the LSO teams after each cycle. Average grades are computed for each pilot, resulting in a highly competitive pecking order of pilot landing skill throughout the airwing. Possible grades: "OK Underline" – a perfect pass, generally under unfavorable circumstances. Naval Aviators often have hundreds of carrier landings without ever receiving this grade. Worth 5 points. "OK" – a pass with only very minor deviations from centerline, glideslope and angle of attack. Worth 4 points. "Fair" – a pass with one or more safe deviations and appropriate corrections. Worth 3 points. "Bolter" – a safe pass where the hook is down and the aircraft does not stop. Worth 2.5 point, but counts against pilot/squadron/wing "boarding rate". "No Grade" – a pass with gross (but still safe) deviations or inappropriate corrections. Failure to respond to LSO calls will often result in this grade. Worth 2 points. "Technique Waveoff" – a pass with deviations from centerline, glideslope and/or angle of attack that are unsafe and need to be aborted. Worth 1 point. "Cut Pass" – an unsafe pass with unacceptable deviations, typically after a wave off is possible. Worth zero points. "Foul Deck Waveoff" – a pass that was aborted due to the landing area being fouled. No points are assigned and the pass is not counted toward the pilot's landing grade average. The LSOs also write a comment in shorthand for use in the LSO-Pilot debrief. An example comment might read, "High, a little overshooting start, fly through down on comeback in the middle, low in close to at the ramp. Fair-2." This means the aircraft was high at the start of the approach and had slightly overshot the landing area centerline. As the pilot corrected to centerline, he did not add enough power so he flew through the glideslope from high to low. The LSO likely would have given the pilot a signal at this time to add power. For the last portion of the approach, the aircraft remained below glideslope (but was on centerline because of the lack of a comment), touching down prior to the target 3-wire. The pilot caught the 2-wire, and received a grade of "fair". Popular culture The LSO in popular culture is romantically represented by "Beer Barrel", the colorful officer in James Michener's best-seller The Bridges at Toko-Ri. Actor Robert Strauss played the role in the 1954 motion picture. LSOs can be seen aiding in