One time in the Air Force an SR-71 couldn't hook up with the tanker and ended up diverting into Carswell in Fort Worth Texas. It was all very hush, hush. "All movement on the field will stop" and so forth and so on. We FOD walked a hangar and when the SR landed he taxied right into the hangar.......diagonally because that's the only way it would fit. (How did he know it would fit diagonally? Maybe it was a pre-planned diversion field, well in advance) Anyway it was all very hush hush. Do not approach the hangar. Do not tell anyone. make no phone calls regarding the SR.....and so forth and so on. Well on the morning it was due to fly out, what must have been all the people in Fort Worth lined the freeway outside the base to watch it depart. Yeah, big secret. FUNNY.

I remember a comment made by Brian Shul, the SR-71 pilot who, at the beginning of his career as a fighter pilot went down in the Jungle in Vietnam and was badly burned. He said that he never had nightmares of his crash or injuries, but experienced nightmares about refuelling a Blackbird at night, in the weather, in a turn, long after he retired. Mucho respect to you my man.

@docwill184

Жыл бұрын

The SR-71 was 8-hr. missions fueling every forty-five minutes. 5-min of pucker here...seemed forever. And if you're 'Bingo' fuel, how many minutes do you have to find the tanker and make the connect...and it's a moonless night w/ severe turbulence, heavy¹ rain...

@EScott-zx2gs

Жыл бұрын

yeah, let's also remember that while it was and always will be the baddest and fastest aircraft to take flight when it came to handling the corners you could easily get better performance out of a 1970's Lincoln land yacht. The aircraft didn't handle turns well. in fact the typical turning radius at 1.0 Mach was about 100 NM. It might be easier connecting in a fly sailboat than an SR in heavy turb

@CenturionRTW

Жыл бұрын

@@docwill184 The Sr71 was absolutely not refusing ever 45 mins on an 8 hour flight… usually take off from Beale afb, refuel over the desert, then off to Cuba. Having enough refueling planes spaced apart to hit every 45 mins while traveling Mach 3 in between would give away any element of surprise the SR71 would have

@waynefletcher9884

Жыл бұрын

Shul is a braggart - I don’t know how his RIO Col Watson put up with his ass as long as he did!

@johnarnold893

Жыл бұрын

@@EScott-zx2gs They weren't going M1 when they were refueling.

I’m actually in C school right now for F18s and I’m coming to your squadron. I’m an AD and have been reading up on some qualifications I gotta have and plane captain is a big one! I’m excited to work with everyone in VAQ-139 and can’t wait to get out there!

I watched this on my phone and got tense and was twisting my phone around trying to 'help' guide the probe into the basket, haha. Long ago I used to be a civilian pilot and I have HUGE respect for the job you do. Thanks for all the sacrifices you do as one of the guardians of the United States, you're very much appreciated.

@t_sixtyfivex_wing8787

Жыл бұрын

Hahahaha me too, so excited 😆.

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Cheers!

@johny5400

Жыл бұрын

what sacrifice lol, USA is the aggressor, noone ever attacked then basically. These guys are literally mercenaries doing dirty jobs around the globe

@angrypatriot5392

Жыл бұрын

HA! I was doing the same thing 🤣🤣

@JohnSmith-ip2ul

Жыл бұрын

And who threatens the United States?

Awesome! Flying hard and staying humble. I'm a BOB still, but this is the first video I've seen of a real non perfect AA refueling procedure. You are making history my friend, cause all we see is perfect pre- contacts everywhere. Thank you.

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Welcome to the real world. Cheers!

I call this, " somewhere everyday!!!!" absolutely amazing what you and your fellow aviators are able to do. I grateful nation thanks you.

Unbelievable footage. Thanks for the unedited, no music video. We get to live it!

@Steve_Hayden

Жыл бұрын

Well said. Couldn't agree more.

What a privilege it is to be able to watch videos like this. Thank you very much indeed!

@dovevai2002

Жыл бұрын

No replies, just likes, striking .... Oh, yes, I see the rainbow

Outstanding video. Original sound with no music! Really shows how demanding aerial refueling is. Glad you got that Growler fed.

I could feel the frustration in this video. Thanks for posting it.

@MeppyMan

Жыл бұрын

I would imagine that in those types of operations you have to put the frustration out of your mind. Otherwise things can go pear shaped. But I’m sure some calming swear words were used lol.

@proceramic7422

Жыл бұрын

Should put a little hair around the nozzle. 🤣

@2511jeremy

Жыл бұрын

If the airbus would stop turning it would be easier

@MeppyMan

Жыл бұрын

@@2511jeremy I believe that’s how refuelling is almost always done. The tanker flies in an orbit so that it’s in a defined area for aircraft that need refuelling, and so they don’t have to travel far to get back. Exception might be long straight journeys?

