Tanker airspeed for AAR

[Ratfink]

I made myself a simple mission to practice air refueling. It's just a tanker, and my hog starting right on its tail at 18,000 ft. I've uploaded it for reference.

 

I set both to start at airspeed of 220 kts, with 220 kts for the waypoints too, but the tanker is always at 180 kts

 

Is 180 the speed for tanking?

Air refuel.miz

Edited December 12, 2011 by Ratfink

[Eddie]

Speeds in the mission editor are true airspeed not indicated airspeed.

[Megagoth1702]

Eddie, what are realistic "true" airspeeds for tankers?

[Druid_]

220 kts IAS is the normal A10c refueling speed. (the tanker would have to deploy partial flap to fly any slower).

 

TAS is affected by air density but as a rough rule of thumb

for every 1000ft you climb (at a constant IAS) TAS increases by 1.8 %, so

 

220kts IAS at 20,000 ft = ((220 * 0.018 * 20) + 220 = 299 TAS

Edited December 14, 2011 by Druid_

[Cali]

I was in a KC-10 one time refueling A-10's and it had to slow down, we were flying nose up so they could refuel. I don't know if they had the flaps down, but it seemed like we were nose up about 6-8 degress.

[Ratfink]

220 kts IAS is the normal A10c refueling speed. (the tanker would have to deploy partial flap to fly any slower).

 

TAS is affected by air density but as a rough rule of thumb

for every 1000ft you climb (at a constant IAS) TAS increases by 1.8 %, so

 

220kts IAS at 20,000 ft = ((220 * 0.018 * 20) + 220 = 299 TAS

 

Thanks for that, works a treat :thumbup:

[Ratfink]

I was in a KC-10 one time refueling A-10's and it had to slow down, we were flying nose up so they could refuel. I don't know if they had the flaps down, but it seemed like we were nose up about 6-8 degress.

 

cripes!

[effte]

Couple of references here.

 

Cheers,

Fred