Well, there's an adaptor on the boom with a drogue on the end", is the sum total of the brief...
Back in the 70s I refuelled off a KC135 only once Beags but my briefing wasn't as comprehensive as yours; I was just told to got to the towline & do it. On lining up with the mini-hose there didn't seem to be much to use as a visual reference, but even so I was a bit miffed to miss on the first couple of stabs, particularly as my backseat colleague was sniggering a bit.
I then noticed that someone was waving at me through the tanker's back window; subsequent R/T conversation was roughly:
Self..." What is the guy at the back of your aircraft doing?"
KC135..." That, sir, is the boom operator and he is trying to help you make contact".
Self..."Could you please aks him to stop".
Thereafter the boom/hose/drogue assembly stopped its ducking & diving routine and all went well. My looker even stopped sniggering!
Last edited by NutherA2; 13th August 2012 at 08:58.