Continuity mistake: When Tom Boone reflects on Hammer being shot down, his helmet reads, "CAG"; which didn't occur for many years. (Stock footage was used from "Defensive Action")
Continuity mistake: The hull number on the flight deck "74" didn't match the hull number on the sailors caps. "74" is the hull number of the Nimitz class carrier USS John C. Stennis.
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 ★