APPENDIX Air Refueling GK
APPENDIX: Air Refueling GK
1. What does MARSA stand for?
Military Assumes Responsibility for Separation of Aircraft
2. What three conditions have to be met in order for the tanker to declare MARSA?
Positive radio contact with receiver, altitude separation and positive ID of receiver has been confirmed.
3. Who can declare or accept MARSA?
Authority to accept MARSA is delegated to us by the Wing/CC. ROE for the use of MARSA is agreed upon by the user and ATC through LOA’s. The person gaining responsibility has to accept MARSA. As a Tanker, we can accept MARSA but when terminating refueling, we request termination of MARSA. In this last case, we keep responsibility until ATC takes it away from us.
4. When do you have to turn on /off your squawk as a receiver?
When > 3 miles separation (FAAO 7110.65) and LOA. However during anchor refueling when splitting for a second rendezvous, both a/c will squawk upon split-up.
5. As a Tanker, when do you have to notify the receiver of airspeed/altitude changes?
When greater than 10kts/ 200 ft
6. Describe the Contact Position in feet?
10 ft behind, 8 ft under and 2 ft tail to belly clearance.
7. Describe the Pre-Contact position in feet?
50 ft directly behind the Tanker and 15 feet below. Receiver has 9 ft of Tail to belly clearance on the Tanker.
8. What are the Air Refueling ‘box’ dimensions prior to obtaining clearance to conduct AR?
7 NM on the non-holding side, 18 NM on the holding side, 12 miles down track past the ARCP, 48 NM from ARCP to IP up track.
9. What are the Air Refueling ‘box’ dimensions after obtaining clearance to conduct AR?
The previous refueling box extends to the ARIP.
10. What positions can you send the receiver from the Contact position?
Pre-Contact only
11. What are the turbulence limits for AR?
Moderate up to pre-contact or light from the Pre-Contact to Contact
12. What are the visibility minimums to conduct AR?
Rendezvous closure will not be continued when the in-flight visibility is such that the receiver does not have visual contact with the Tanker at 1 NM
13. What is the Weather criteria for flying Pre-contact and Contact positions?
In-flight visibility of 1 mile and clear of clouds. 14. Describe the standard orbit pattern to be established by the Tanker?
Left hand orbit, using 30 deg of bank and 2 minute legs at 250 KIAS.
15. When can you terminate an overrun?
Once the Tanker is in front of the receiver and there is a 1000 ft altitude separation.
16. What is the maximum angle of bank to be used in Contact position as a Tanker?
30 degrees
17. What is the Contact position envelope limit?
+- 10 degrees up and down, +- 6 ft fore and aft and 10 deg lateral.
18. Can you fly an AP1B Track or Anchor VFR?
No. An IFR clearance is required.
19. What does ARIP stands for?
Air Refueling Initial Point. A point located upstream from the ARCP at which the receiver aircraft initiates a rendezvous with the tanker.
20. What is an ARCP?
Air Refueling Control Point. The location where the Tanker and Receiver rendezvous is completed prior to refueling. Tanker orbits at this point.
21. What is an Entry Point in an Anchor?
These are designated points where Tanker aircraft may enter the anchor area without the assistance of radar. When either FAA Center radar or Ground TAC radar is operative, the Tanker may proceed to the Anchor point without crossing an Entry point.
22. What is the typical size of an Anchor pattern?
20 miles wide by a minimum of 50 nm long.
23. What is an Anchor Exit point?
These are designated points where the Tanker and Receiver may depart the Anchor area after air refueling is completed.
24. T/F After MARSA has been declared, controller assigned course or altitude changes prior to rendezvous completion will automatically void MARSA and are to be avoided.
T
25. T/F Once the Rendezvous is completed, heading and altitude assignments may be made with the tanker concurrence with MARSA remaining in effect.
T
26. T/F Once the Rendezvous is completed, non-participating aircraft may not be cleared through the refueling block airspace.
F. Other traffic may be cleared through if proper IFR separation is maintained and the tanker and receiver have proceeded down track.
27. When is MARSA considered terminated?
The tanker and receiver are vertically positioned within the air refueling airspace and Standard ATC separation is established and ATC advises MARSA is terminated 28. What is an underrun?
When the tanker turns prior to actual turn range, or receiver does not fly correct closure airspeed resulting in tanker rolling out on air refueling track more than 3nm ahead of the receiver.
29. When is an overrun?
When the receiver passes the tanker prior to or during the tanker rendezvous turn
30. What is the definition of offset?
The lateral distance the tanker is displaced from the ARIP to ARCP track to compensate for turn radius and drift.
31. When is the definition of ARCT?
The planned time that the receiver and tanker will arrive over the Air Refueling Control Point (ARCP)