Refueling recepticle?!

[Conure]

Hey all,

 

I'm trying aerial refueling but I just cannot work out how to make the refueling recepticle raise? I've tried the same button I use to turn on NWS...What am I doing wrong?

[MTFDarkEagle]

The A-10C has the "female" part of AAR (i.e. the tanker has the "male" part :P ). Open the refueling door (the lever on the left panel, towards the front), and you are good to go. Once you are disconnected for whatever reason, you need to cycle the NWS button.

[Conure]

aha thanks :) My god this is hard....Can't do it...I give up :D

[EtherealN]

One thing - practice rejoins into fingertip a lot. Staying stable at someone's wing is pretty much the same skill you use when smoothly getting into position for refueling - just a change in perspective. Get the precision formation going and you'll find it a lot easier.

[Snoopy]

Practice Practice Practice....last Wednesday night I killed the tanker (was flying online with my V squad so it was a little embarrassing). Since then I've flown AAR almost exclusively and I can now take on around 4000 pounds....Still no expert but that's better than before...

Edited June 7, 2011 by Snoopy

[FlyingBrick]

I think my longest connect was 45 seconds and I was a sweaty mess, imagine what these guys had to go through...

 

In Vietnam aerial refueling made it possible for battle damaged fighters, with heavily leaking fuel tanks, to hook up to the tankers and let the tanker feed its engine(s) until the point where they could glide to the base and land. This saved numerous aircraft.

[Baggy MacDouche]

I have a feeling that while still a very challenging maneuver irl, aspects of it may be easier because you just don't get the seat of the pants feel from sitting in your computer chair. Nor do you have the benefit of the Mk.1 Eyeballs that provide an overall better sense of your position in relation to the tanker, etc.

[Snoopy]

Imagine flying an A-10 from Arizona to Afghanistan and having to tank in the air every few hours....normal package consists of 15 to 20 jets....that's a lot of AAR!!!

[FlyingBrick]

Here is a question I've been meaning to ask, Is the weight transfer modeled?

 

I mean that taking on thousands of pounds of fuel should require increasing throttle and stick or trim inputs to compensate.

 

I can't stay connected long enough to test.

[MagnumHB]

I mean that taking on thousands of pounds of fuel should require increasing throttle and stick or trim inputs to compensate.

Any sort of formation flying including AAR generally involves constant subtle control adjustments, so I doubt anyone would be able to differentiate any significant weight effects from the inputs required for standard station keeping.

 

In any case, my experiences with AAR so far remind me a lot of the comparison between good and bad boom operators brought up by Ed Rasimus in Palace Cobra. I doubt he would think highly of the AI boomer in DCS.

[EtherealN]

Flyingbrick: yes.

[VincentLaw]

Here is a question I've been meaning to ask, Is the weight transfer modeled?

 

I mean that taking on thousands of pounds of fuel should require increasing throttle and stick or trim inputs to compensate.

 

I can't stay connected long enough to test.

 

Yes, the weight difference between full and empty tanks is modeled. Try taking off with clean configuration and full fuel. Now compare this to a flight with clean configuration and 3% fuel. The handling and stall speed will be considerably different.

 

Edit: oh, I guess that was already answered, but if you do what I said you should be able to experience the difference for yourself.

[lanmancz]

My longest connection time was about 2 seconds so far :-) I just can't get it stable enough or can't match the tankers speed (always going a little too fast or a little too slow). So far I did about 15-20 attempts and usually I run out of fuel and emergency land on some road or crash into the tanker. Are there any tips on how to better control the aircraft during refueling or is it really just practice practice practice ? It usually goes well during approach and everything is stable and smooth until I'm just about to connect, then it starts swinging from side to side and just can't stabilize it. Is that caused by the tankers engines maybe ?

Edited June 7, 2011 by lanmancz

[lobo]

My longest connection time was about 2 seconds so far :-) I just can't get it stable enough or can't match the tankers speed (always going a little too fast or a little too slow). So far I did about 15-20 attempts and usually I run out of fuel and emergency land on some road or crash into the tanker. Are there any tips on how to better control the aircraft during refueling or is it really just practice practice practice ? It usually goes well during approach and everything is stable and smooth ?

 

I'm using the TMWH with extension, and have it center mounted. I am able to rest my stick forearm on my leg. It's allowing much more precision for me this way.