Editing Hands-on approach

[[File:Viperapproach 104 1080i.jpg|thumb|200px|The ''ball'' shown in the -+- configuration {{TRS|Act of Contrition}}.]]

A '''hands-on approach''' refers to landing aboard a [[Battlestar (RDM)|battlestar]] under the pilot's full manual control, i.e. all flight control inputs come from the pilot, not from any automated system.  This is a very difficult skill, requiring much practice to master.

There are two kinds of hands-on approaches: the [[Action Stations|condition three]]-mode landing, as performed by Lee Adama when first arriving on ''Galactica'' {{TRS|Miniseries}}; and the high-speed [[combat landing]].

At the time of the surprise [[Cylon Attack]], complacency allows battlestars to routinely use computerized auto-landing systems to network with a ship's controls and guide it into the flightpods.  On ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'', [[William Adama]]'s orders make hands-on approach the only accepted landing procedure.  The uniqueness of this policy is evident from {{callsign|Apollo}}'s confusion when he is instructed to land his [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] Mk VII manually {{TRS|Miniseries}}.
  
Commander Adama has banned the use of auto-landing systems aboard ''Galactica'' because it would expose the computers to vulnerabilities exploited by the Cylons in the first war (such as [[Cylon computer virus|viruses]]), part of his no-networked-computers policy to protect against future [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] attacks.

[[File:Handsonapproach.jpg|thumb|200px|Captain [[Lee Adama]] completes a hands-on approach in his [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] Mk. VII {{TRS|Miniseries}}.]]

A typical [[wireless]] exchange for a hands-on approach between [[LSO|Landing Signal Officer]] and pilot might go like this:

:'''LSO:''' "[[Viper 791|Viper seven niner one]] / ''Galactica'', you are cleared for approach ... Speed one seven five, port bay, hands-on approach, checkers green, call the ball<ref>The "ball" refers to the arrangement of crossed navigational lights at the lip of the [[landing bay]], and/or the visual cue on a cockpit display (as seen in [[Louanne Katraine|Kat's]] Viper in "[[Act of Contrition]]"). The pilot would use this to adjust his/her glideslope for a proper approach into the flight pod. The phrase "I have the ball" informs the LSO that the pilot has acquired this visual cue and is beginning the final approach.</ref>."

:'''Pilot:''' "Copy. I have the ball."
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== References ==
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[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:RDM]]
{{indicator|TRS}}[[Category:TRS]]
[[fr:Approche manuelle]]