AA refueling call-out during turn

Hi,

 

Is someone know if there is a standard call-out given by the tanker in real life to signify to aircraft refueling that is going to start the turn in a racetrack?

 

Thanks

Vincent

Nope, most turns are comm out usually. A good tanker pilot MAY give a courtesy call prior to a turn, especially if turning at a non-standard time such as to deviate to avoid weather or if IMC in the clouds to help out the guy on the boom. But turn calls are not SOP or required.

Nope, most turns are comm out usually. A good tanker pilot MAY give a courtesy call prior to a turn, especially if turning at a non-standard time such as to deviate to avoid weather or if IMC in the clouds to help out the guy on the boom. But turn calls are not SOP or required.

Interesting information. So how do pilot coordinate if already connected to take fuel. This would not be too much hassles on probe and basket refueling type (FA-18) but for the likes of F-16 and A-10C mode of aar, wouldn't an unannounced turn from the Tanker break contact with the boom?

I find it hard to stay connected to a turning tanker in the Viper in dcs.

Interesting information. So how do pilot coordinate if already connected to take fuel. This would not be too much hassles on probe and basket refueling type (FA-18) but for the likes of F-16 and A-10C mode of aar, wouldn't an unannounced turn from the Tanker break contact with the boom?

I find it hard to stay connected to a turning tanker in the Viper in dcs.

 

No, in theory - all you're doing is flying formation with the tanker. No different than if you're flying fingertip formation with someone else. A flight lead is not going to call every turn. As long as the turn is smooth and relatively slow (i.e. std rate) - should be no issue. I do find the AI DCS KC-135s do tend to turn a bit abruptly at times. But so far, I've not had any trouble staying on the boom in a turn.

I do find the AI DCS KC-135s do tend to turn a bit abruptly at times.

 

That is my observation and issue with the tanker turn. I can manage with the FA-18 but the F-16 would break contact and tug of war to reconnect when that turn state.

Normally would wait till the tanker level out to reconnect.

 

I know in the other F-16 sim, the tanker would call out she is entering a turn. Perhaps tanker pilot are nicer over there.

Thank for the info anyways .

Edited December 7, 2019 by Eaglewings

What I've seen from my very limited experience on DCS is that joining up with the tanker when its been set to an AAR task in the mission editor is key. It if it just flying between waypoints, I see it doing some pretty drastic turns when it gets to a turn point. But if its on an AAR task, it seems to settle down and never bank more than 10-20 deg or so. In fact, most of the time - it seems once i have made contact with the tanker to say I intend to refuel, it goes into a lazy 360 deg turn and stays in the constant turn until I'm done. Maybe I'm just not setting the AAR track up correctly.

Nope, most turns are comm out usually. A good tanker pilot MAY give a courtesy call prior to a turn, especially if turning at a non-standard time such as to deviate to avoid weather or if IMC in the clouds to help out the guy on the boom. But turn calls are not SOP or required.

 

Weird. In my experience they've always called turns, in both peace time and combat scenarios. It's usually the boom operator talking to the receiver pilot letting them know the turn is coming. Also it's standard to ease gently into the turn and not exceed 15 degrees angle of bank.

When I was flying the tanker I would either call out turns over our AR freq if it was appropriate (I had an idea the receiver wasn't busy doing something else), or I would ask the boom to give the receiver a heads up on the turn if they had intercomm connection to the receiver.

 

I think I tended to give notice more often to heavy receivers and B-1s than to fighters. Fighter guys were often doing other stuff while on the boom; and I didn't want to step on anyone. As a tanker guy you have 5 radios, so you are listening to a lot and should have good SA on when to talk and when to keep quiet.

 

In DCS -- the tanker drivers roll into their banks a bit too fast, and the boom operators aren't aggressive enough. But it's nice how easy it is to refuel in the viper compared to other aircraft.

 

pretty cool sim we have here.

In the standard, “stand by” orbit, tankers bank 30°

 

Once you close to inside of a mile and the tanker drops the boom, they only bank 10°

In the standard, “stand by” orbit, tankers bank 30°

 

Once you close to inside of a mile and the tanker drops the boom, they only bank 10°

 

That makes sense.