@2511jeremy

Жыл бұрын

@@MeppyMan makes sense

I also watched this and found my own heart rate going up and getting tense, this guy is a pro and mastered the stresses while we get to watch! My dad was a fighter pilot and I used to hear them tell about doing this at night in bad weather over Vietnam. While I was in the Navy I also heard the same thing but refueling from a KA-6 at night under very difficult conditions.

Thanks for posting this. Great composure even during a stressing sit.

AS an old AV-8B avionics guy, our pilots always said that doing this is the most difficult feat in military aviation. I processed the HUD Camera video of worst days than you had. Some never hooked up at all and had to land.

@phrozen755

Жыл бұрын

And imagine the bad days with the boom instead of the basket…

Excellent video! You can truly feel the frustration, pucker, and relief just from watching. And to know that it’s over hostile land makes it feel all the more real!

Thanks for posting! Man that's gotta be frustrating when the basket just won't cooperate. No RAGE QUIT option in real life! Hope you feel our support for you, your fellow aviators and crews.

@slyderace

Жыл бұрын

lol...yeah, in DCS I rage quit by shooting down the tanker for being all over the place and not staying still. Can't do that IRL! lol

@Penfold101

Жыл бұрын

@@slyderace There's a black and yellow handle for the ultimate rage quit...

wow, what a great experience! I have felt like it was me. Every minute you tried to get connected were like ages. Very impressive, great pilot skills and as usual my two tumbs up! Please post more!

Thank you so much for sharing your Day in the Life footage with us all!! I'd say almost everyone wanted to be a Military Aviator at some point in their life especially when they were little kids. Heck, I did. For you to share your LIFE with The World is Truly a Gift!! You are more appreciated with every episode on here. All The Best!

@2511jeremy

Жыл бұрын

I don't canada has 200 year old fighters

Watching it annoys me as much as myself doing it in DCS... Thank you for sharing.

I can imagine there are weather condidtions where tanking is not possible and you then may get in big trouble when running out of fuel. Amazing flying. Thanks for sharing.

Well done Mr. Pail. I liked how you switched to the left feeder. I imagine that Mr. Pail was “growling” a bit today!

Every DCS player can feel you. Thanks for sharing!

@bestskateboreder

Жыл бұрын

I SWARE

@0BuLLeT01

Жыл бұрын

I was scrolling looking for this comment! Truth!

Seeing the basket dancing around when you were first pulling up, I knew you were going to have a time of it. Then looking at the clouds you were flying in between, all of that unstable air, it just sealed the deal for a bad time. Not to throw in trying to connect on a turn. But when you are Bingo Fuel, beggars can’t be choosers. You adapted and overcame Bravo Zulu.

Thanks for sharing how a small part of a ‘real a day in the office’ can be like.

Looks like my normal DCS fueling missions in perfectly calm air. Thanks for the great videos, they are awesome!

@brunofagulha

Жыл бұрын

Keep practicing. I went from zero to hero. Even now, although i´m proficient at AAR in DCS legacy Hornet, i keep practicing adding more variables like night AAR in bad weather etc. I think ED will raise the bar when they implement in DCS the new basket physics including the hose to whip due to excessive closure rate. Nevertheless, keep up and i promise you that you´ll see results. EDIT: forgot to mention, VR user and probably that´s why AAR is easier on my side.

@pempem8527

Жыл бұрын

@@brunofagulha VR too, HP reverb2, only way to play IMO. My formation flying also got much better when I went from the TM warthog stick to winwing super Libra. Thanks for the reply!

I'd grind my teeth to the gums tryin' to get latched up in turbulence. Well done sir. I miss Naval Aviation....... I was a Navy Air Traffic Controller. I was qualified on flight planning, ground control, clearance delivery, local control, PAR approach, and was working on my arrival control when I got out. My favorite was the PAR position. Give me a no-DG aircraft in low vis and a good stiff crosswind and man I was right at home. I could put you right on that center line. I miss it. But...... not. lol

Oh man, this was nerve wracking and making me tense just watching you try to hook up. I can imagine what your gut was going through. Fly Navy! 👍👍

Outstanding video! I was a fixed wing pilot in the eighties (civilian) and I am just totally impressed with the concentration/coordination it must take in order to get into the fuel drogue and stay there. Has to be exhausting!

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

You guys are total badasses! Thank you and all those who have served and are serving our country! I live next to Ft Bragg and get to see a little bit here and there. Very cool what you all do. God bless you all🤙🤙🇺🇸🇺🇸

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching.

Definitely a rough one! Hard to fight the urge to chase the basket.. Well done!!

@curtekstrom9531

Жыл бұрын

Some days it goes good, others it's like trying to put a key the trunk of the car in front of you going down the road.

