[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nimitz#/media/File:USS_Nimitz_(CVN-68).jpg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nimitz#/media/File:USS_Nimitz_(CVN-68).jpg)
The most I see is about 30, and that itself fills up most of the deck. But they are stated to have capacity for 50, 60, or even 70 aircraft. How so?
In: Engineering
The capacity will depend on the types of aircraft aboard and the class of carrier. Below the flight deck is the hanger deck. Most carrier based aircraft are designed so that wings for the planes and rotors for the helicopters can fold. The CV-22 has wings that rotate and blades that fold. This minimizes the space they take up when not being used. There are elevators that allow the aircraft to be moved between the 2 decks.
Buoyancy is awesome, they’re enormous, and made of metal. The amount of air in them is enough to keep the whole thing afloat. Much like a sailboat or a kayak stays on the water without sinking. Or if you are in a pool floating and you take a deep breath you’ll raise up in the water.
The inside of the ship also has maintenance and storage decks for storing additional aircraft. Here’s an example picture of that – https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-9c1948b43831477d47ae1a68c40c065a-c
They have elevators that they use to move the planes up to the flight deck or down to the storage deck.
Many of the planes fold up and are stored on the level below the flight deck, commonly called the “hangar deck”. They are brought up as needed using large elevators.
Latest Answers