Easier method to air refuel and general questions on Air to Air refuelling

[Quid21]

Just wondering for those of us who are not able to get enough time to practice formation flying will the final product include a method of air refuelling that is slightly easier to do?

 

So far in around 8 attempts I've not been able to stay on the boom for more than 10 seconds!!

 

Or does anyone have any tips on how to control the aircraft very slightly in roll and pitch to stay stable enough for long enough to effect a good length refuel?

 

Does Beta 4 give the ability to go back to the tanker after a premature disconnect? Also can we refuel from more than one tanker in a mission? I tried with two tankers in the editor in B3 but while flying I was only able to hook up with one.

[Bungle_uk]

Close and re-open the refuel door before trying to re-connect to the boom.

 

practise practise practise, its like trying tohold a tight formation. Also try to concentrate on keeping her level and just "feel" where the tanker is with your peripheral vision

Edited January 5, 2011 by 214th_bungle_uk

[Druid_]

Or does anyone have any tips on how to control the aircraft very slightly in roll and pitch to stay stable enough for long enough to effect a good length refuel?.

Set up the AXIS for your joystick in pitch and roll with curves that allow it to be less sensitive near the neutral point. Then ..

 

1) Formate on the tanker to one side. Once you have nailed his speed - TRIM

2) Once you have done your checks, ready pre-contact

3) Move smoothly behind tanker

4) Put HUD pipper just above boom wings on boom.

5) Move in slowly, at 10ft from boom, hold position and get stable, retrim if req'd (you shouldnt have to if you got 1) right).

6) At about 6ft boom operator wakes up and boom raises into position, ease forward at less than walking speed.

7] Try NOT to LOOK at boom initially, follow centre line of tanker

8.)Move in slowly, boom operator will guide in and ....

9) 'contact' your taking fuel.

10) try and keep boom 'green' section exposed. Amber = do something, red = bad.

11) Look at tanker and not at Boom i.e. you are formating on tanker not on boom.

12) Main problems ppl have is approaching too fast onto boom, formating too high or too low.

13) If you need to reconnect to boom then PRESS the Nosewheel Steering button (this resets the refuel process).

 

Don't be to aggressive on the throttles, I think the correct word here is ANTICIPATE. I use a max of 4% fan speed throttle changes

 

You cant use the Autopilot with the refueling door open (its disconnects the EAC). So nail that trim and practice practice.

 

Also can we refuel from more than one tanker in a mission? I tried with two tankers in the editor in B3 but while flying I was only able to hook up with one

Were the tankers set up on different frequencies?

Edited April 5, 2011 by Druid_
Final release changes

[mtuckner]

Great tips, I needed them as well. Sloppy contacts here, will work on it with your techniques.

[gonk]

I think the main problem is it flies like an aircraft that does not have a flight computer... ie speed up it climbs... slow down it descends. I expect the flight computer to be a little better at maintaining a level flight over a fairly wide speed change. Currently it seems to handle like a Cessna.

 

If it was modeled to maintain a better level flight at least over about a 15-30 knots variation you will find that it would be a lot easier to refuel. If the flight computer is smart enough to compensate for gun fire I would expect it to be smart enough to hold level flight... lets hope they tweak this.

[-C.O.U.G.A.R-]

It was easier in beta 3 flying the trim with the auto pilot engaged

[Mekki]

Close and re-open the refuel door before trying to re-connect to the boom.

 

You can also hit Nose wheel steering button (Insert?).

[MTFDarkEagle]

EAC is disabled when the refuel door is opened, so AP is disabled as well.. It's trim all the way (het that's the ka50's motto as well :D )

[macedk]

Being an old falconeer, i have "chased the tanker" alot ;)

 

many good tips all-ready :)

 

since i was doing it wrong for a long time, my input is on what helped me a bit :)

 

1. Mental...be ready, have a plan, stick to it, don't quit.

 

2. Fly that flight path marker! not visual, and keep in line with plane not boom on approach to tanker.

 

3. As stated: faster = pitch up, slower = pitch down. Now you plane under accel and deceleration. How quick are engines to respond and so on.

