CHAPTER  14 AIRCRAFT LOADING AND UNLOADING PROCEDURES After aircraft ordnance and ordnance accessories have been tested, they are approved for carriage and for release  by  a  particular  model  aircraft.  Information about ordnance and ordnance accessories can be found in  the  aircraft’s  Naval  Air  Training  and  Operating Procedures   Standardization   (NATOPS)   flight/tactical manual. This manual is the basic authority for the types of ordnance and ordnance load combinations on each model  aircraft.  Deviation  (change)  from  the  basic authority must be approved before it can be made. The authority that approves deviations is the Naval Air Systems  Command  (NAVAIR). The types of aircraft ammunition and armament equipment  were  covered  in  previous  chapters.  In  this chapter, you will learn about loading and unloading ammunition  and  other  armament  equipment  onto  the aircraft. AIRBORNE WEAPONS/STORES LOADING  MANUAL LEARNING  OBJECTIVE:  Identify  require- ments   in   airborne   weapon/stores   loading manuals  as  they  pertain  to  loading  and unloading aircraft ashore and afloat. The Airborne Weapons/Stores Loading Manual, known as the Loading Manual, standardizes loading procedures  used  throughout  the  Navy  and  Marine Corps. It improves safety and reliability in the loading of conventional weapons and airborne stores. You must follow the loading procedures in the  Loading  Manual. If there is a conflict between the  Loading Manual  and another  publication,  follow  the  procedures  in  the Loading Manual until NAVAIRSYSCOM solves the conflict. The procedures in the  Loading Manual are  followed during aircraft loading. However, the physical size of the manual makes it impractical for use on the flight line. Therefore,  the  actual  aircraft  loading  procedures  for  a weapon/store  are  condensed  into  an  airborne weapons/stores   checklist. An individual checklist is provided for each type of weapon/store to be loaded. This  includes  release  and  control  system  checks, retarded/nonretarded  bombs,  fire  bombs,  pyrotechnics, and  laser-guided  bombs.  Each  member  of  the  loading crew does not need a copy of a checklist during loading operations.   However,   crew   leaders   MUST  use  a checklist  for  the  particular  weapon/store  being  loaded. Checklists are not complete guides. They must be used only by experienced crew leaders that have thorough knowledge and understanding of the loading manual. Each checklist contains a required reading  section  that  each  member  of  the  loading  crew must  understand  before  starting  loading  operations.  To keep  these  loading  manuals  and  checklists  current,  you should use the Airborne Weapons/Stores Publication Index, NAVAIR  01-700.  This  index  provides  activities with a guide that lists all existing changes or revisions for  aircraft  conventional  weapons  loading,  release  and control, airborne weapons support equipment (AWSE), chemical,  and  weapon  assembly  or  disassembly checklists  and  manuals  on  hand.  This  publication  index is updated quarterly. ASHORE, LPH, LHA, LHD, AND CV NATOPS  MANUALS LEARNING   OBJECTIVE:   Identify   the requirements  in  airborne  weapons/stores loading manuals and the NATOPS manuals. The NATOPS manuals are issued by the authority of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) in conjunction with the Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization  (NATOPS)  program.  The  NATOPS manuals  contain  the  best  available  operating instructions for most circumstances. The NATOPS is regulatory in nature; however, operational necessity may  require  modification  of  the  procedures  contained in it. TERMS When you are involved in weapons loading and flight deck or flight line operations, there are certain weapons terms that you must know. Some of the more common  terms  are  contained  in  Appendix  I  of  this training manual. 14-1