Add the ability to control the boom on the KC-47 as a spectator in missions with a tanker.
#KC-47 Boom Operator Position
tawny sequoia
sand surge
I dont know about controlling it, but a spectator position would be awesome
latent snow
Yeah and there could be that one off troll playing keep away with the boom
rigid sun
Yeah and there could be that one off troll playing keep away with the boom
That troll would probably be me lmao, I would be slightly moving it away from the person trying to refuel. Try to make them think it’s bugged
craggy fulcrum
Bump, this would be so much fun
tawny sequoia
or so i can talk crap
"Ay bro hold your jet still or we'll both run out of gas up here"
rigid sun
“Want me to reach out and grab it””
misty topaz
Like the paddles and superstructure spectator seats inside aircraft carriers, a spectator seat inside the KC-49 that acts as a boom operator would be amazing. It wouldn't have to be horrible advanced, no more than the paddles spectator on a carrier.
My idea is that it'd have a joystick for controlling the boom, a radio system, and several screens.
INSTRUMENTS
5 screens total, one large one in the center (first image) that is a boom camera, and have various indicators, like the current aircraft-being-refueled's current fuel level, the KC-49s fuel level, and flight indicators like angels, azimuth, and speed. It would have an outline indicating the boom's maximum angles, and have the same PDI displays as shown on the outside, but for all 3 axis. For flight indicators, the standard HUD for aircraft can just be transferred for familiarity and simplicity.
The 3 screens on top (second image) will simply be cameras, however they will be like TGPs, in that they have a day mode, night mode, and color mode, to allow easy visual of aircraft. The middle camera will just be the boom camera, though with more FOV to 'connect' the cameras. The two other screens will be lateral cameras to allow the boom operator to see to the flanks of the aircraft so that they can have a visual on queued aircraft and refueled aircraft if they are holding in a flight group.
The final screen will be a map similar to the one on the carrier, black and white, and will show the path that the refuller is taking. This path can only be changed by the mission editor, this screens role is to allow pilots to be aware of pending maneuvers if they plan to refuel so that they don't get caught in a maneuver.
INTERACTABLES
For the large screen, there will be a joystick in front of it, kinda like an arcade machine joystick, that goes on two axis, the vertical axis to move the boom up and down, and the horizontal axis to move the boom left and right. Next to that, a smaller joystick on one vertical axis will control the length of the boom.
Somewhere near these buttons will be a pair of buttons for changing zoom, another for toggling standard night vision, and a knob to change the brightness of the camera.
For the three screens, the buttons will largely be in the same area, one button to change mode like the TGP, a knob to change brightness of these cameras, and finally a button to stow/unstow the boom.
For the map screen, the only buttons will be buttons to zoom in and out.
OPERATION
The plane flys up and the operator unstows the boom. The operator pulls back the boom length to allow the aircraft to get into position, guiding it, then the operator inserts the boom into the fuel port. Fuel automatically unloads, and motors are off to allow the plane to move slightly. After the plane is full, they will break off and detach the boom in the process, then the operator will stow the boom again.
In order to accommodate for this method being slower than letting AI do it, we could slow down the speed at which AI connects the boom.
REASONS
larp muahahaha
this would be cool
why does the operator look like that lmao
tender basin
why does the operator look like that lmao
IIRC those glasses make the screens appear 3d
misty topaz
gotcha
hushed raft
I'd much rather actually be seating in the back of the plane looking through a window. Putting on a VR headset to look a virtual screen is counterproductive.
