General Tanking Procedures
Tanker aircraft are assigned duties in support of the recovery of aircraft. Normally, a
tanker that has just been launched becomes the duty tanker for the recovery that
follows immediately provided that the tanker's store is operational. Those tankers that
are known to have a good store and sufficient fuel to meet receiver requirements
display a flashing green light.
Tanker Control Responsibilities
A specific agency (normally departure control) is designated as tanker control. Tanker
control monitors the following:
Tanker give-away fuel status
Tanker location
Location and fuel requirements of the low-state aircraft
Coordination of the tanker and receiver rendezvous
Tanking Terms
Departure Controllers must know the meaning of certain tanking terms and use these
terms to relay tanking information.
Terms and Their Meanings
Table 11-15 shows commonly used tanking terms and their meanings.
Term
Meaning
Give
The amount of fuel the tanker has to transfer to other aircraft
Hawk
An order given to a tanker pilot to visually acquire a low-state aircraft
that is on approach to the ship and position the tanker to rendezvous
immediately with the aircraft if it bolters or waves off
Package
A tanker's refueling system
Plugged and
The refueling probe is in the drogue of the tanker's refueling hose and
Receiving
properly taking on fuel
Sour
A tanker's fuel package will not transfer
State
Same as fuel state. The amount of fuel of an aircraft expressed in
pounds for fixed-wing aircraft and hours and minutes for helicopters
Sweet
The refueling system is functioning properly
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