Going from 0 to 150 mph in 3 seconds, withstanding 3 Gs of force and taking off from what's often called "the most dangerous place on the planet" is just everyday life for an aircraft carrier pilot- and it's no different for the crew aboard the USS Enterprise. After being stationed in the Middle East for the last year, these pilots have seen heavy action in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now, finally, they’re returning home. With amazing personal stories and real-time footage from missions, join Smithsonian Channel for this exciting insider's peek at life onboard a wartime aircraft carrier.
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THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE ON THE PLANET Imagine going to work at a job where you stand 10 feet away from 43 aircraft holding 20,000 pounds of fuel and 2000 pound bombs, all on only 4 acres of space. Welcome to life on the USS Enterprise.
THE BIGGEST DISASTER TO HIT THE USS ENTERPRISE It was January 14, 1969. The Enterprise was en route to Vietnam when a rocket exploded on the flight deck. The blasts killed 28 and injured more than 300.
THE ONLY FEMALE PIOLT ROCKS Female aviators are commonplace in the Navy. On board the USS Enterprise, there is only one on board. She considers herself just one of the 17 pilots in the squadron. To her, it's all in a day's work.
