AAR - Quick-Flow?
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Does this work if the lead aircraft is AI? I’m right on the lead’s wing but I’m never cleared to Contact straight away; I’m always cleared to Pre-Contact first… although with my position, I’m cleared to contact about 2 seconds later.
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Sounds like it’s working fine.
The AI tanker will always put you through ‘cleared to pre-contact’. The point is that you hardly need to move to get ‘cleared to contact position’.
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Ah! I thought it would totally skip the “Cleared to Pre-Contact” call and just get the “Cleared to Contact” right away. I notice that once his “Cleared to Pre-Contact” call starts, I get the director lights straight away… I have to listen to my pilot say “Roger” then he’ll do the “Cleared to Contact” call but all this time I’m already moving to the Contact position.
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Ah! I thought it would totally skip the “Cleared to Pre-Contact” call and just get the “Cleared to Contact” right away. I notice that once his “Cleared to Pre-Contact” call starts, I get the director lights straight away… I have to listen to my pilot say “Roger” then he’ll do the “Cleared to Contact” call but all this time I’m already moving to the Contact position.
Im sure Ive read Boxer state that this is what happens when you are in the correct quick flow position, and that he wanted to see video of someone getting cleared direct to contact in a turn.
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getting cleared direct to contact in a turn.
See… it’s statements like this that confuse me… “cleared direct to contact” so in my head, it also means “skips pre-contact call”…
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That is my understanding also, yes.
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That is my understanding also, yes.
Oh.
Well perhaps I’m wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time.
Time to search docs and forum, I guess.
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If you are flying in the correct on-deck position you will be cleared direct to contact. If you are cleared to pre-contact first your position isn’t quite right.
The video I posted in the
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Awesome, thanks for confirming that Darkman!
I’m currently flying closer to the lead aircraft, to the point that he probably scratches my paint with his missile when he banks right. I’m also flying a bit behind him. Maybe I’m way too close for the tanker guy to be happy? This does work regardless of tanker aircraft (KC-10 or KC-135), right?
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Sounds like you’re probably a bit too close indeed. Pause that video at 6m 36s and compare sight pictures vs. the guy on the boom so you know what you need to do differently.
Type of tanker aircraft makes no difference.
For bonus points try to fly on-deck in multiplayer. That really gets the adrenaline going when the v.pilot before you comes off the boom, calls ‘done refuelling’ and the tanker ‘jumps’ as your PC takes over local control of the tanker. It is a risk; you look amazing when you pull it off, but if the tanker doesn’t cooperate you end up needing a change of underwear
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Challenge accepted!
I didn’t really know what was the distance needed, so I decided to get in as close as I can. I didn’t know there was such a thing as “too close.”
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Found this one from last year which might be a bit more helpful, as it’s in 4.33 this time:
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Found this one from last year which might be a bit more helpful, as it’s in 4.33 this time:
And got connection in the turn……impressive
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Thanks Darkman! The on-deck position looks much, much safer than where I was positioning my aircraft!
Are you using a custom TrackIR profile there? I’ve found it much easier to tank when I pause my TrackIR, but I’m thinking of making a profile that just has a bigger center deadzone.
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And DONE!! Well, not the MP part, but being on-deck and being cleared straight in. Sweet!!
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So is it simply a matter of being stable in that particular position (relative to your wingman and the tanker) that allows you to bypass the pre-contact position? Is that right?
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Yes.
From the T.O. BMS1F-16CM**-1** chapter on Refuelling (page 160-):
The On-Deck position is normally flown as a route (left echelon) formation with approximately 10 feet spacing from the refuelling aircraft.
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The second receiver moves from the On-Deck position to the pre-contact or contact position as directed by the tanker (if the On-Deck formation was being flown correctly he would be cleared straight to contact). -
@T.O.:
The On-Deck position is normally flown as a route (left echelon) formation with approximately 10 feet spacing from the refuelling aircraft.
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The second receiver moves from the On-Deck position to the pre-contact or contact position as directed by the tanker (if the On-Deck formation was being flown correctly he would be cleared straight to contact).Shouldnt that just be a left echelon formation then? If its a 10 feet spacing, its not route.
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Problem is gauging how much is 10 feet of spacing… is there a max range? ie, 10-20 feet?
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At formation distances like that you need at least two visual cues which form intersecting lines providing a fix in space. Route is a formation spacing more than a formation shape but often route also implies a single or very few possible shapes. I’d call that fingertip echelon to use the MCH vernacular. A stray thought is that route is up to 500’ spacing which includes being the exact same distance as fingertip, the difference being the allowance to increase distance.
One thing to keep in mind is that the on deck aircraft conducts the breakaway with respect to the receiver while anyone else breaks away with respect to the tanker. The on deck aircraft’s positioning should be compatible with a safe breakaway.
