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Howto:Aerial refueling: Difference between revisions
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=== In the air === | === In the air === | ||
==== General procedure ==== | ==== General procedure ==== | ||
Turn to an appropriate heading, guided by the TACAN bearing (you should try a "leading" approach to close in on the tanker) and look for the tanker on the radar or nav screen. Around 5nm away, you should reduce your speed to around 20kts faster than the tanker (these fly at 280 kts TAS). The KC-135 will be visible from about 10nm, the KA6-D, being smaller, just over 1 nm. Use airbrakes to keep control of your speed should you find yourself overshooting. | Turn to an appropriate heading, guided by the TACAN bearing (you should try a "leading" approach to close in on the tanker) and look for the tanker on the radar or nav screen. Around 5nm away, you should reduce your speed to around 20kts faster than the tanker (these fly at 280 kts [[TAS]]). The KC-135 will be visible from about 10nm, the KA6-D, being smaller, just over 1 nm. Use airbrakes to keep control of your speed should you find yourself overshooting. | ||
[[File:KC-135E.jpg|thumb|270px|The KC-135E aircraft with the boom.]] | [[File:KC-135E.jpg|thumb|270px|The KC-135E aircraft with the boom.]] | ||
Close to within 50ft of the tanker (do not get too close, or visual artifacts might hide the boom from view). You should see indication in the cockpit that you are receiving fuel (there is a green light in the A4 fuel gauge, as well as a green light on the right side of the T-38's panel), and you should see the indicated tank load increase. | Close to within 50ft of the tanker (do not get too close, or visual artifacts might hide the boom from view). You should see indication in the cockpit that you are receiving fuel (there is a green light in the A4 fuel gauge, as well as a green light on the right side of the T-38's panel), and you should see the indicated tank load increase. | ||
Getting to this stage is not necessarily easy - it can take a lot of practice. As with carrier landings, this is not an easy manoeuver in real life either and there are additional complications in the sim. The tanker, being an AI model, is unaffected by the wind and flies TAS (True Air Speed), while you are flying IAS (Indicated Air Speed) and are affected by the environment. As in real life, your aircraft will also steadily increase in weight as the tanks fill which will affect the trim of the aircraft. You might find it helpful to use the [[Autopilot#Velocity control|autothrottle]] to help control your speed (Ctrl-S then Page Up/Down to increase and decrease the set speed). | Getting to this stage is not necessarily easy - it can take a lot of practice. As with carrier landings, this is not an easy manoeuver in real life either and there are additional complications in the sim. The tanker, being an AI model, is unaffected by the wind and flies [[TAS]] (True Air Speed), while you are flying [[IAS]] (Indicated Air Speed) and are affected by the environment. As in real life, your aircraft will also steadily increase in weight as the tanks fill which will affect the trim of the aircraft. You might find it helpful to use the [[Autopilot#Velocity control|autothrottle]] to help control your speed (Ctrl-S then Page Up/Down to increase and decrease the set speed). | ||
Once your tanks are full, or you have taken as much fuel as you wish, close the throttle a little, back away from the tanker and continue your intended flight. | Once your tanks are full, or you have taken as much fuel as you wish, close the throttle a little, back away from the tanker and continue your intended flight. | ||