DASH-2 AIR REFUELING SUP

AR MISSION PLANNING:

Check WX (turbulence, track visibility)

Burn copy of AR track info from APX / B

Compare track coordinates to CFP

Compute takeoff time

Do fuel plan

Draw map of AR track

    Check IP to CP distance (normally 15 minutes, 100 NM, 4000 lbs)

    CP to Bingo normally 150 NM

    CP to Exit normally 30 minutes, 200 NM

Normal AR airspeed: 275 KCAS; Rendezvous @ 280KCAS (AR/1-1)

Max AR airspeed: 290 KCAS for pitch sensitivity

Min AR airspeed: 260 KCAS for aileron effectiveness

Overrun airspeed: 255 KCAS; maintain track & altitude; (Tanker: 310; adjust track & altitude)

Base altitude for planning FL250

Heavyweight AR: >270,000#  (by FCIF)

Fuel Transfer Rates: KC-10: 4500ppm; KC-135: 5900ppm, Reverse 1600ppm

BOOM LIMITS:

CLOSURE SPEEDS:

1 ft/ sec - closure rate from pre-contact to contact. (4-1)

MILESTONES:

After level off:  Calculate fuel at ARCP and compare to required at CP to verify recovery capability (no longer mandatory but highly recommended).

45 minutes prior to ARCT: Calculate required onload (no longer mandatory).

30 minutes prior to ARCT: Monitor A/R Primary; Radar to BCN (NLT IP) (but check wx occasionally).

Cockpit setup:  Adjust seat, set MFD marker to tanker’s turn range, set MFD to AR mode (8 NM lines), set 275 in pilots command marker, set 280 in CP’s marker, set MRT in Mach command markers

Rendezvous check:  (Before descent / NLT 15 min prior to ARCT).

15 minutes prior to ARCT (near IP): Initial call to receiver (AR/1-2) [EMCON 2 - Call sign, altitude, on time/ahead/behind].

Clearance: Down track, in block altitude, to primary AR freq.

Tanker early:  Holds at ARCP, left turns (normal). If no contact - holds 10 min. after ARCT, carries 15 minutes extra fuel.

Receiver Early:  Hold at ARIP, right turns at cruise altitude but no lower than 4k above AR altitude, best endurance + 10 or stall speed @ 30° bank + 25 knots; descend at 2500 fpm min from IP to rendezvous altitude.

Rendezvous:  Slow to 280 knots; must ID beacon NLT ARIP (if not call tanker & verify position); calculate offset & turn range (drift from Airdrop page, TAS from Plan/Temp page); radar on beacon and min range that will show tanker at DME distance (walk radar down), radar set to 25 & WX, when DME hits turn range start clock, get skin paint (tilt 1/2° up, then 10/DME), walk radar tilt up as range shortens, tanker turn half way (KC-135 = 1 minute, KC-10 or Pacer CRAG = 1 min 12 seconds), compare forward distance and instruct CP to accelerate, hold, or slow to 255 for over-run (tanker 310); IFF to NORM at 6 miles (TCAS); radar to 5 miles; decelerate at 1 3/4 miles for heavyweight; must be visual at 1 NM (2 NM any cell ops); 295 @ 1 (hard airspeed); Precontact Check complete by 1/2; 285 @ 1/2; must be cleared to contact (PDI forward lights OK)

Alternate Rendezvous (loose A/A TACAN): a. Radar Beacon  b. Common VORTAC 
c. UHF/DF  d. Radar vectors

Top strobe - OFF, bottom strobe - RED (no strobes select LOWER)

Receiver must pause in the precontact position before closing to contact.

Closure PDI lights:  Steady > 10 ft; Flashing – 5 to 10 ft; Out < 5 ft

PDI lights go out during contact - disconnect and move to precontact

PDI lights flash - breakaway

Max 50 PSIG fuel pressure during transfer

Missed Rendezvous:  (Don't have the tanker in sight by the CP) Both aircraft make left turns at CP and cross CP at 8 minute intervals; attempt to make visual contact.

KC-10:  4.5k ppm transfer (3 pumps); 400k GW; 270k max offload; no-wind offset 10 NM; turn range 22; burble 200 ft; contact trim down; don’t use HF radio in contact, formatting altitude 5-6k lower than KC-135 due to downwash; formatting chart gives only 200 fpm climb.

KC-135:  5.9k ppm transfer; 150k GW; 90k max offload; offset 8 NM; turn range 18; burble 100 ft; contact trim up; 35° down limit (binding; intermediate fly up light @ 34.5°); formatting chart gives 300 fpm climb.

PACER CRAG KC-135 Differences:  180k GW; offset 10NM; turn range 22NM; 1 minute 12 seconds for half turn.

Formation:  Add 1 to turn range for each extra tanker; add 1 to turn range if #2 has beacon, 2 if #3; 2 miles vis required for any formation (receiver or tanker). Example: Refueling with 3 tankers and tanker #3 has the beacon. Add 2 miles for the 3 tankers and add 2 miles for #3 carrying the beacon for a total of 4 miles added to the calculated turn range, required visibility is 2 miles. Number 1 tanker beacons/strobes red over red, # 2 white over white.

