A to A refueling

This is bugging me rotten. I can fly with the tanker no problem. I contact tanker and start to move in to the basket and as soon as I get close, I go to pot. I wish there was a better way of getting in the basket as I lose sight of it. I watch videos etc and still after many attempts, I just can't do it. Landing on carriers, hover AV8 no problem.

Is there anything I can use to help me. This is my last real challenge. :cry:

Cheers

It takes some efforts to get the logic of aar in dcs. I struggled with this I almost gave up. It would help to know what aspect you are having issues because solution will range from adjustment of controller to others. But it does take practice and when you get it, it becomes second nature.

Using autopilot cheap which allowed me to make thiny controls help me a lot. It got even better when I got my VR device recently. It is way easier in vr.

Eaglewings, thanks for reply. My real problem is as I'm approaching the basket, I can never know if I am at the right distance left or right for the probe to connect and always seem to just pass the basket. This is so frustrating but I know I will get there.

Cheers

Get vr, will make refueling easy as.

Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk

@Tmansteve - They way I get that setup for the hornet is put the drogue basket on corner of the right hand side of the L of the flight path marker until you close. Then continue to creep on it until it hits the probe. I usually visually switch from the basket to the fuel pod once the drogue is twice the size of the FP marker. I use my peripheral vision and VERY MINOR CORRECTIONS to keep the drogue in line with the FP marker until it hits. If you keep the Drogue bottom level with the bottom line on the FP marker, it should line up on the probe perfectly.

Hope that helps.

There are some really good videos on YouTube by RedKite and others showing the landmarks to use. The harrier is actually the only aircraft that I can hit the basket with on the first try like 80% of the time. Without those videos showing what parts of the pit to line up with the basket, I probably still wouldn’t be able to do it.

Place the top of the AAR advisory box ( don’t remember the real name for it but the one that says ready etc when the probe is out) with the hose, and put your heading carat between the prop and drogue pod on the tanker. You will hit it every time. I’m sure my description makes no sense, so watch those videos! The link to one of the best vids is in the AAR section of the Chucks guide for the Harrier.

This is bugging me rotten. I can fly with the tanker no problem. I contact tanker and start to move in to the basket and as soon as I get close, I go to pot. I wish there was a better way of getting in the basket as I lose sight of it. I watch videos etc and still after many attempts, I just can't do it. Landing on carriers, hover AV8 no problem.

 

Is there anything I can use to help me. This is my last real challenge. :cry:

 

Cheers

Don't look at the basket, look at the tanker. Use lights if the tanker has them. Learn how to use throttle and how the aircraft reacts to small inputs. That's pretty much it. All "landmarks" etc. are unnecessary crutches, you will eventually develop your own, but they won't be just one "place this and that there and you will hit it" type of thing.

Can you do a legit Case I recovery (F14/F18)? If you can do that, AAR shouldn't be a problem at all.

Get vr, will make refueling easy as.

 

Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk

Absolutely. Depth perception makes it so much easier to plug in and more importantly stay plugged in.

Eaglewings, thanks for reply. My real problem is as I'm approaching the basket, I can never know if I am at the right distance left or right for the probe to connect and always seem to just pass the basket. This is so frustrating but I know I will get there.

 

Cheers

In my case, I hunted for it badly for months, frustration was so intense I thought Eagle dynamic modelled the proces wrongly. The fact that fellows were getting it with ease kept me having a go at it.

As has been suggested up here by fellows here, you can use the drogue pod inside the middle of your hud to line up. Your flight path marker on or close to the level of the drogue basket and you gently creep in closer. This is where tiny throttle and stick movement comes to play. Youtube videos are also available as guide.

Eventually you will find what works for you best as systems settings, hotas and control settings are different across the board.

If VR is not in your immediate mix which would surely make it far easier because of depth perception, you can do it in 2d screen also.

The feeling of accomplishment is so much after you get it, that I can assure you.

Keep it going and all the best.

VR is the answer you are looking for. I don't know how many times I tried and failed pre-VR, managed to hook up on the first go with my VR setup. The depth perception that VR gives you makes life so much easier.

Wow, many thanks guys. Will be watching videos for a while. Also, might check the trimming of my joystick which might help me. If I had the cash, would love to check out VR.

Cheers