Complete Air to Air Refuelling Tutorial - DCS Fuel School - F/A-18C

[104th_Maverick]

I've been getting lots of questions about AAR and also noticed lots of people struggling to complete the procedure so I thought I would redo my AAR video with a more in depth look at how to refuel in the Hornet.

 

 

This is the first episode in our new series 'Fuel School' where we will teach you how to refuel all aircraft that can do so in the game!

 

 

This tutorial covers:

 

 

 

• Building a Refuel Training Mission in the Editor,
  
• Narrated walk through on how to connect to the tanker,
  
• Mistakes and Misconceptions about Refuelling,
  
• Helpful Visual Alignments,
  
  
• Lesson Summary.
  

 

 

 

Any questions please feel free to shout out.

 

 

Mav

:thumbup:

 

Edited September 7, 2018 by [Maverick]

[donkeyrider]

Thank you. I definitely need this.

[StandingCow]

Good stuff as always Mav!

[Kayos]

Awesome as usual. Thanks!

[Shack]

I could've used these tips on how to approach the basket, back in high school with my first girlfriend ... :megalol:

[pete_auau]

thx for some reason I can refuel with the kc130 first time with no issues, but with the sb3 iam having great issues, cant stay connected long enough

[Scotch75]

Thanks Mav,

 

Fantastic tutorial and well explained mate. Has already improved my AAR technique and success.

 

Cheers!

 

 

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[AG-51_Sabot]

Nice job!!

 

Spot on the S3 is the Fuel Dump in real life

[Badger1815]

What am i doing wrong when i can't see the 10° line on the HUD?

[pete_auau]

can you see the 5 mark

[104th_Maverick]

Make sure you are not in A2A or A2G master mode, you should be in NAV mode when connecting to the tanker.

 

A number of people have been asking me about the pitch ladder and what you line it up with, remember guys we are not interested in the pitch ladder any more.

Our main visual reference point in the refuelling pod under the tankers wing, we want to be lined up directly behind that but we are not using anything else to line it up with (the HUD for example).

 

Using the techniques shown in the video you should easily be able to refuel with the HUD completely off :)

[Furia]

Really good Tutorial. A lot of work to put it all together and really well explained. :thumbup:

 

Thanks a lot

[AG-51_Sabot]

Pulled a bonehead mistake tonight...Saddled up nice and on speed...to ARCO...a KC-135. He showed me his and I showed him mine.

[Doum76]

Awesome video as usual. :)

 

 

 

You just made me realised i'm a laysy person, instead of spoting 2-3 diferent references spot on each tankers, i simply align the refueling pod to my HUD's center scale line then i slightly offset a little left of it since the probe is right of the canopy which also alows a peripheral vision of the basket for small adjustment if needed, which makes it easier for any aircraft as i get a pod always the same spot since all of them have a pod or a boom you can center, versus, a logo that can differ from many user made liveries, or a hook which is on one aircraft or the other, or when we ever get a super hornet tanker, as per height, i simply realised the probe extended at average refueling speed, can vary a bit, but is mostly at the same level as the flight path marker, so it'll be simply where you flight at, again, i just like making my life easier since i am laysy ... :helpsmilie: if i start aiming too many references i gets moving all over the planet. :( Too many references spots makes me break my concentration so i use one i found good and use my peripheral vision for close in adjustment, good thing i am not a real pilot. :)

Edited September 8, 2018 by Doum76

[Dr_Watson]

Awright muckers.

 

Was going to open a new thread, but thought this one was appropriate.

 

A2A refuelling has been no problem for me, until I started doing missions from cold and dark ramp start.

 

With ramp hot start, the radio comms work with no issue, I can use the old comm menu button and the tanker answers on initial contact, I can use comm1 shortcut and it works too, freq goes to 251 by default, AM...no problems.

 

With cold and dark, I am using the cheat start up until I get time to learn each step manually. But with this start state, I can not get any answer from the tanker with first contact. So either this is a bug, or I suspect cold and dark is not setting something in the radio like a hot start does.

 

With cold and dark, I use comm 1, either with M mode and input 251, which the radio accepts, contact tanker with comm 1 shortcut or general comm menu and no answer, tried everything possible but I can't get an answer, using the preset freq 251 (preset 18 I think) doesn't work, trying another frequency doesn't work.

 

Something obvious, read the manual, or a bug? Thanks for any help.

[David OC]

 

With cold and dark, I use comm 1, either with M mode and input 251, which the radio accepts, contact tanker with comm 1 shortcut or general comm menu and no answer, tried everything possible but I can't get an answer, using the preset freq 251 (preset 18 I think) doesn't work, trying another frequency doesn't work.

 

Something obvious, read the manual, or a bug? Thanks for any help.

 

Have you bound the two separate comm channels? I think comm 1 is right shift \. Check in the key binds under HOTAS. There could be issues with the quick start? Don't use it myself. I would learn the startup, it's very quick if you cancel out all the checks.

Edited September 9, 2018 by David OC

[defeatist99]

thx for some reason I can refuel with the kc130 first time with no issues, but with the sb3 iam having great issues, cant stay connected long enough

 

Are you comfortable with formation flying? You have to stay pretty close to the viking.

[sollymans]

Can't thank you enough for making this video. managed to get into the basket on second attempt and stay there for more than 2 seconds. Not pretty yet but much much better.

[Chacer]

Just what I need! Awesome tutorial matey. Now just need to go & practice, practice, practice

[Yurgon]

Fantastic tutorial, very well explained, thanks a lot! :thumbup:

[smallberries]

"1, 3. Sorry, I was too busy bopping to the music, missed those instructions. How copy?"

 

Great tips on the visual references, I know that's going to help me.

Edited September 12, 2018 by smallberries

[WindyTX]

Nice video very clear, don't look at the basket .

 

In reality you don't turn the radar off until you are closing visually ( less than 1000yds, it's no problem until you are within 200yds or less ). It makes the rejoin a lot easier as it gives you all the information you need about the tanker. While you can talk to the tanker in some circumstances often it's silent and you don't know exactly where the track ends.

 

 

 

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

[Badger1815]

Indeed, good tutorial. I've finally been making 1-3 sec connects :s

I've found out turning trackir off is easier to keep in position on connect.

[104th_Maverick]

Just remember to keep breathing ;)

 

 

 

Its very easy to mildly panic once you make connection. Just keep looking straight forward and drive the aircraft in closer to the tanker a little.

 

 

If you start looking around all over the place you will get out of shape very quickly.

 

 

Keep your focus forward at all times, if you can stay stable enough to actually connect to the basket you can stay stable enough to stay connected.

 

 

Keep looking at the refuel pod under the tanker wing and drive forward until you see your visual cue on the left or right side of the tanker.

 

 

 

The real secret is practice, just keep going up my friend and it will come!

[AG-51_Razor]

Awesome video Maverick, as always! :thumbup: If not for your video on AAR in the Harrier, I'd still be banging my head against the canopy bow trying to get it done. :wallbash:

 

 

I just have one comment for your benefit. The "Air Force logo" you refer to on the side of the KC-130's fuselage is just a national insignia for all US military planes, much like the roundel on UK aircraft. Besides, the KC-130 in this simmulation belongs to the Marines. But this is the ONLY thing that I have ever heard you say that might be considered inaccurate throughout all of the outstanding videos of yours that I have watched and learned a great deal from. I know, I know, never end a sentence with a preposition!! :doh: Please keep cranking these out Maverick as I am still trying to figure out how to get fuel while in a Mirage. :joystick: