Refueling woes

[erjdriver]

Ok i've watched a few videos.

 

I enable autothrottle and can move up to the droke (sp?) slowly.

 

The problem is when I get close, the plane goes up and down 10/20 feet - very unstable vertically.

 

I think when you have the re-fuel probe extended the plane goes into an auto-pilot mode - it seems to disable (at least the lights go out) if you're already in altitude hold mode.

 

Any tips?

[Ironhand]

Ok i've watched a few videos.

 

I enable autothrottle and can move up to the droke (sp?) slowly.

 

The problem is when I get close, the plane goes up and down 10/20 feet - very unstable vertically.

 

I think when you have the re-fuel probe extended the plane goes into an auto-pilot mode - it seems to disable (at least the lights go out) if you're already in altitude hold mode.

 

Any tips?

It may be you that's going up and down, not the tanker. There's a burble (something like wake turbulence) that you have to move through as you move in close to the tanker and it's easy to overcompensate. Just fly smoothly and be careful not chase either the basket or director circle. (BTW, the director circle's default setting when you extend the refueling rod is #2 --the tail position. Use LCtrl+~ to change it to #1. Then you'll get the right directions.) Once you're through that "dirty" air, your flight smooths out.

 

Extending the refueling rod places the system in it's own refueling mode where control stick inputs are dampened. It also disables any other AP mode. As far as I can tell, it also takes you out of autothrottle but makes small throttle adjustments with you throttle more manageable.

[erjdriver]

Thanks - getting better now.

 

The biggest problem is the lack of documentation.

 

Thanks for the ~Lctrl tip.

[dogrokket]

I just sort of mastered it today. Auto throttle GOOD. Mapped increase/decrease to my hotas. I found that normal alt hold/roll hold is no good for refueling. The new feature, aerial refuel autopilot, is merely a dampener. The best way I can describe it, is that it trends the flight path to straight and level. I found it pretty easy to work with, after I stopped over controlling the stick. I would recommend engaging this mode at a slightly low aspect to the tanker, because it will raise you up some, when you engage it. Once again, relax your grip on the stick.

 

One caveat: if the tanker starts turning, this mode works against you. Kick it off, fall back and re engage after the tanker levels out.

 

One thing I found helpful, is to just fly behind the droge for a while. It’s free, and it will help you develop your sight picture.

 

Hope this helps. BTW, erjdriver, I’m an Airbus driver ;)

Edited December 12, 2017 by dogrokket

[wavn]

Problem can also be, that the speed of the tanker is sometimes a bit variable: a little bit faster (~ 3 km/h), then again a little bit slower (~ 3 km/h) a.s.o.