EMCON 2:  Radio Calls: Initial call 15 min prior to ARCT; Altitude & ETA changes, Precontact; override boom latching brief; Post AR report (EMCON 2 is normal)

EMCON 3:  Everything "As Required" ; EMCON 4 = Monitor com radios

Use EMCON 1 when training (tanker or receiver) is in progress

AR Anchor:  50 NM legs separated by 20 NM, Left turns

DF Rendezvous:  Start transmitting at least 40 NMs apart, 10 sec transmit (end with call sign), 10 sec off, repeat until in sight, tanker turns at 26° 

Don't exceed 8° pitch until AR is over and fuel distribution is back to normal

AR terminated & clear of tanker: ATC clearance; Post AR checklist; Offload report.

AR SYSTEMS:

Boomer loses ability to disconnect when AR system in OVERRIDE

Flight Engineer can accomplish emergency disconnect by depressing and holding RESET button

READY light means slipway door open and locked, AR Master switch ON

Following retraction of boom from UARRSI, FE must press and release RESET button to return signal amp to READY mode

If signal amp fails, AR can still be accomplished (with approval of override boom latching procedures) by placing mode select switch to OVRRRIDE

AR TRACK INFO:

Look up AR track in the appropriate APX / B: ARIP, ARCP, checkpoints, exit, CR Plan, altitudes, controlling unit and ATC authority

CR Plan: a. 352.6 AR Primary, b. 260.2 AR secondary, c. 1-2-2 KC-135 beacon code (number of lines, displayed on radar with first number on bottom), d. 2/1 KC-10 beacon code (always 2 bars separated by 2 x first number in nautical miles), e. 50/113 TACAN channel (we set lower A/A T/R Y)

EMERGENCY AND ABNORMAL PROCEDURES:

BREAKAWAY:

This will include, but not be limited to, excessive rate of closure, closure overrun and engine failure. The airplanes do not have to be in contact to call a breakaway. Announce ("Tanker call sign, Breakaway, Breakaway, Breakaway.")

Tanker turns on lower rotating beacon and flashes PDI lights

Disconnect (P& CP); Copilot keep tanker in sight.

Throttles - IDLE

Descend - To bottom of block if you lose sight of the tanker, 500' if multiple receivers (AR 31/5-1)

Terminate - When well clear

BRUTE FORCE DISCONNECT:

1. Inadvertent Disconnect: Any unplanned disconnect AND [rapid aft disconnect causing mechanical separation OR boom pullout occurs at 38° elevation or lower (KC-135)]

2. Controlled Tension Disconnect: Intentional, gradual, last resort brute force disconnect

Terminate unless fuel emergency or ops necessity to continue. If boom/UARRSI damage consider leaving on AR MASTER switch (don't push disconnect switches)

FAILURE TO DISCONNECT:

Maintain position

Depress the disconnect button

Eng. - press & hold the A/R RESET button OR place the A/R MASTER Switch OFF.

If toggles have not released, open the AR control CB(39-L)

If toggles do not release, close the CB, return A/R MASTER Switch to ON, select "OVERRIDE" on the MODE SELECT SWITCH.

Pilot/copilot depress the DISC buttons.

Last resort - brute force

OVERRIDE BOOM LATCHING:

If failure of the receiver signal amplifier occurs, the boom may be latched in the receptacle by placing the MODE SELECT switch to OVERRIDE. The receiver pilot must initiate all disconnects. Refer to (AR 31/5-3) (Mission operational directives will indicate when override boom latching procedures may be used.)

INOPERATIVE BOOM / RECEPTACLE LATCHING:

Move well clear of tanker.

Attempt to close the A/R door; if the door closes, other problems are indicated (refer to 1C-31).

If it does not close: (hyd fuse has set)

Depressurize hyd sys #2 to reset the fuse

Reposition flight control switches

Repressurize hyd. Sys. #2

Check for normal A/R door operation

Reposition flight control switches to normal

If, while in position with a KC-10, the boomer tells you he has a flight control system failure, maintain position (don't disconnect) and await further instructions.

FUEL LEAKS:

Spray – OK; Siphoning – boomer stops, our option to continue; Spillage – must stop

TANKER ENGINE FAILURE:

Terminate refueling immediately (and call "Breakaway") unless contingency

MISC.:

Must be airborne by AVANA (Altitude reservation Void if Aircraft Not Airborne) time, normally one hour after ALTRV (Altitude Reservation) departure time, but if you depart late the ALTRV time stays the same - you must make up the time or coordinate for ALTRV time change

MARSA (Military Assumes Responsibility for Separation of Aircraft): tanker should accept prior to ARIP; begins after ARIP

Receiver seat change: 100’ in trail...

Inop. Yaw Damper: OK except for PNAF missions.

VISUAL REFERENCES:

TECHNIQUES:

Climb to AR altitude: GW< 240,000#: 3500-3800 ppm

GW 240 -290K: 4000-4300 ppm

GW>290,000#: 4500-4800 ppm

Radar Tilt: 10 / DME ( e.g., 5 DME = 10 / 5,  Tilt = 2 )

COPILOT DUTIES:

Safety Observer, Monitor AR lights, Guard disconnect button, Relieve pilot, Ensure boom clearance, Ensure aircraft separation after disconnect