http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US...h_a_KC-135.jpg
We have it easy! Twice!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US...h_a_KC-135.jpg
We have it easy! Twice!
Yeah but the lights under the tankers are meant for bombers and transport category aircraft thats why their backwards to fighters...so they have some guidance...u want a real challenge try tanking in the f15c from fc3 and its twitchy flight model!
Not true...Although hard to see in an A-10 they are used for reference as well. See sections from the A-10C and F-15E dash 1's below. Also, not sure what you mean by “backwards”Originally Posted by Baxter
1A-10C-1:
Receiver Director Lights.
The director lights do not give true vertical and horizontal information. The up-and-down lights change because of angular movement of the boom and the fore-and-aft lights change because of in-and-out movements of the boom. The axis of the director lights system is inclined at a 30-degree angle to the fuselage. This angle causes an interaction in both lights when a true vertical or horizontal movement is made by the receiver. For example, flying straight forward while in contact will cause the boom to compress and also increase its angle with the tanker fuselage. The lights will show that the aircraft is flying forward and down. If a true up movement is made, the boom will compress and also lessen its angle with the tanker fuselage giving a combined up-and-forward indication from the lights. Small fore-and-aft corrections can be made with little or no power change by moving vertically.
KC-135.
Receiver director lights are on the bottom of the fuselage directly aft of the nose landing gear. (Refer to Figure 8-2.) They consist of two rows of lights; the left row for elevation and the right row for telescoping. The elevation lights consist of five colored panels with a green stripe, green and red colors, and two illuminated letters, D and U, for down and up respectively. (Refer to Figure 8-3.) The colored panels are illuminated by lights that are controlled by boom elevation during contact made. There is an illuminated white panel between each panel to serve as a reference. The letters, A for aft and F for forward, augment the colored panels on the telescope side. The receiver pilot director lights will remain illuminated and follow boom movements in both the contact made and disconnect conditions. There are no lights for azimuth position. A fluorescent yellow stripe on the bottom center of the tanker fuselage may be used as a centerline reference by the pilot. The triangular-shaped panels are for elevation and the rectangular-shaped panels are for forward-and-back movement.
NOTE
The forward centerline location of the A-10 receptacle and the pilot also being in a centerline position, places the boom where it may obscure the director lights when the receiver is "in the green" during contact. Using standard closure procedures from the observation, to Precontact, to the Contact position should minimize any problems by non-observance of the director lights. Boom operator assistance should be utilized if in doubt.
PILOT DIRECTOR LIGHTS - KC-10.
The pilot director lights consist of two rows of lights located forward of the wing root. (Refer to Figure 8-7.) Relative elevation position is provided by the left row; the right row provides telescoping position. (Refer to Figure 8-8.) The elevation row contains one striped green, two amber, and two red triangular panels and two white letters: "U" at the forward end for UP, and "D" at the aft end for DOWN. The colored panels and letters are dimly illuminated by background lights. The telescoping row contains one striped green, two amber, two red, and four white rectangular panels and two white letters: "A" at the forward end for AFT, and "F" at the aft end for FORWARD. The colored panels are not background lighted; however, the letter at each end of the row is dimly illuminated. Separation is provided by the white panels. The pilot director lights are adjusted by the boom operator to the size air refueling envelope for each receiver andprovide guidance during contact. To provide more response time, the appropriate panel and letter are illuminated in anticipation of receiver movement. The director
lights provide commands based on both receiver position and rate of movement. Figure 8-8 shows the lights with no receiver motion. With rapid motions of the receiver, the lights can show a correction required even though the receiver is in the center of the envelope. The red panel and letter at the ends of each row can be illuminated by the boom operator to aid the receiver in attaining the contact position.
