Chain_1

Current 135 guy here. It hasn't changed. We still use a/a t/r on our tacan and still only give dme. If people want bearing they need a KC-10 or KC-46 now.

You're correct on the meaning of chicks in tow, but the meaning is that OP is cleared to 1 mile trail. If the left wing is clear, though, he could go there (though not while F-16s are being refueled due to the speed difference, (200 KIAS vs 315 KIAS)). This call is somewhat ambiguous, though. Hopefully tanker comms get a rework in the future.

Same for me. The completely coupled approach I got worked fine re: pitchdown, but if I'm using autothrottle without acls the jet drops like a rock and prangs on. Sometimes the hook catches and sometimes it doesn't.

Same here, can't get it in to mode 1 on the datalink. I have good indications up until then, other than the verbal hold dme and the link 4 pointer not really aligning, i.e. told to hold at 23, but link 4 points further out into the 30s.

That's a workaround for now, yes, but the issue remains that we should be in in a/a t/r, and that currently doesn't function correctly. We'll see what the next patch notes say. Edit: Looks like this has not been corrected in this patch. @BIGNEWY what can I, or any other tanker bros, do to help convince the team to get this back to the previous correct implementation?

That's because that post is about the F-18, hence its location in the F-18 forum.

@Top Jockey That's extremely interesting. Your first two bombs never catch the laser and fall ballistically, as expected in an auto drop, and land about 7.5 miles short. The other two do hit, and I can duplicate it now that I see how you do it. I tried it at 25000, dropping one at 13 mi and a second at 12 mi (replicating your drop distances, using the same speed of 566 KTAS/.93M), and the first one runs out of energy and fall short, but the second connects. I guess the parameters above were just a bit optimistic (that extra 4000' does help). As others have pointed out, the GBU-10 should have the "bang-bang" flight controls, which one would think would bleed off the bomb's energy. In any case, it's an interesting technique. I never would have thought to use MAN mode like that. We'll have to see what we can do with the Viper's MAN mode when it comes out.

I'd like to see a track of you doing this with a GBU-10 in the Hornet. I've tried this multiple times just now with your parameters and get nowhere near the range that you claim you get. At the range you say you're getting out of a GBU-10, the only thing that I am in range for is a GBU-38 at about 16 miles. GBU-24 is max range at 9 miles, and GBU-10 and 12 command release at 5 miles and change.

I don't find it particularly sluggish at proper aar speed (315 kn), as the power setting is high enough. Part of the issue is the single engine nature of the viper, which is why it isn't as sensitive to throttle inputs as the twin-engine hornet. I too find that I need a bit more physical throttle to produce as rapid a speed change as the hornet, but you don't necessarily want that when you're refueling. As others have said, practice, practice, practice. With more experience, you'll learn to anticipate throttle changes. Also, zooming out a bit helps so you can see position/closure changes with your peripheral vision. As for other possible reasons, what speed/altitude are you trying to refuel at and what stores do you have?

I have a 3080 ti, 9700k, 32gb ram, and a 500 gb m2 drive only for DCS, and a 32" monitor. Everything is cranked up and it runs smooth as silk. Something else might be going on in your system, methinks.

Works fine for me both with and without radar. If you post a track we'll be able to see what you're trying to do.

A point of order. The aircraft category A-E on the bottom of the approach plate has to do with the aircraft's speed, not it's approach equipment. The A-10 (and other US Fighters) absolutely can shoot CAT I ILS approaches because CAT I is the basic ILS, and said fighters have ILS receivers (though you are correct in that they do more VFR approaches than IFR). You would be further correct if you were to say that those fighters could not shoot CAT II or III ILS approaches, as they aren't certified (though I would have to check their -1s and vol 3s, to be sure).

Even then, the bearing would be inaccurate. Using the example above, after switching to North Up the bearing would indicate that the NDB/VOR was off the aircraft's right wing, when it would actually be off the aircraft's nose still. I understand a few degrees difference for true vs magnetic (and I probably should've phrased my first post that way), but not moving at all around the compass rose just gives bad info to the pilot. To be fair, though, I haven't shot an NDB approach in over ten years, so you may be right. We'll see what the team comes up with.

The ADF bearing circle on the HSI works fine in Track Up, but it doesn't follow the magnetic bearing when you switch to North Up. Instead it maintains the same position on the outside of the compass rose. I.e., if it is at the 12 o'clock position in Track Up flying west, it remains at the 12 o'clock position in North Up instead of moving to the 9 o'clock position to maintain the correct magnetic bearing. Track attached. adftest.trk

Make sure your Air Refueling switch is in the closed position. If it's open, ALT HOLD and ATT won't work. This has gotten me before when I had a switch in the wrong position.

That's interesting. With the flap switch in EXT I can't get much more than 6 g and change. But with the switch in NORM I can get the full 9 g. This is strange considering that in the external view the flaps indicate 6 degrees in both settings at high speed. You may have stumbled upon a bug, although I guess you could be tricking the FLCS into an AoA limit.

For everyone's SA, they're at 6 percent in NORM, and as you slow they gradually lower if in EXT. You would therefore have more lift while at a lower speed, so it makes sense that it would help turning. As you accelerate, they come back up. If you want them to stay at 6%, just leave the switch in NORM.

If you F2 and look at the info bar, it says flaps 6 degrees when you're flying around with the gear up, but you can't change it any way except to lower the gear or use the manual extension. But they only go to full anyway.

I think the only fighters I've seen actually use a/a tacan with us are the A-10s. In 11 years of having both offloaded and onloaded fuel in the 135, I've never seen bearing in a/a t/r, and the -1 makes no mention of transmitting bearing.

Same discussion is happening in the Viper forum. Tl;dr it's not working correctly. From a KC-135, you should only receive distance and you should be in a/a t/r mode.

Good to see another TOAD. I confirm this as a current 135 pilot. If you want bearing AND distance, you need a KC-10 or KC-46, and it should be A/A. The current reference is the ATP 3.3.4.2 US National SRD (publicly available at the Joint Air Power Competence Centre) para 4.17.3.

If it helps the team, here's a track from a higher altitude. With line of sight already established the missiles loft normally in both EOM and PB modes, even with a non-optimal aircraft loft angle. harmLOStesthighalt.trk

Once you're off the ground don't worry about using the rudder, just let the jet crab into the wind.

Definitely unexpected behavior. Even when lofting the aircraft, the missile seems to fly itself downward in a direct path to the target steerpoint if there's no line of sight from the aircraft to the target steerpoint, regardless of if the emitter is on the rwr. However, when line of sight is established, the missile lofts normally. harmLOStest.trk Edit: Just tried it with the Hornet and the same thing happened. I can make a separate topic in the Hornet forum if you want @BIGNEWY, but it looks like this is a general AGM-88 issue.

Range only for the 135. KC-10s have bearing and distance according to the SRD, but I've never flown on one. As a practical matter, if you're flying something with a radar, that's what you're going to use anyway. The only fighters that I remember using TACAN with us were A-10s.