By “Leech” 18/11/08 v1.0

GT-1.6a Air-to-Air Refueling1st Virtual Fighter Wing

Initial Qualification Training

• Introduce pilots to Air to Air Refueling. • All pilots should be able to demonstrate sound understanding of AAR procedures.• The focus of GT-1.5 is to prepare students for Air to Air refueling flight with an IP. Students should be expected to understand and/or demonstrate any of the following tasks listed below.

ObjectivesGround Training X.X (GT-X.X)…

1. Comms - brevity2. Rendezvous procedures3. Refueling procedures

Goals

Specific Tasks

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Air to Air RefuelingIntroduction…

Purpose

The 1st VFW prides itself on realistic training and procedures. Current NATO standard procedures are detailed in ATP56/B which came into effect 1 April 2007. Since Falcon is based on procedures and brevity from before 4/1/2007, small differences might be present which will be highlighted.

We will introduce you to internationally standardized definitions, abbreviations and procedures to enable successful and safe AAR operations. For aircraft with an in-flight refuelling capability, this document provides information on AAR orbit and rendezvous techniques and procedures concerning tanker/receiver formations. This document offers information pertinent to refuelling with flying boom, MPRS (KC-135) and WARP (KC-10) equipment.

Air to Air RefuelingThe gas station…

Air-to-air refueling (AAR) or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) during flight. The procedure allows the receiving aircraft to remain airborne longer and, more important, to extend its range and therefore those of its weapons or its deployment radius. A series of air refuelings can give range limited only by crew fatigue and engineering factors such as engine oil consumption.

Because the receiver aircraft can be topped up with extra fuel in the air, air refueling can allow a take-off with a greater payload which could be weapons, cargo or personnel: the maximum take-off weight is maintained by balancing the larger payload with carriage of less fuel.

There are 2 main types equipment used for refueling: The Boom and Probe/Drogue system. The F16 makes use of the Boom type refueling system.

Air to Air RefuelingThe Boom…

The Boom type tanker is fitted with a flyable, telescopic boom; the free end of the boom terminates in a probe-like fuel nozzle. Receiver aircraft are fitted with a reception coupling, or receptacle. The receiver flies a steady formation position whilst the boom operator manoeuvres and extends the boom to make contact with the receptacle. Some booms are equipped with a Boom Interphone system which permits direct communication with suitably equipped receivers during the period that the boom is in contact with the receiver. Main Boom type equiped tankers are the KC10 Extender (converted DC10) and the KC135 Stratotanker (converted Boeing 707).

Air to Air RefuelingProbe and Drogue…

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The Second system is the Probe and Drogue system used (amongst others) by the USMC.Each receiver aircraft is fitted with a probe which hooks in a basket type Drogue.

KC135’s can be convertedto use Probe/Drogue on the boom end.

Main effective difference between these 2 systems is the rate of fuel flow. Using the boom up to 8000lbs/min can be transferred. The P/D system can transfer up to 5000 lbs/min.

Air to Air RefuelingLights…

Pilot Director Lights. To aid receiver positioning, the tanker aircraft is fitted with Pilot Director Lights (PDL); these consist of 2 parallel light arrays, set longitudinally on the undersurface of the fuselage between the nosewheel bay and the main landing gear. The PDLs give directions to an in-contact receiver informing it which way to move to attain and maintain the ideal refuelling position

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One light array gives up and downCommands and the other givesFore and aft commands.

The PDL’s are driven by sensors in the boom measuring pitch and attitude once the boom is connected.

Air To Air RefuelingLights continued…

The PDL’s help a pilot maintain the correct position for AAR. There are 2 arrays:

The left PDL array is for the vertical axis. It gives the receiver commands to moveup or down relative to the tanker aircraft.

Good position asternToo high, move down.

(upper limit)

Good position asternToo low, move up.

(lower limit)

Air To Air RefuelingLights continued…

The right PDL array is for the longitudinal axis. It gives the receiver commands to move forward or backward relative to the tanker.

Good vertical positionToo far forward, move aft.

(inner limit)

Good vertical positionToo far back, move

forward. (aft limit)

The PDL arrays don’t show you your horizontal position relative to the tanker!YOU need to maintain horizontal position.

Air To Air RefuelingRendezvous…

The purpose of a Rendezvous (RV) procedure is to achieve close visual contactBetween the tanker and a receiver section or element. There are 7 standard Types of RV. The type used will be dictated by the mission requirements,Available equipment, weather conditions and the EMCON option in force.

General Procedures:

• Vertical Separation. Receivers are normally to join from below and are to maintain a minimum of 1000 ft vertical separation until visual contact has been made. RV altitude separation will be maintained until 1 nm from the tanker.

• Speed. RV speed for an AAR with a KC135 is 335 knts IAS. RV speed for an AAR with a KC10 is 325 knts IAS. Optimum AAR speed for KC135 is 315 knts IAS Optimum AAR speed for KC10 is 310 knts IAS

Air To Air RefuelingRendezvous…

AAR is to be discontinued when in-flight visibility is deemed insufficient for safe AAR operations!

