Air to Air Refueling; Refueling through air.ppt

About air to air refueling.

1. Air to Air
Refueling

2. Initial Air Refueling
•Fuel limitations because of space and
weight has limited the endurance of flight.
There has always been endeavor to increase the
flight time. First in air refueling took place in
1920.
It was two slow-flying aircraft flying in
formation, with a hose run down from a hand-
held fuel tank on one aircraft and placed into
the usual fuel filler of the other.

3. 1
st
Air Refueling

4. Advantage
•The capability to refuel aircraft in
flight, which extends presence,
increases range, and serves as a
force multiplier.
•Enables a takeoff with either a
greater payload or a shorter/safer
takeoff roll.

5. Development over the Years
•In (1934) the UK, Alan Cobham pioneered
research on the probe and drogue method, and
gave public demonstrations of the system.
•Aerial refueling remained a very dangerous
process until 1935 when brothers Fred and Al
Key demonstrated the first spill-free refueling
nozzle, designed by A. D. Hunter.
•Nowadays, specialized tanker aircraft have
equipment specially designed for the task of
offloading fuel to the receiver aircraft, based
on Hunter's design, even at the higher speeds.

6. In-flight Refueling
•There are three methods of in-
flight refueling used over the
years.
Probe and Drogue method
Boom and receptacle method
Wing to wing method (no more in use)

7. Probe and Drogue method
•In this method
Tanker aircraft trails a refueling hose with a large
drogue attached.
The drogue (or para-drogue), sometimes called a
basket, is a fitting resembling a plastic shuttlecock.
Recipient is fitted with fuel probe either fixed or
retractable.
Pilot of receiving aircraft has the responsible of
inserting the probe in the tanker drogue.
The probe-and-drogue method allows non-tanker
aircraft to be temporarily converted into tankers by
attaching a refueling pod.
Note:- A maximum of 3 aircraft can be refueled at
one time

8. Probe and Drogue method

9. Probe and Drogue method

10. Boom and Receptacle Method
•In this method
The boom operator lowers the boom.
The boom is a long, rigid, hollow shaft around a
telescoping fuel tube, usually fitted to the rear of the
aircraft.
Mounted on the hollow shaft surrounding the fuel tube
are small wings, or ruddevators, allowing the operator
"fly" the boom to enable alignment between the nozzle
and receptacle.
The receiving aircraft has the receptacle on its upper
surface .
The responsibility of making contact is that of boom
operator in the tanker.
A high volume of fuel can be transferred in a short time
(up to 1000 gallons per minute) .
Note:- Only one aircraft at a time

11. Boom and Receptacle Method

12. Boom and Receptacle Method

13. Wing to Wing Refueling
•In this method, similar to the probe
and drogue method but more
complicated, the tanker aircraft
released a flexible hose from its
wingtip. An aircraft, flying beside it,
had to catch the hose with a special
lock under its wingtip. After the hose
was locked, and the connection was
established, the fuel was pumped.

14. Thank You