[adamjb]

They successfully tested landing and taking off a loaded C-130 from a carrier in the 60s so I guess if you designed a new long range STOL airliner from the ground up it wouldn't be impossible and might even have a slim slim chance of being economical. But existing airliners, no way. And with the risks of carrier operations I don't reckon it'd be anywhere near as safe as 6 hour ETOPS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar-poc38C84

[jacquesm]

The risk analysis alone makes it a non-starter, besides the fact that such airliners don't exist, a C130 vs a 777 is a huge difference in size, weight, range and take-off speed (80 tons vs 200 tons, 2500 nm vs 5000 nm minimum), 130 kph vs 240 kph. The C130 has four prop-jets, the 777 is a dual turbofan. Payload for a 777 is about 100 tons, C130 landing on that carrier was 12 tons.

And as for that test: there is a reason it was left at the 'test' stage, it was deemed too risky.

It is amazing that they managed to land a C130 on an aircraft carrier at all, even more amazing that they did it 30 times or so without mishap, but it is a very, very long stretch away from being able to land a passenger jet and take off again routinely, what is acceptable risk for the navy would never fly (pun intended) for passenger service.