Air To Air RefuelingRendezvous types…

•RV Alpha (Anchor RV). This is a procedure directed by a radar control station, whether ground based, seaborne, or airborne (AEW)• RV Bravo. This is a heading based procedure which utilises air-to-air equipment of both tanker and receiver. The tanker controls the procedure• RV Charlie. This is a heading based procedure similar to the RV Bravo which allows receivers with an Airborne Intercept (AI) radar to control the procedure once positive AI radar contact is established. •RV Delta (Point Parallel). This procedure requires the receiver to maintain an agreed track and the tanker to maintain the reciprocal track, offset a pre-determined distance. •RV Echo (Timing). This procedure is intended for use in support of a combat air patrol (CAP); particularly during periods of EMCON constraints. • RV Foxtrot (Sequenced). This procedure is normally used when the tanker and receiver operate from the same base.•RV Golf (En-route). This procedure facilitates join up on a common track to make good a scheduled time. The receivers may have departed either from the same or different bases. There are a number of enroute RVs.

Air To Air RefuelingProcedure…

The RV Echo is a timing based anchor orbit and

should be used in tactical situations where it is

necessary to have a tanker available with which receivers

can RV in a known area on an opportunity basis. The RV

Echo is normally used to support Combat Air Patrols (CAPs) and is particularly appropriate when EMCON

procedures are in force.

Falcon OF/AF uses RV type Echo (timing).

Air To Air RefuelingRV Echo…

In Falcon these procedures apply only partially. Refueling tracks use 2 steerpoints instead of an Anchor Point, and Anchor Duration is dependent on steerpoint position.

Air to Air RefuelingRefueling procedure…

Now that we know where the tanker is, and we have approached it up to 1500 feet, we need to form up for refueling. The flow of aircraft around the tanker is detailed in the next few slides.

Air to Air RefuelingRefueling procedure areas…

Air to Air RefuelingRefueling steps…

Step 1: Before entering in a RV with a tanker: Weapons SafeStep 2: At RV and visual with the tanker, at a minimum of 1500 ft to the tanker: NOSE COLDStep 3: Go ECHELON LEFT formationStep 4: Climb up to the tankers flight level, and join up on the left wing. Make sure

there is at least 1 receiver aircraft width spacing between the flight and the tanker.

Step 5: Nr.1 moves from the Observation Position to “Cleared Astern” Position *

Step4Step5 Step6

Air to Air RefuelingRefueling Steps…

Step 6: Nr.1 moves to contact position, and is refueled.Step 7: After Nr.1 is topped off, he moves from Astern to the Reform Position.Step 8: Nr. 2 moves from Observation to Cleared Astern and then on to Contact.Step 9: Nr. 2 moves from Cleared Astern to the Reform Position in an echelon right

formation with Nr.1.Step10: After all receivers have refueled they form up in echelon right on the right

tanker wing from which the formation departs.

Step7 Step8Step10

Air to Air RefuelingRefueling Steps…

* Falcon AF and OF both use the term “Cleared to Pre Contact Position”. This term is no longer valid since it has been replaced by the “Cleared Astern” call since ATP56/B came into effect. At this time it is not possible to update the Falcon brevity file…

Air to Air RefuelingQuick Flow…

Quick Flow Procedure (QF) (Boom only)

Fighter type receivers may use QF procedures to expedite AAR operations. QF allows Receivers to minimize refueling time with maximum fuel, but may be deployed onlyDuring DAY or NIGHT under VMS conditions. Receiver unit need to coordinate withThe tanker. Adding “Quick Flow” to the initial radio call will suffice.

Normally, the receiver flight will join on the tanker with the flight lead moving topre-contact Position. Remaining aircraft will proceed to the left observation, visualposition. Once the flight lead commences refuelling, the second aircraft in the airrefuelling sequence will move to the “On-Deck Position”. The “On-Deck Position” is echelon left formation on the receiver in the contact position. When the flight leadcompletes refuelling, that aircraft moves to an observation position on the tankersright wing.The second receiver moves from the “on-Deck Position” to the pre-contactAnd contact position. The left to right flow continues until all fighters have refuelled.

Air to Air RefuelingQuick Flow…

Air to Air RefuelingComms…

First call is “Judy” when you have the tanker on radar.

“Texaco56, Cowboy1 , Judy”

Continue to close on the tanker. once visual:

“Texaco56, Cowboy1, Visual”

(Now is the time to move into the observation position, once established, press Y-1)

You will then be “Cleared to pre contact”. (should be “Cleared Astern”)Open your refueling door (OF:Shift+r/AF:CTRL+SHFT+r)Now press Y-2, to signal you are ready to take on fuel.

Air to Air RefuelingComms…

You will then be “Cleared to pre contact”. (should be “Cleared Astern” as per ATP56/B)

Open your refueling door (OF:Shift+r/AF:CTRL+SHFT+r)

Now press Y-2, to signal you are ready to take on fuel.

You will hear the tanker call “Stabilized and Ready”

Now move into “Contact Position” and refuel.

After refueling, move to the “Reform Position” and close the refueling door.

DON’T FORGET: press Y-3 “Done Refueling” or your wingmen won’t be able to refuel.

Air to Air RefuelingThe way it should look like…