The US Navy has a color-coded system, categorized by seven colors, for the roles of different on-deck crews on aircraft carriers.
The colors who deal with the staff for the taking off and landing of planes are: yellow, brown, blue, green, red, purple and white.
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen salutes rainbow sideboys as he departs the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. Image credit US Navy
Yellow: Aircraft handling officers, plane directors, and catapult and arresting gear officers.
Brown: ‘Air wing’ plane captains and air wing line leading petty officers wear.
Blue: Directed by those who wear yellow, to operate aircraft elevators and tractors.
Green: The crew who maintain catapult and arresting gear and hook runners. The most difficult and dangerous job on deck.
Red: The crew handling the planes’ weapons by moving, mounting and arming the plane.
Purple: Fueling and de-fueling planes, a dangerous procedure because of the hot engines and explosives on the planes.
White: Quality and safety observers, medical crew members and inspectors.
Images credit US Navy
Aircraft Carrier Flight Deck • Controlled Chaos
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