Aircraft Lifts/Elevators
Based on general internet searches I have collected the following information on aircraft lifts on modern aircraft carriers;
I tried plotting the weight information a couple different ways and came up with similar results, as shown below. As such I've selected the Weight vs Area trendline for use in making an estimate of the Elevator/Lift weight for other designs, since Elevator/Lift area is usually easier to determine for various ships as compared to their lift capacity. One thing to note here is that for the weights listed above I believe that these numbers represent the total system weight and not just the weight of the Elevator/Lift platform. Based on data for the UK's new Queen Elizabeth class STOVL carriers it appears that the relationship of the weight of the platfrom to the total system weight may be on the order of the Lift platform being equal to about 49% the total system weight, but I haven't been able to fully confirm this information.
| Vessel | Capacity | Length | Width | Area | Unit Wt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (lb) | (ft) | (ft) | (sq ft) | (LT) | |
| USS Forrestal | 79,000 | 62.0 | 52.0 | 3,224 | 166.0 |
| UK 1952 CV Design | 40,000 | 60.0 | 44.0 | 2,640 | 137.8 |
| UK CVF | 154,322 |
|
|
4,305 | 246.0 |
I tried plotting the weight information a couple different ways and came up with similar results, as shown below. As such I've selected the Weight vs Area trendline for use in making an estimate of the Elevator/Lift weight for other designs, since Elevator/Lift area is usually easier to determine for various ships as compared to their lift capacity. One thing to note here is that for the weights listed above I believe that these numbers represent the total system weight and not just the weight of the Elevator/Lift platform. Based on data for the UK's new Queen Elizabeth class STOVL carriers it appears that the relationship of the weight of the platfrom to the total system weight may be on the order of the Lift platform being equal to about 49% the total system weight, but I haven't been able to fully confirm this information.
Aircraft Elevator/Lift weights are
part of SWBS Group 588 (which I believe also include other items such
as aircraft handling "Yellow" gear), and like the arrestor gear and
catapults will likely also have an impact on foundation (SWBS 185),
Operating fluids (SWBS 598) and Special Parts and Tools (SWBS
589). Here, based on typical rules of thumb I have assumed that;
At this point in time I haven't attempted to make an estimate of the other portions of SWBS 588 weight, such as the deck handling vehicles and such.
SWBS 185 Foundation weights will be equal to 8.84% the weight of the Elevator/Lift system
SWBS 588 Operating Fluids will be equal to 2.4% the weight of the Elevator/Lift system
SWBS 589 Special Parts and Tools will be equal to about 0.15% the weight of the Elevator/Lift system
SWBS 588 Operating Fluids will be equal to 2.4% the weight of the Elevator/Lift system
SWBS 589 Special Parts and Tools will be equal to about 0.15% the weight of the Elevator/Lift system
At this point in time I haven't attempted to make an estimate of the other portions of SWBS 588 weight, such as the deck handling vehicles and such.
This document maintained by PFJN@mnvdet.com.