Air Refueling

[joojoo]

Hey to all

 

I struggle to do air refueling with the tomcat while I have no problem with other aircrafts. I find very difficult to achieve the same speed since the engines are very fast in throttle movement, I use hotas wathog, any idea about curves in stick and throttle?

 

 

Thanx

[Dragon1-1]

Not curves, technique. This, in particular, you need to get a feel for. Try putting the base of your hand on the panel, and adjusting throttle with finger pressure. That's about what you need. Alternatively, more coarse, but decisive corrections can work, you'll oscillate, but the response is so snappy that you should be able to stay within the connection area (this won't quite work in the Hornet or Mirage, but on the Harrier it would). I use the latter technique with my CH Pro Throttle, since it has a rather short throw and is not very precise, but very easy to move.

 

Also, don't forget to put wings in bomb mode and trim your aircraft properly. That'll save you a lot of grief.

[Trol]

I have split throttles.  I get setup behind the tanker at about the correct speed then use the right engine only for speed changes during refueling.

Edited January 22, 2021 by Trol

[Gibo]

 

As already posted (see post Please advice at refueling struggling) I also had had a lot of truble to refuel than, with a lot of practice and with some tips, I finally became able to perform refuel. The tips are:

• wings in bombe mode
• trim to mantain a good altitude stability compared to the tanker
• adjust your seat (lower it) to see the Tanker well
• watch the tanker speed and memorize it; than call your IAS in the cockpit (i think the default button is CTRL + Y) and go to catch the basket with 2 kts of speed advantage (that will stabilize your approach to the basket)
• when you get the basket, to mantain the linking, climb some feet and watch the pod connected to the basket and with your periferical view watch the tanker to match its speed and make adjusment to mantain the contact
• I find usefull to use the speed brake with hotas button to open it for a fraction of second and close it immediatly to reach the disered speed before contact and to mantain the speed when linked to the basket

[Dragon1-1]

Oh, and one more thing: hose on the thirty.  Get into AA mode, and there's a number "30" to the right of your pitch ladder. Put that on the hose until you get into the basket. Then shift your focus onto the gun cross, it should be under and to the left of the refueling pod. Or if you like simple, just aim it at the pod and keep it there.

 

Oh, and don't adjust you seat, or it'll not work.

Edited January 22, 2021 by Dragon1-1