Ghostmaker Posted July 13, 2024 Posted July 13, 2024 Ive just created a mission for my fa18c to practice refueling and my god .... fail..... again pre contact.... fail.... pre contact.....fail. gave up and returned to base. Try another day. It was so hard 1
Ghostmaker Posted July 13, 2024 Posted July 13, 2024 On 7/4/2024 at 8:03 PM, Slippa said: You wouldn’t get any satisfaction from finally achieving it if you were to use an auto-feature so I’m happy there isn’t one. I don’t want anyone else to do it for me, I want the satisfaction of doing it myself. It isn’t easy, which is what makes it all the better once you’ve done it. When the Phantom was released I started to use all the jets I had hangared a lot more. I still have most of the systems to learn but for some reason I decided to try my luck at tanking. I don’t always take the easy route and having read a few people say the Phantom’s one of the hardest to refuel in I was in two minds which way to go. Flying the F-4 on a MP server one night I saw a couple of people plugging in and thought I’d have a go too. I love a bit of formation flying anyway so chose a tanker to form up on and checked I had my bindings set for refuelling. I don’t remember having ever looked through any tutorials or training before so didn’t think I’d get anywhere, I was just checking it all out a bit. I followed a tanker and once I was tucked in pretty close I started calling to refuel. I wobbled in the air and had to take my hand off the stick to grab the mouse so I could go through the rest of the procedure. I’ll have to find somewhere to bind that or keep using the F keys as it’s definitely not ideal. I didn’t think I was close enough or something as I got no response from the tanker but I kept trying. I ran out of fuel. I respawned and took off to find another tanker. I pulled alongside one and started scrambling about with my hands again trying to get a response. On and on I went, I was probably at it for half an hour or more before someone mentioned in the chat that I was never gonna get refuelled as I was following the wrong type of tanker . It didn’t have a boom. I’m an idiot . I had no business trying any of it without any training so I took myself off to look for a tutorial or something. There’s obviously a fair bit on YouTube so I watched a few of those then tried again. Thankfully I tried on the MP server. Again, someone in the chat saved the day and asked if I’d done any tanking before trying in the Phantom. They laughed when I said I hadn’t and said I should try with the basket in something else. I chose the Hornet and spent the following week or so trying to tank in it (remembering to follow the right tanker o course). Most of the time, I’d just manage to get my tip wet for a second or two before she’d cough or something and I’d slip out again. I’d call the tanker every foul name I could think of then I’d roll out and line up again for another go. I hit the tanker, I overshot the tanker and a I dived into the Ocean. I did everything but stay plugged in for any amount of time. Then I saw a lady on YouTube tanking in the Hornet too and she showed her controls on screen so you could see what her inputs were. She was darting the throttles to and fro, nothing like I’d been doing. I loosened off the tension on my throttle levers a bit and tried again. Here’s ‘MsPanther’s video: Last night I filled the tank for the first time. I was just lining up, or trying to when Ms. Slippa popped her head in and started chatting to me about shopping. Sensibly, I started chatting with the tanker. Out came the basket and somehow I wobbled into it then all the chatting stopped. For more than a week I’d been struggling to stay plugged in so I wasn’t expecting it to last but gradually I’d been latching on for longer. I was drifting a bit and twitching the throttles but just held on. To my surprise the ‘transfer complete’ message came and I rolled away firing off flares and trailing red smoke behind me . I flew around burning fuel then went back looking for the tanker. I got plugged in again and managed to stay on for long enough to top it up after a few attempts but now I know I can do it I’ll be back again to drum it in. It’s not easy and I’m still all over the place trying to stay formed up and settled properly. The closer I get to the basket, the more twitchy I get. The exact opposite of what I want to be doing. I make sure I’m trimmed out properly and try to keep my eyes on the tanker. Other than that, for now, I’m doing all any of us can do, practice, practice and practice. On a MP server I managed to tank on the right wing as well. Sweating buckets with another Hornet tanking alongside on the left was a bit dodgy but a lot of fun. While I tried to get lined up on the right another two aircraft latched on the left, refuelled and were both away before I’d even got plugged in. In the time it took me to get connected and stay there for a while you could’ve refuelled half a dozen aircraft. If and when I get comfortable with it I’ll move on and try with another aircraft. I don’t think I’ll be tanking on the boom just yet though. Breaking it up a bit helps I think as well? So I’ll try tanking for a bit then go and fly something else or give it a break for a bit. It does take a bit of patience and as someone posted already, our brains take time to process things and it doesn’t happen necessarily when we think it might be so don’t just keep banging away at it. You’ll get there, trim and loads of practice. For me, following the right tanker helps too . best of luck. Nice one mate
Slippa Posted July 13, 2024 Posted July 13, 2024 1 hour ago, Ghostmaker said: Nice one mate Cheers, practice, practice and practice. It'll start to happen. Easy said o course. Feeling cocky last night I took the Phantom up for a go. Suitably ridiculous . I was all over the shop, it's got a roll-rate like an alcoholic compared to the Hornet. I rolled away, fired some chaff and went to the fridge for 'refreshments'. Another day another dollar I think. Gonna take a bit of time with that and that's before the boom starts playing hide and seek behind my head. All the joys eh. Fill er up! 2
Ghostmaker Posted July 13, 2024 Posted July 13, 2024 On 7/4/2024 at 8:03 PM, Slippa said: 1 hour ago, Slippa said: Cheers, practice, practice and practice. It'll start to happen. Easy said o course. Feeling cocky last night I took the Phantom up for a go. Suitably ridiculous . I was all over the shop, it's got a roll-rate like an alcoholic compared to the Hornet. I rolled away, fired some chaff and went to the fridge for 'refreshments'. Another day another dollar I think. Gonna take a bit of time with that and that's before the boom starts playing hide and seek behind my head. All the joys eh. Fill er up! Haha i know mate i need to keep trying, only tried this once fpr 30 mins and i was like this os going to be easy...... see that tumble weed.... haha... i just enjoyed having a fly around on caucaus map in October when i was unsuccessful haha. Then went in for my dinner. Then couldnt be bothered again so i will be trying again tomorrow or Monday. Now the f18 has a prope that ypu can see. However these others needing a boom behind the canopy cant be easy at all. 1
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