")
> [@Dissonance](#): > > I read the thread name as [XB-47](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=xb-47&sa=X&hl=en&biw=1662&bih=787&tbm=isch&tbnid=Rp7PZyOUonYJGM:&imgrefurl=http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:XB-47-1_300.jpg&docid=yOeZz-hnlfYtuM&imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/XB-47-1_300.jpg&w=1800&h=1199&ei=FLyTUffJOtWt4APXz4HwBw&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:0,s:0,i:136&iact=rc&dur=1679&page=1&tbnh=183&tbnw=275&start=0&ndsp=18&tx=183&ty=77) and my initial reaction was 😕. I have no idea what this says about me. Maybe your brain said, “THAT would be interesting. An overgrown RC plane? Not nearly so interesting.” It also means you’re old. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/39 "2013-06-17T02:15:48Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Maybe your brain said, “THAT would be interesting. An overgrown RC plane? Not nearly so interesting.” It also means you’re old. I thought of the B-47, too. 🙂 Strategic Air Command kept the Russkies off our ass. Get off my lawn! ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410/40 "2013-07-10T14:20:17Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > When will it be able to land? According to the AP, the Navy is attempting to land the drone on the USS GHW Bush [today](http://news.yahoo.com/navy-attempt-1st-unmanned-carrier-landing-093729424.html). I’m sure we’ll hear shortly how it came out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-47b-takes-off-from-carrier/658410.md?page=3)