not a bug KC-135 tanker lights are impossible to see for me.

[Ivandrov]

The left side light is ok. But, I can never seem to get visual on the right side light until I am already too far forward.

[giullep]

Same to me..

 

[=DROOPY=]

I was wondering why, even after a couple of *adult beverages*.... I was thinking the basket was *so* much easier...

[Dragon1-1]

This is normal. As per multiple accounts from both fighter pilots and boomers, lights are usually too dim to see in full daylight, to much frustration of everyone involved. They're only good at night.

[Ivandrov]

2 minutes ago, Dragon1-1 said:

This is normal. As per multiple accounts from both fighter pilots and boomers, lights are usually too dim to see in full daylight, to much frustration of everyone involved. They're only good at night.

Thing is, it seems to me that the light on the right os significantly harder to see then the leftmost one. Is that also normal?

[Dragon1-1]

In the A-10, you shouldn't be seeing any of them during the day. The director lights were designed for the likes of B-52, with the receptacle way behind the cockpit. Both are visible in the F-16, for example, although by no means easy to see. The A-10 has its slipway in the nose, your reference is the boom itself (it gets illuminated by your AAR light at night), not the lights. 

[Ivandrov]

12 hours ago, Dragon1-1 said:

In the A-10, you shouldn't be seeing any of them during the day. The director lights were designed for the likes of B-52, with the receptacle way behind the cockpit. Both are visible in the F-16, for example, although by no means easy to see. The A-10 has its slipway in the nose, your reference is the boom itself (it gets illuminated by your AAR light at night), not the lights. 

Ok, so, would you recommend I try to do it at night then with an F-15 or something first? I've been trying to stop looking at the boom as others have suggested and just focus on flying the aircraft in formation with the tanker. So, it seems a bit counterintuitive to reference the boom to me.

Edited December 19, 2022 by Ivandrov

[Ivandrov]

I gave it a shot at night and managed to take on about 5000 lbs. I'm happy with that. 

[Dragon1-1]

With the A-10, it's kind of weird. On one hand, you don't want to stare at the boom. On the other, the colors on the boom tell you the same things the lights do - basically, green is good, if too much red comes out, the boom disconnects. So you need to look at the boom while not staring at the boom. That is, you reference the colors to find where you need to be, but you fly formation with the tanker's fuselage.