KC-135 Refuel Position Trouble

[Nealius]

I've got lots of basket time but not so much boom time. With the KC-135 filling up my entire FoV in VR, and the lack of a canopy bow for visual references, I'm having a really hard time maintaining my position while refueling. The indicator lights are my only visual cue, and they're quite jumpy.

 

I'll start out perfect, then the fore/aft indicator will suddenly jump from centered to extreme aft or extreme forward, totally skipping the indication between centered and extreme, so I am given zero warning that I am slipping out of position until I am already far out of position. I am further unable to tell a difference in position/size/perspective of the KC-135 itself, so I have no idea where I am in relation to the tanker.

 

What cues do you guys use to maintain position?

[Py]

I'm in a similar position of being pretty new to the boom, and though I'm not good at keeping in the right spot I think I get it and just need more practice.

 

I think the key is not trying to use cockpit visual references for position (ony use the lights), but use your peripheral vision to judge and control your rate of relative motion.

If you can keep your relative motion at a low speed, then you can carefully drift in the correct direction to centre the lights without them jumping too quickly.

Also currently I get confused if trying to move in more than one axis at a time as I forget which light means what, just slowly drift in one axis at a time while keeping stationary or very slow in the other axes.

I think it will become easier with practice when the lights' meaning doesn't require thought.

 

I find if I start moving too rapidly it's best do go down and away then get controlled and try again.

Same thing as when going for the drogue, it's pointless to try and plug while in rapid PIO, it's better to fall back and go in again for a smoother plug in.

[Nealius]

The tanker takes up so much of my periphery that I can't discern my relative motion at all. That's the main problem.

[unknown]

I've got lots of basket time but not so much boom time. With the KC-135 filling up my entire FoV in VR, and the lack of a canopy bow for visual references, I'm having a really hard time maintaining my position while refueling. The indicator lights are my only visual cue, and they're quite jumpy.

 

I'll start out perfect, then the fore/aft indicator will suddenly jump from centered to extreme aft or extreme forward, totally skipping the indication between centered and extreme, so I am given zero warning that I am slipping out of position until I am already far out of position. I am further unable to tell a difference in position/size/perspective of the KC-135 itself, so I have no idea where I am in relation to the tanker.

 

What cues do you guys use to maintain position?

 

I only use the lights as reference, works quite good for me. I never had that happen to me, is this in MP(lag?) or in SP?

[Nealius]

This is in SP.

 

I think I'm getting the hang of it now that I've rewired my brain. The director lights show where you are. My brain was interpreting that as where I should go.

 

So basically I have to train my brain to do the opposite of what it wants to do.

[=Panther=]

This is in SP.

 

I think I'm getting the hang of it now that I've rewired my brain. The director lights show where you are. My brain was interpreting that as where I should go.

 

So basically I have to train my brain to do the opposite of what it wants to do.

 

The lights are also backwards in how your hands are on the HOTAS. The left light needs input from your right hand, and the right light needs input from your left hand. However that isn't fool proof either.

 

Left is UP DOWN placement

Right is FWD AFT placement

 

Center on each is the sweet spot when the boomer should connect.

[Steph21]

I think I'm getting the hang of it now that I've rewired my brain. The director lights show where you are. My brain was interpreting that as where I should go.

.

 

It does show you where you should go, Up/Down/Aft/Fwd.

 

Just mentally put go in front of intsructions given by director lights.

[Nealius]

Ugh my brain is getting so confused. I miss drogues. All you have to do is jam it in.

[ilikepie]

Ugh my brain is getting so confused. I miss drogues. All you have to do is jam it in.

 

thats what she said...:music_whistling:

[DerekSpeare]

Just use the lights and the centerline of the tanker on its belly. Keep the greens in the middle and you're golden. Don't look at the boom.

 

 

I have ~175 VR refuels off the 135. Just line up the green lines and match the speed...and steady them hands!

[Shiny]

Yeah, I had a nasty case of PIO when I first got the Viper because of the lack of reference with my own cockpit.

 

So now I just stare at the tanker lights, use those as the large-ish adjustments. But I also use my peripheral vision to get a sense of the change in size or position of the engines on the tanker, to gauge whether or not I'm shifting position.

[fagulha]

I fly i VR and i have no problem with the tanker in my vision, i guide myself with the lights that´s they used for. Keep practice and you´ll get your own technique. Keep the eyes on the lights.

[HammerUK9]

I've had a fair amount boom practice from F4 BMS and gave it a first go in DCS today.

 

 

It worked for me by panning up so I had the HUD horizon line in the bottom of the screen and the tanker/lights filling the rest. This helps me keep straight and level but gives good visibility of the tanker lights.