How do I AAR?

[SharpeXB]

On 6/1/2024 at 7:39 AM, PluckyUnderdog said:

I've never been able to sucessfully AAR. Never. And I'm not stupid, not new to DCS, not a beginner, I am pretty proficient at it. Except this. And it's a bit irrational but whenever I practice it I get annoyed, frustrated, and a little despondent, like it makes me feel thick when people say stuff like 'oh it's easy' and 'well I can do it no problem'. 

This goes for all modules capable of AAR, basket and boom, it doesn't matter. I just can't do it. And I have tried to practice A LOT.

 

Look at how you drive a car or ride a bicycle IRL and apply that to AAR. You’re using small subconscious movements on the controls. The only difference here is that it’s a plastic joystick which is a bit foreign. And you have only your vision for feedback. But it’s the same principle. You can “fly formation” in traffic all the time without thinking about it. 

[rosty]

Man, I struggled with AAR for so many hours until I read this post! My biggest mistake was that I had curves set to 20, as suggested by Matt years ago, and was trying to do it way too fast. So my points are:

• Disable wake turbulence and wind/weather.
• Set axis curves to 10.
• Use a KC-135MPRS tanker at 18,000 ft @ 300 kts (will be 230 kts IAS).
• Position yourself 2 nm behind, and put some load on all pylons (bombs, etc.).
• Use A/P CSS mode: press A/P, then press and hold ON/OFF for a second.
• Make sure it's a 'clear contact.'
• Focus on the pod; don't look at the basket as much as you can.
• Once connected, try to find a reference point and adjust the speed very slowly so you're moving a couple of feet back and forth all the time.

[jaylw314]

3 hours ago, rosty said:

Man, I struggled with AAR for so many hours until I read this post! My biggest mistake was that I had curves set to 20, as suggested by Matt years ago, and was trying to do it way too fast. So my points are:

• Disable wake turbulence and wind/weather.
• Set axis curves to 10.
• Use a KC-135MPRS tanker at 18,000 ft @ 300 kts (will be 230 kts IAS).
• Position yourself 2 nm behind, and put some load on all pylons (bombs, etc.).
• Use A/P CSS mode: press A/P, then press and hold ON/OFF for a second.
• Make sure it's a 'clear contact.'
• Focus on the pod; don't look at the basket as much as you can.
• Once connected, try to find a reference point and adjust the speed very slowly so you're moving a couple of feet back and forth all the time.

I don't think the curves matter so much, you probably just had something else in your brain that just 'clicked' on  

Next step is to do it with the AP off!  It's not that the AP is doing it for you, but it is doing the counter-corrections for you.  Without it, every move needs a counter-move immediately after it it.  So if you're low, pitch up a bit then immediately pitch down the same amount, then reassess.  Kind of like changing lanes on the highway--you have to turn left, then turn right to change lanes.

[Pavlin_33]

For what it's worth I have struggled for years to do any kind of a2a refueling, before I have seen "Growler Jams" on Youtube. He's narrating a real F-18G air refueling and after that only did I manage to do my first refuelling, in a JF-17 though.