Air Refueling "contact" envelope?

[zero2005]

Just wondering, is this a known error, or is it just modeled incorrectly?

 

Basically, flying the F-15, I get into the AR position, and the AI boom operator will not make contact -- even though I am in the envelope to do so.

 

I have found in order to make a contact I need to come close to the forward and upper limits for the AI to plug me. this is not how it should be, the boom can make a contact anywhere within the limits. what i am seeing is that the AI basically has no control over the extension of the boom? i've found the PDI lights to be accurate at least.

 

is there a way to fix this, or mod this?

 

i've also found that the AI boom bugs off sometimes (aims toward one side or another of the UARRSI), requiring me to back out, cancel the AR, and re-initiate. I would suggest another radio option in the menu to "reset" the AI such as "returning to pre-contact" - then once in the pre-contact position, i can state "pre-contact" as usual and move in. many less keystrokes that way.

 

If there are any other questions regarding AR, i'd be glad to help - i'm a KC-10 flight engineer. also, why is there no KC-10 stock? I read somewhere that one could be modded in, i'd like to give that a go and see how the envelope is on that as well.

[Officer25]

Yep I have noticed the same thing too... I took some pictures too while rewatching it (there were some pictures where the boom even clipped into the damn refueling hole... never was there a contact or fuel transfer though.

 

http://i.imgur.com/cbBzRZX.jpg

[zero2005]

yea, i've noticed it doing that too. or sometimes the AI will just lock in position, so when i go to move to the contact position, he just keeps it where it is, which ends up looking like hes trying to plug my engines lol luckily there's no strike until the boom ruddervators contact the aircraft.

 

i just wish the contact position was fixed. in its current location its too easy to pop in/up just a bit too far and strike the boom, causing all kinds of problems. the boom also never calls a breakaway and fails to move it if you come too far in/up. i've only gotten him to call a breakaway one time, and it was because DCS reset my Axis curves which really threw me off lol.

 

the breakaway isn't animated properly at all either. the PDI lights should flash on/off (all of them) and the boom should raise to avoid a collision. the aircraft will accelerate at MCT power, and start a gentle climb to the "top of the block".

 

tankers work block airspace - ie FL240BFL260 which is 24,000 to 26,000, and they will usually sit at 25,000. in the event of a breakaway, the receiver will drop to the bottom, tanker will go to the top (if necessary).

 

after a disconnect is initiated the boom would also raise up to about the 0 elevation area.

 

i can live without these, but the contact position is the biggest problem. give the AI some kind of control over the extension, basically, when receiver is in the contact position for "X" amount of seconds, start extension at "Y" rate until contact is made. the AI already starts to move the boom to align with the UARRSI when you get within a certain distance, so i would think it shouldn't be too hard to add an extra few lines to do the same thing for the extension. after contact, the extension will be controlled by the receiver aircraft position.

 

if i knew anything about modding, i'd implement this myself IF it was possible to adjust such things.

[SilentGun]

There is no (current) way to fix the ai not extending the boom but I found if you use the mirrors you can see where the boom is and where it needs to be. And you can always back up after contact.