CPC B64D 39/06 (2013.01) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64D 1/06 (2013.01); B64D 1/16 (2013.01); B64D 1/22 (2013.01); B64D 5/00 (2013.01); B67D 7/04 (2013.01); B67D 7/40 (2013.01); B64U 30/10 (2023.01); B64U 50/12 (2023.01); B64U 50/34 (2023.01); B64U 80/82 (2023.01)] | 16 Claims |
1. A system for refueling an aircraft, comprising:
a refueling boom having a rigid portion extended from a tanker aircraft to the rear, an extendible portion controllable to extend the boom to a greater overall length from the tanker aircraft, and a fuel nozzle at an end of the extendible portion, the fuel nozzle adapted to mate with a refueling port on an aircraft to be refueled;
control circuitry in the tanker aircraft having input elements by which an operator in the tanker aircraft controls actuators moving the boom left, right and up and down; and
a first sensing device proximate the end of the extendible portion of the boom, capturing data and transmitting the captured data to the control circuitry in the tanker aircraft, where the data is displayed on a monitor visible to the operator;
wherein the operator controls extension and attitude of the fuel nozzle at the end of the extendible portion, according to the data displayed, mating the fuel nozzle with the refueling port, and transferring fuel from the tanker aircraft to the aircraft to be refueled.
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