 

4. over correcting is frustrating and to begin with, it makes you want to kill the tanker. back off to pre contact and try again. No good pushing a bad approach. ol' classic...you fly the plane, not the plane fly'in you.

 

5. Practise all elements of the whole air refuel thing. Many think that getting to tanker is a brease, its not and is good practise just to fly formation. So fly fly fly :)

 

6. When approaching the tanker, make other visual reference point, with your peripheral vision, use canopy frame points (just like when u fly formation).

 

7. Make a track of your refuel try and pinpoint where it went wrong. You might find that you are doing the same mistake every time. And if you find a looping mistake, then u can correct it :).

 

Also feel free to come back and write about you attempts :)

[Cibit]

Some great tips thank you.

My first and up to now only attempt at refuleing ended in a glide with bing fuel left;)

[Steel Jaw]

4) Put gun pipper just above boom wings on boom.

 

I stopped reading there and let loose the dogs of war. :D

[Echonomix]

I stopped reading there and let loose the dogs of war. :D

 

Yeah. Radio them and say "this is a stick up!!!" or maybe better yet, "too close for missiles, switching to guns"

 

I do need to start practice refueling. :noexpression:

[power5]

I have not had a tanker make it back to base. I have a short fuse I guess.

[sweinhart3]

yep usually ends in fratricide

[skypirate]

Yet another reason for all our tanker frustrations is that we are trying to do it after a long day in the office, heavy dinner ans a couple of glasses of wine (and perhaps wife/girlfriend calling from the bedroom)... :)

[YorZor]

Biggest thing is that most people grab the stick and try to crush it while tanking because of the tension etc.

 

Relax your muscles, you'll get more accurate!

[Bubb]

Ironhand gave the best tip ever for aerial refuel.

 

"Think the stick, don't move it."

 

Works like a charm (with the right curvatures of course :))

[sobek]

"Think the stick, don't move it."

 

This i not star wars, you know? :D

[Kula66]

I have not had a tanker make it back to base. I have a short fuse I guess.

 

Me too ... Its just so frustrating and that pipe dancing around feet from your face! I haven't managed it once yet ... :(

 

How RL pilots manage it at night, over the Atlantic with no diverts, in bad weather while suffering from vertigo - hats off to you guys/gals!

[Agg]

Getting to the point of contact is quite easy, keeping the aircraft in position while fuel is transferred is where my problems start :P

[YorZor]

Dont fly form on the boom... it moves since the boommaster will move that thing around to give you some fuel. Fly formation on the tanker, look a bit up and look at the tail section, I find it to be an excellent reference point. After you've connected you can switch ofcourse but I find it easier when staying focused on the tanker itself.

[macedk]

Dont fly form on the boom... it moves since the boommaster will move that thing around to give you some fuel. Fly formation on the tanker, look a bit up and look at the tail section, I find it to be an excellent reference point. After you've connected you can switch ofcourse but I find it easier when staying focused on the tanker itself.

 

exactly :)

 

the boom will come to you if you are located in the right spot.

 

A note is that i for the first time got fuel from 50% to full tank yesterday, after this thread. :)

 

I found that my ac position was dead wrong. (see pic 1 and pic 2)

pic 1.

pic 2.

 

Now with a better approach angle. pic 3 and 4.

pic 3.

pic 4.

 

Might make a video also :)

[Quid21]

I found a way to greatly increase the chances of staying on the boom for longer - I managed my first refueling today which took my fuel level from 25% to 100% it took maybe three hook ups but I was very happy when he said transfer complete!!

 

I zoomed out my cockpit view - this helps greatly with keeping the horizon and tanker in view and somehow made me fly in a more stable way.

 

Earlier I was trying with the view zoomed in so that the windshield and HUD filled the whole screen which made my flying very very twitchy and made connecting with the boom something which lasted only a few seconds.

[slimakwielki]

hey, what outfit is it? nice looking ...

[skypirate]

exactly :)

 

the boom will come to you if you are located in the right spot.

 

A note is that i for the first time got fuel from 50% to full tank yesterday, after this thread. :)

 

I found that my ac position was dead wrong. (see pic 1 and pic 2) ...

 

Just made the same conclusion today after i finally topped up the tanks in one call... The steeper the boom goes the harder to keep position and easier to get it wrong.