Factual error: Season 9 Episode 5, "Touchdown": When they approach the aircraft carrier, the copilot says that the number two engine is flaming out. This means there is no more fuel to run that engine. That supposedly also means that there is not enough fuel for a fire alarm lighting up in the cockpit, which is what happens in the show. (Verified by a USMC Staff Sergeant who flew 8 years on a C130).
Factual error: During the approach on the aircraft carrier, they had to put out the gear manually. The copilot shouts that she has three greens (meaning that all gears are down and locked), then she puts the gear lever up. If that is done, the gear would raise again or be in an unsafe position for the landing.
Factual error: When they have to jettison fuel during their final approach to the aircraft carrier, Rabb tells his co-pilot to dump 200 pounds of fuel. That is about 30 Gallons (about two normal car tanks). But there is way too much fuel being dumped to be only 30 gallons.
Chosen answer: When landing on an aircraft carrier, a pilot "calls the ball" by confirming to the landing signal officer (LSO) that they have the carrier, and more specifically its landing guidance systems in sight. Carriers use a Fresnel lens system which is a light only visible at a certain angle, so if a pilot sees the "ball" they are at the correct altitude and glide slope for landing.
Sierra1 ★