AAR - Observation and a question

[ESzczesniak]

Unfortunately work has been very busy and I'm just getting around to playing with the release version. So far, just a couple of AAR flights. I had done so often with the betas, so I'm not horribly unfamiliar, but two new things I've noticed.

 

1. The observation: the boom actually has mass! If it hits you or you push in to it a little too fast, the nose actually bounces a bit. Just spectacular! On another note, let's not discuss how I figured this out (at least they were very light taps with very small dents).

 

2. The question: is the normal position for the tank fill inhibit switches (the one that allows the tank to be filled) in or out? I remember a debate in one of the betas on this, but couldn't find the answer again. I'm finding that I connect to the tanker ok, but immediately get a "disconnect". The boom stays connected until I get out of limits on my position. However, fuel doesn't transfer. The only reason I can think of is that the fill inhibit switches are preventing filling of the tanks. Unfortunately I had to leave for work before another flight to test this theory, but did verify that my default position is down/in.

[Smokin Hole]

I find that I get "disconnect...return to pre-contact" fairly regularly now. It could be my poor flying but I feel very stable. Anyway I just close and reopen the refueling lever and fuel transfer resumes--so I don't think this is due to the position of the inhibit buttons, at least not in my case.

[ESzczesniak]

I find that I get "disconnect...return to pre-contact" fairly regularly now. It could be my poor flying but I feel very stable. Anyway I just close and reopen the refueling lever and fuel transfer resumes--so I don't think this is due to the position of the inhibit buttons, at least not in my case.

 

I certainly understand being out of position causing a "disconnect", but that doesn't seem to fit here. I get a series of messages all with about a 0.5 second delay of "contact", "transfering fuel", and "disconnect". After recieving the "disconnect" call the boom does not disconnect. I can fly for another 2-3 minutes with the boom connected and without recieving any fuel. After a couple minutes I back off on the throttles, cycle the door and return to precontact. The whole cycle starts again at this point. It would just seem odd for the "disconnect" being due to poor position when the boom remains in place, often for a couple minutes following that call.

Edited March 15, 2011 by ESzczesniak

[El_Roto]

Slightly OT, but when you refer to "cycling the door" do you mean the handle on the left upper console or the NWS switch? I use the latter to return to the "READY" light. Not that I need to, of course, merely speaking hypothetically. ;)

[airdog]

Slightly OT, but when you refer to "cycling the door" do you mean the handle on the left upper console or the NWS switch? I use the latter to return to the "READY" light. Not that I need to, of course, merely speaking hypothetically. ;)

Either way works....obviously if you have a hotas and have the NWS mapped to a button on your stick it is much easier to do the reset of the AAR receptacle.

[Smokin Hole]

Slightly OT, but when you refer to "cycling the door" do you mean the handle on the left upper console or the NWS switch? I use the latter to return to the "READY" light. Not that I need to, of course, merely speaking hypothetically. ;)

 

Crap! Didn't even think of that. Plus one!

[Sarge55]

I seem to recall a short thread that there was a bug in some AAR misions which didn't let you fill past the initial amount of fuel when the mission started. If you started with 1500 lbs it would only refill to that amount.

 

It could be this is one of those created during the Beta phase. Just a thought.