What’s the hardest aircraft to air refuel in?

[BMGZ06]

Yes learn with wake turb off first. I honestly do not really notice any difference with it on unless you are right behind the blowers, which is where you shouldn't be anyway.

[zildac]

Yes learn with wake turb off first. I honestly do not really notice any difference with it on unless you are right behind the blowers, which is where you shouldn't be anyway.

 

 

Thanks:thumbup:

 

 

I'm still just getting used to the throttle control too, so am also cheating somewhat by using BALT hold, I'll introduce the pitch axis once I'm comfortable and then try with wake turbulence (I'm only 4 weeks in) :joystick:

 

 

 

I have to admit that with wake turbulence on and approaching from below, as soon as I get on altitude with the drogue the Hornet is all over the place, does the wake turbulence effect decrease as you get closer to the tanker? I'm using the KC-130 if that makes any odds?

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Z

[fmedges]

I’ve changed my vote from the harrier to the warthog. It’s just so unstable even when trimmed up and the sight picture is horrible. Also the reliance on the boom operator that just disconnects sometimes.

[donkeyrider]

As you can see in my sig, I use a Reverb and yes, it does help compared to monitor.

 

My most recent attempts have been in the Mirage. AAR is the only thing I’ve not been able to succeed in so far after 10 missions. It’s spoiled my 100% score!

 

Sorry I missed that. I rarely read the fine print.

 

Some good tips above regarding turning off wake turbulence and relaxing your grip.

 

A couple of other things that could help:

 

* the KC-130 is the "easiest" tanker to refuel from

* I found all the tips about putting X over Y in your HUD to be unhelpful. Just line yourself up behind the refueling pod and put it in with your peripheral vision.

* You need to be going straight in when your pod hits the basket. If you are not lined up perfectly (i.e. you connect "diagonally") it will almost certainly lead to a disconnect. So if you miss, just drop back, get behind the pod and go straight in.

* I find it is better to have a bit of relative speed rather than approaching very slowly. If you are too slow, pilot induced oscillation is more likely. + 5 knots relative to tanker is about right.

* When you do connect do two things: 1. reduce throttle (but don't cut it); and 2. stare at that pod. I don't have the mirage but on the hornet, I'm constantly correcting my position and adjusting the throttle. There is no stable setting. Once you accept that, it actually gets easier because your are not chasing some "mythical" perfect setting. Its constant corrections and corrections to your corrections! So if you start drifting back, bump up the power, then as you start moving forward, reduce power; rinse and repeat!

 

Give it time and you'll get there.I also think it's better to practice for a few minutes every day rather than a long session once a week.

 

Hope this helps. It took me ages to get proficient at AAR but once I got there, it was probably the most satisfying thing I've done in DCS.

[henshao]

On 4/10/2020 at 11:47 PM, BMGZ06 said:

Now that I have the VKB gunfighter 3 it is much easier in the hornet and I am running no deadzones or curves. I cannot connect at all with the F16 even with deadzones at 3-5 and curves up to 15. I find curves to be a bigger issue given the lack of response and how much more i have to move the stick. I hate that damn boom crap. I see now why the USN stuck with the basket on the hornet and F35. Way easier and you have a lot more room for error in bad air. I have a lot of respect for the USAF guys that do it for real in the F16, 22, 15. They have to be way way more on it or risk breaking that boom and severe damage to both aircraft. They make it look easy as well. So far Boom refuel is the hardest thing in DCS for me even over case III carrier landings at night.

 

part of what makes the boom refueling aircraft so difficult in this game is the apparent lack of the "clamp," in reality apparently the tanker can virtually tow the customer once the boom gets hooked in. which, is also easier because there is a guy flying the boom into the receiver

 

“After the second hook-up, we went a little slower, got a little higher and he still broke off. We had to go in for a third hook-up after two brute-force disconnects, which is completely unheard of. During the first hook-up, I’m lying next to the boom operator, and we start to ascend and the dead weight of that fighter was bending our boom like you’re bringing a bigmouth bass out of the reservoir. It’s not supposed to bend. We thought we were going to watch it break off, but it held on.”

https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedia/eaa-airventure-news/eaa-airventure-oshkosh/05-24-2018-kc-135-crew-involved-in-f-4-rescue-to-speak-at-theater-in-the-woods

 

"The tanker crew and Warthog pilot struggled for what seemed like an eternity to separate the aircraft, eventually arriving at a solution. “The guy wound up killing both his generators at the same time we retracted the boom,” said Lamar, “and it somehow interrupted the electrical charge of the jaws that were keeping him clamped onto us. Finally—after 45 long minutes—he managed to break free. It damaged the boom and the fueling receptacle, but we both landed safely.”"

https://www.historynet.com/filling-stations-in-the-sky.htm

 

in other words boom refueling in this game is WAY harder than it's supposed to be, but hey i take pride in being able to get gas in my f-15

[Wrcknbckr]

Easiest: Harrier, just line up the basket/hose with the top of the hud and refuel box.

