What is this person holding?

Question

at 15sec what is that thing his holding in the air called and what does it do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8rZWw9HE7o

Answer 1

The person holding the thing is a LSO, landing signal officer.

He is on a platform on the left side on an aircraft carrier when viewed from the rear.

He watches the aircraft on final and gives them instructions regarding their lineup, altitude and power setting.

He is holding a pickle, as the previous answerers called it. What it does is simple. It switches on red lights.

When he feels that the aircraft on final is so unaligned that it is a danger to the pilot, the ship and itself, he will wave it off by radioing to the pilot "Wave off" "Wave off".

He will also press the button. This makes a series of lights usually tell the pilot that he is on glideslope to change completely to red. This, in addition to the radio call, will make sure that the pilot knows that he is to abandon the approach and try again.

Answer 2

my pickle button that i use on occasion

Answer 3

It's a trigger switch. It is used to initiate the catapault launching process.

Answer 4

I think it is the launch bar.

Answer 5

Hmmm i agree with Chris, because I used to be a pilot in the airforce on carrier ships. Now I fly commercially

Answer 6

its just a thing they use to give directions and orders

Answer 7

Nothing to do with the catapult or launch bars....

That is the "pickle" button that a Landing Signal Officer (LSO) is holding up.  It is the end of a handle that is attached to a wire/cable.  It actuates the red "wave-off" lights on the optical landing system that pilots look at when on final approach to the carrier.  The LSO is a specially-trained pilot who is in communications with the approaching aircraft.