Puma44 Please Help This F4 Manual is Overloading My Brain

[AKIron]

I've found air refueling easier to make initial contact with the boom rather than the basket but harder to maintain that boom contact throughout a refuel. Some say there is/was a locking mechanism with the boom that would resist a certain amount of pressure making it easier to stay connected irl but not in the game.

[AKIron]

The A-10 is not a fly by wire airplane, and those are harder to air refuel, but the refuel port on the A-10 is just in front of the canopy. You want to learn positioning for boom refueling it's probably the easiest.

I think it took me 30 - 40 hours of real time practice to be able to do this consistently. After I got that down doing it in the F-18 seemed almost automatic.

[edge12674]

Thanks for sharing Puma!  Really looking forward to this. 

My old squadmate from LCA taught me DCS and we fly together weekly.  Since I specialized in the Apache CP/G while he flew, we are going to switch it around in the F-4.  He will be my WSO and I will fly him around.

[Puma44]

I've found air refueling easier to make initial contact with the boom rather than the basket but harder to maintain that boom contact throughout a refuel. Some say there is/was a locking mechanism with the boom that would resist a certain amount of pressure making it easier to stay connected irl but not in the game.

Aircraft with the probe have a mechanical connection setup.  The tip of the refueling boom has a metal ring or ridge around it.  The receiver aircraft receptacle has a set of clamps that grab the boom and make a positive pressure connection, i.e. male and female (I figure most of you are already thinking along those lines). 😆  When fuel off load is complete, the receiver pilot depresses the AR disconnect button on the stick and the clamps release the boom.  This is the normal method.  If there’s a malfunction with the receiver’s receptacle, or other emergency situation,  a manual, brute force disconnect can be made by reducing power and flying down and back to force the disconnect.  Additionally, if the boomer doesn’t like what’s going on, he/she can command a disconnect from that end. 

All sorts of potential for bad things to happen but, not very often.

[RichardDarkwood]

Assuming the flight modeling is accurate, the Rhino’s pitch axis will be sensitive due to the all flying stabilator.  It took some time to get use to and smooth down the resulting PIOs.

My first AR was in the Phantom.  I was still getting the pitch axis smoothed out.  So, expect that to be an element of frustration.

Approach the boom, level and trimmed, to the pre contact position (about a fuselage length) from the boom tip.  Align your fuselage with the yellow stripe on the tanker’s belly.  Position yourself vertically, so the boom tip will hit you between the eyes when moving to the contact position (hook up).  Yeah, it’ll be way uncomfortable, even in a cartoon jet.  When the boomer clears you to the contact position, move forward slowly and deliberately.  Look past the approaching boom tip to reference the fore/aft and up/down lights located along the yellow strip on the tanker belly.  Make small, controlled changes to illuminate the “Captain Bars” located in the middle of the reference lights.  With “Captain Bars” both illuminated, you are in the correct position for boom hookup.  Looking up at the boom, you will also see a green stripe with a yellow circle in the middle of it.  The boom shroud should split the yellow circle (commonly referred to as “split the apple”) when in the correct position.  As you are working toward this perfect position, the boomer is flying the boom tip at your windscreen.  As it gets scary close, the boom will fly around your canopy and insert in the refueling receptacle.  When a correct pressure connection is achieved, the refueling lights on the front canopy bow will illuminate, for another reference.  Now, all you have to do is fly a smooth formation position with the tanker, constantly referencing the belly lights and the apple.  Remember to relax, wiggle you toes, and trim.  As you take on fuel, the cg will change and require trim adjustments. When the required fuel load is onboard, the boomer will advise and clear you to disconnect.

Depress the AR disconnect button on the stick, note the canopy bow AR lights, and slowly reduce power as you fly down and back to clear the tanker.  Pretty simple, eh?

Thanks for the tips Puma, Much appreciated sir! <S>

[Puma44]

Thanks for the tips Puma, Much appreciated sir! <S>

Go forth and pass gas with style. 
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Another thing to keep in mind.  The KC-135 has “soft” boom.  In other words, it is hand flown without hydraulic assist. As such, the receiver will have more of a tendency to float around the perfect AR position, making it a bit more work to do well.  The KC-10 (and assume the KC-46) has 3,000 psi hydraulic pressure assist for the boomer.  This makes AR a less work intensive event once hooked up.  If the boomer doesn’t like where the receiver is drifting to, it’s a simple matter of dragging the receiver into position.  The older tankers would just do an emergency disconnect if the receiver was doing something squirrelly and hope there wasn’t a mid air.

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On a side note : I remember a Swedish pilot told he used to hold the flight stick much lower to reduce PIO during in-flight refueling.

[Puma44]

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On a side note : I remember a Swedish pilot told he used to hold the flight stick much lower to reduce PIO during in-flight refueling.

Definitely a technique.  Depending on which jet, wonder if the AR disconnect button was within reach?  After doing many ARs, it became easier to relax, hook up, take on gas, disconnect, and go on about the day’s mission.  It became more routine, always with the potential for a bad day lurking in the background.