Any naval aviator will tell you that landing a plane on an aircraft carrier is THE most dangerous thing to do.

First you've got to find an airport that is moving from place to place all the time. Then you've got to line up on a landing strip that is (a) too short, and
(b) bouncing up and down.

Not only do you have to remember to lower your landing gear, you've also got to lower a hook which is designed to catch the cables that they've strung across the deck (think of putting on the brakes in your car by leaning out the window and grabbing a telephone pole).

And to put the icing on the cake, you've got apply full throttle just before you land so that if your hook misses those cables, may be, just may be you will have enough power to take off instead of falling over the side and going splat.

The operations center was holding its collective breath as a rookie pilot was on final approach for his first carrier landing. The flight path looked good, speed looked good, down comes the landing gear, down comes the hook...

Oh no, he missed all four arresting cables! The plane disappeared from view as it shot off the end of the runway and dropped over the bow.

The operations center personnel quickly started recovery procedures, calling in the helicopters to make the pick up if there is any- thing left to pick up.

To their amazement, just then the plane reappeared!

There it was skimming the wave-tops as it began to gather speed.

The radio crackled as the pilot announced, "OK, Lord. I can take it from here..."