Receiver Engaged Pattern
Once the hawked aircraft, now called receiving aircraft, successfully engages the
tanker's refueling probe, the tanker establishes itself and the receiving aircraft in a
racetrack pattern in the vicinity of the ship. Normally, the tanker should not proceed
more than 10 nm ahead of the ship. The downwind leg of the pattern should be 3 to 5
miles abeam the ship, and the tanking evolution should be completed before the tanker
and receiving aircraft reach a point 6 miles astern the carrier (see Figure 11-7). The 6-
mile-astern position places the receiving aircraft in the proper position to reenter the
CCA recovery pattern.
Figure 11-7 -- Tanking pattern.
11-48