Arrester Hook Access

"Three-zero-five, Hornet Ball," Jax called out, his eyes locked on the "Meatball," the glowing amber light on the ship's optical landing system that told him if his glide slope was true.

As the jet lurched to a halt, the tension on the wire eased. Jax pulled the throttles back to idle. A yellow-shirted flight deck director gave him the signal to raise the hook. The steel cable, now released, was pulled back into place by the deck crew, ready for the next pilot in the stack. arrester hook

Jax taxied off the landing area, his heart finally slowing down. It was a perfect "trap"—all thanks to a single piece of steel acting as a lifeline between the sky and the sea. "Three-zero-five, Hornet Ball," Jax called out, his eyes