This physical tracking board sits in flight deck control and uses small templates to represent every aircraft on the carrier. Handlers move the templates around the board to mirror real-time spotting, fueling, and arming status on the actual flight deck. Despite digital tracking systems, this tactile method remains in use because it provides an instant, fail-safe visual layout of a highly congested workspace.
Heard on the job
Move aircraft 402 to the port elevator on the Ouija board, they just finished fueling.
Insider tip
The templates on the board are often marked with different colored pins or nuts to indicate fuel states and weapon loads at a glance.