ok, am i just dumb? (no answer please)

[BigScience]

how does one launch aircraft from onborad an aircraft carrier?? i realize this may seem a really really stupid question, but DUH!! i can't figure it out
second stupid question....air patrol..does what?? i have clicked it and have yet to see a single of my jets actually intercept another players planes when my turn is over. since it can't be "clicked" DURING an opponents turn, how the heck does it do anything??

once agian i realize these may appear to be inane questions, but since i can't figure em out on my own, i have nowhere else to turn. your help is appreciated

 

[Mavfin]

Well, when the fighter is activated, push 's' to put it on an 'air superiority' mission. Unfortunately, there was a bug in 1.17f and earlier that nullified the mission if you moved the carrier...1.21f is *supposed* to fix this.

 

[Sparrowhawk]

To launch aircraft from a carrier, right-click on the carrier and select the aircraft from the menu that comes up. You can then give it whatever commands you like.


Using the 's' command on a fighter sets it to air superiority. That means that if an enemy plane flies within the fighter's air superiority range, your fighter has a chance (70% ?) of intercepting it and shooting it down.

 

[D. Boon's Ghost]

Remember that when an airplane of any kind is boarded onto a carrier, the airplane goes into 'fortified', or 'sleep' mode. You need to wake the birds up before they are able to do anything. Once you move the carrier, the planes slip back into sleep mode.
Right click on the carrier, the 'Wake Bomber/Fighter' option will pop up.
As mentioned, the 1.21 patch is supposed to fix the air superiority falling into sleep mode when the carrier moves. Not having tried the patch yet, I can only assume that bombers, as well, would stay active.