Hands-on approach

The ball shown in the -+- configuration (Final Cut).

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

There are two kinds of hands-on approaches: the condition three-mode landing, as performed by Lee Adama when first arriving on Galactica (Miniseries); and the high-speed combat landing.

At the time of the surprise Cylon Attack, complaceny allows battlestars to routinely use computerized auto-landing systems to network with a ship's controls and guide it into the flightpods. On Galactica, William Adama's orders make hands-on approach the only accepted landing procedure. The uniqueness of this policy is evident from Lee Adama's confusion when he is instructed to land his Viper Mk VII manually (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 viruses), part of his no-networked-computers policy to protect against future Cylon attacks.

Captain Lee Adama completes a hands-on approach in his Viper Mk. VII (Miniseries).

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

LSO: "Viper seven niner one Galactica, you are cleared for approach ... Speed one seven five, port bay, hands-on approach, checker's green, call the ball ."

Pilot: "Copy. I have the ball."

Re-imagined Series definition: visual indicator used in a battlestar's Instrument Landing System during a hands-on approach ^{(TRS: "Miniseries", "Act of Contrition", "Final Cut", "Black Market")}

Re-imagined Series definition: officer responsible for flight operations of either a battlestar or battlestar group