1F-15E-1
RECEIVER DIRECTOR LIGHTS
The director lights do not give true vertical and horizontal information. The up and down lights change because of angular movement of the boom and the fore and aft lights change because of in and out movements of the boom. The axis of the director lights system is inclined 30° angle to the fuselage. This angle causes an interaction in both lights when a true vertical or horizontal movement is made by receiver. For example, flying straight forward while in
contact causes the boom to compress and also increases its angle with the tanker fuselage. The lights show that the aircraft is flying forward and down. If a true up movement is made, the boom both compresses and lessens its angle with the tanker fuselage and the director lights indicate that an up and forward movement has been made. Small fore and aft corrections can be made with little or no power change by moving vertically.
KC-135 Receiver Director Lights
Receiver director lights (figure 8-7) are on the bottom of the fuselage directly aft of the nose landing gear. They consist of two rows of lights; the left row for elevation and the right row for telescoping. The elevation lights consist of five colored panels with a green stripe, green and red colors, and two illuminated letters, D, and U, for down and up respectively. The colored panels are illuminated by lights that are controlled by boom elevation during contact made. There is an illuminated white panel between each panel to serve as a reference. The letters A for aft and F for forward augment the colored panels on the telescope side. The receiver pilot director lights remain illuminated and follow boom movements in both the contact made and disconnect condition. There are no lights for azimuth position. A fluorescent yellow stripe on the bottom center of the tanker fuselage may be used as a centerline reference by the pilot. The triangularshaped panels are for forward and back movement.
KC-10 Receiver Director Lights
Receiver director lights (figure 8-8) consist of two rows of lights located forward of the wing root. Relative elevation position is provided by the left row and the right row provides telescoping position. The elevation row contains one striped green, two amber and two red triangular panels and two white letters; U at the forward end for UP, and D at the aft end for DOWN. The colored panels and letters are dimly illuminated by background lights. The telescoping row contains one striped green, two amber, two red and four white rectangular panels and two white letters: A at the forward end for AFT, and F at the aft end for FORWARD. The colored panels are not background lighted; however, the letter at each end of the row is dimly illuminated. Separation is provided by the white panels. The receiver pilot director lights are adjusted by the boom operator to the size air refueling envelope for each receiver and provide guidance during contact. To provide more response time, the appropriate panel and letter are illuminated in anticipation of receiver movement. The director lights provide commands based on both receiver position and rate of movement. The lights with no receiver motion are shown (figure 8-7 and 8-8). With rapid motions of the receiver, the lights can show a correction required even though the receiver is in the center of the envelope. The red panel and letter at the ends of each row can be illuminated by the boom operator to aid the receiver in attaining the contact position.
Last edited by Snoopy; 14Feb13 at 12:12.
Backwards in that the up and down are on the left and controls for pitch up and down are on the left in bombers and transports as long as the commander is flying and forward and back are on the right...throttles are on his/her right which coincides with the lights. Fighters are obviously backwards in that you fly with your right(up and down) and throttle with your left (foward and back)...thats all. Good read though snoopy thanks for that.
I meant the bank ... it's crazy
I got ya, you're not talking the lighting but the controls...sorry missunderstood
And yes Nu...that bank is crazy...especially in a B-52!!
I wonder how that bank happens ...
Does the tanker crew notify refueling aircraft or they just go in to the turn and refueling aircraft has to keep up with it ...
Maybe StageFright has some first hand info :P
Last edited by Energy; 14Feb13 at 13:42.
Looking at the actual article it looks like a performance test...
Here is all I can find in the A-10C-1 about radio calls:
NAVIGATION AND POSITION REPORTING.
When the rendezvous is complete, tankers will be responsible for all navigation, weather avoidance, and position reporting.
The tanker pilot will, once each hour, advise the receiver pilots of the cell geographic position, heading, distance, and ETE to
the next checkpoint or destination, as applicable. If the receiver pilot has not completed his onload upon reaching his geographic
air refueling abort point, the tanker pilot will so advise.
NOTE
During refueling operations conducted within a preplanned orbit pattern, the tanker is not required to provide the above information unless requested by the receiver leader.
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