← All lessons
Military / Combat60 min lesson
Aerial Refueling
Plug a tanker — approach, stabilise in the pre-contact position, and make contact without bouncing off the basket or overrunning the boom.
About this lesson
Air-to-air refueling is the hardest formation skill in sim. Your tutor flies the tanker or chase aircraft and coaches closure rate, power management, and sight picture until you plug reliably.
Why a human tutor? Tanking is pure stick skill. You need someone watching your corrections to tell you what you're overshooting.
What you'll learn
- ✓Joining on the tanker — observation to pre-contact
- ✓Closure rate control — the #1 cause of failed contacts
- ✓Power management in contact position
- ✓Sight picture — what to look at, what to ignore
- ✓Recovering from a breakaway
Prerequisites
- •DCS or a sim with a refueling capable aircraft
- •Comfort with formation flying basics
Loading tutors…
Prep material
Read these guides before your lesson — you'll get more out of the session.