Most difficult: Mirage, due to the fact that developers decided to hardcode a deadzone, which makes it impossible to tweak controls to your liking

Edited December 1, 2020 by Wrcknbckr

[Mogster]

On 12/1/2020 at 5:24 AM, henshao said:

 

part of what makes the boom refueling aircraft so difficult in this game is the apparent lack of the "clamp," in reality apparently the tanker can virtually tow the customer once the boom gets hooked in. which, is also easier because there is a guy flying the boom into the receiver

 

“After the second hook-up, we went a little slower, got a little higher and he still broke off. We had to go in for a third hook-up after two brute-force disconnects, which is completely unheard of. During the first hook-up, I’m lying next to the boom operator, and we start to ascend and the dead weight of that fighter was bending our boom like you’re bringing a bigmouth bass out of the reservoir. It’s not supposed to bend. We thought we were going to watch it break off, but it held on.”

https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedia/eaa-airventure-news/eaa-airventure-oshkosh/05-24-2018-kc-135-crew-involved-in-f-4-rescue-to-speak-at-theater-in-the-woods

 

"The tanker crew and Warthog pilot struggled for what seemed like an eternity to separate the aircraft, eventually arriving at a solution. “The guy wound up killing both his generators at the same time we retracted the boom,” said Lamar, “and it somehow interrupted the electrical charge of the jaws that were keeping him clamped onto us. Finally—after 45 long minutes—he managed to break free. It damaged the boom and the fueling receptacle, but we both landed safely.”"

https://www.historynet.com/filling-stations-in-the-sky.htm

 

in other words boom refueling in this game is WAY harder than it's supposed to be, but hey i take pride in being able to get gas in my f-15

It’s interesting the article refers to “towing” small aircraft with the KC boom once attached. In DCS it seems you detach with the slightest wrong movement. 

[marcoscosta]

By far, is the Harrier, the probe position is a nightmare to look without a wide field of view.

[Wizard1393]

F-15 for me is the hardest, being that the refueling port is behind the canopy.

 

Never tried in the F-16.

Edited January 11, 2021 by chrisofsweden

[Cthulhus]

For me it's the F-14. We don't have a nice visibility due some parts of the canopy and lake of engine instantaneous reaction. No issue with the M2000C. It's simply a bit too sensitive for me but with practice, it's ok. F-16C not hard at all. Just have to have a precision control and be able to really stay on formation bellow the tanker.  Never tried the F-15.

[fudabidu]

For me making contact is somewhat difficult, but once I make contact I can usually refuel in one go.
So, here my 'top 5' list of most difficult aircraft to make contact with:

1. A-10A/C - Cockpit is far behind the director lights, making them pretty difficult to see all the way. Can't really observe the marks on the boom either, because of the thick canopy frame.
2. Harrier - probe is offset behind the cockpit. Takes some practice to line up consistently and different AOA can mess up your reference points.
3. F-14 - canopy frame blocks view just before making contact. Need to aim for the drogue early and keep steady
4. F-15/F-16 - gotta get used to using director lights. Observe the tanker and make adjustments before the director lights change (a bit easier with the F-15's canopy as reference)
5. Hornet/M2k/Su-33 - good visibility, just 'ram it in' and stay in formation with the tanker

Quick tip on the F-15/F-16: Do NOT look at the boom. You fly the plane into position via the director lights, the boom operator does the rest.

[C3PO]

All of them

 

But that's me.

[MAXsenna]

All of them
 
But that's me.

Don't worry! You're not alone!
I'm getting better though. Thanks to all of you for the tips about formation flying. Best advice ever!
Cheers!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[Cthulhus]

5 hours ago, C3PO said:

All of them

 

But that's me.

Practice, practice and practice, no secret. Manage your joystick's curve as well should help. Try VR if you can. I could not get a proper refuel before VR (not more than 10 seconds) and now VR give me more feeling and now I can do it.

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by Cthulhus

[sushy73]

For me the Harrier is a nightmare

[smire666]

Viper is pretty easy, for me...