@kcdzim:
No, it does, very explicitly. P21 Pac 2nd Edition- where units can move.
“A fighter or tactical bomber can land in a sea zone (even a
hostile one) that is adjacent to an industrial complex you own
if you will be mobilizing an aircraft carrier that you previously
purchased in that zone during the Mobilize New Units phase.”
“You must have a carrier move, remain in place, or be
mobilized (new carriers only) to pick up a fighter or
tactical bomber that would end its noncombat movement in
a sea zone. You can’t deliberately move an air unit out of
range of a potential safe landing space.”
This passage is also in the 1st edition rules.
@knp7765:
Okay, so technically you are right, you don’t have to move or mobilize a carrier to provide a safe landing place for surviving fighters and tacs.
Yes, you do.
@knp7765:
I guess you could consider this more a question of etiquette than actual game mechanics. When you make your combat move, you declare where your planes will land as a matter of consideration to your opponent regardless of your actual plans for those planes.
This is not etiquette - it is the rules. During combat movement, you must demonstrate that each of your air units has a valid potential landing place or the move is illegal. However, as you say, those landing spaces are only required to be provided if the air units in question still need them during noncombat movement.