I think it's funny that a desktop simulator like dcs, can't replicate that turbulence and the dancing basket for air fueling. I really like being able to see how you manage the flight stick and the constant trim corrections. This is hard work.

@highlanderc

Жыл бұрын

DCS does simulate this thing very well.

I was on a Maritime Squadron and we thankfully had no AAR capability (though it was an option on the aircraft pre-build) because our missions were 6-8 hrs long anyhow 🥵 (we did. Have a 10-12hr endurance if need be and I done a 12hr mission ….once. Landed on fumes as they say) Hats off mate to you and those who do rely on the practice, especially in times like this 🤙🏻.

I nearly fell out of my kitchen chair trying to compensate ...... i can't imagine how difficult it must be in real life! Good skills sir!

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

This was an awesome video of flight refueling. It’s like a ballet in the sky!

Old Growler must have been thirsty it took some filling up well done you got there in the end 🙏

Probably the most dangerous thing off the ship was rendezvousing on the tanker at night in the clouds. I just lowered my seat. At least the tanker was try to avoid going into the clouds. Great job!

Looks like every time I try in DCS. Great content as always.

@phil73805

Жыл бұрын

Yes! Hell yes! :D

Thank you for all the time and hard work you put into your job.

I salute you Sir! Vet to Vet, thank you for what your do. 👍

Thanks for the video. The sound is amazing. I mean the video cameras these days record it much better. You feel you are in the cockpit and that is for those of us who have experienced this. Not that I have been in military aircraft.

I kinda feel the challenge here, still, great job! Joy to my eyes as always, thanks.

That is closer to the wing tip vortex than I would care to be. Nice work even if frustrating.

Fantastic Job taking your time with it! rough day for everyone up in that choppy mess 🌥

Very awesome videos. My father was a naval aviator in the 50's, so I've always been interested in videos like yours. Please do more voice over vids if possible. Great job.

I've heard stories from pilots that are refueling, and they are so drained during that time that they're drenched in sweat! My closest complete pucker factor was in a complete whiteout snow storm trying to drive to and from work. No roads, no cars, no markers of any sort, having to strain to make out anything that looks like a path while not running off the road or into something or someone.

@t_sixtyfivex_wing8787

Жыл бұрын

So excited. You are so lucky.

Good video that gives a good appreciation for what it takes to refuel. When the basket is bouncing around like that, it can sometimes be a challenge. I was once a pax on a C-5A that refueled at night from a KC-10. Full load of cargo and troops on the C-5 Boom crew on the KC-10 was transitioning from KC-135. Pilot of the C-5 had never refueled at night except in the sim. Several aborted hook ups. Many barf bags full. FWIW, the C-5 might be the most difficult plane to refuel due to it's large mass making it hard to match the tanker speed, and the turbulence generated ahead of the C-5 making the boom hard to steer into the receptacle.

@irunwire8528

Жыл бұрын

I would actually say most likely the C130 or A10. As a 135 crew chief in my early air force days i spent many of hours in the boom pod watching refuelings. The 130 and A10 are pretty close to max speed at level flight for refueling. All of it is very impressive to say the least.

Not knowing anything about aviation at all, but i was about ready to hit that ejection switch if that tether hadn't connected. Patience is.key - great job!

Hey man I think I supported the Whidbey Growlers and yall off the carrier many times in the last 6 months. Cheers it was a fun deployment for us. Nobody Kicks Ass Without Tanker Gas 🤘

Thanks for the description. I can't imagine how stressful that must have been. The troops on the ground needing assistance must have been driving you crazy up there

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Cheers!

I love it. I’m sitting watching moving around, jumping, rolling my head helping 🤣🤣🤣🤣. From my couch.

Amazingly dangerous and delicate, hats off.

Man that looks challenging, must be a good feeling when you finally get to stick it in! lol

Awesome video - very challenging conditions. Very good of you to share this. Nice work!

Very cool and very dangerous! Happy that Canada is contributing to the fight!

Oh, man! DCS flashbacks coming through😬. I can see the frustration in your body movements. I hope your gun was empty 😄. Absolutely commendable no matter what though.

Great video! I guess a healthy dose of patience is in order.

Was a crew chief on a KC10 and watched a lot of air refueling. None were as smooth and precise as the Thunderbirds. They even did it with a wingman in tight formation while we took photos. Awesome to say the least.

That's gotta be nerve wracking chasing that little basket around with an enormous tanker looming above you.

My uncle flew the F4 phantom in Vietnam, he was my idol, I enjoy all your videos, you guys keeping us safe don't get enough credit, as and old Boston guy now I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for ensuring my freedoms that so many sacrificed for, God bless you all.🇺🇸

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Cheers!

@rustythecrown9317

Жыл бұрын

@@GrowlerJams Was just wondering , if I take out my camera and start taking pics on board a CVN , won't I be arrested/... yet these videos show a LOT of stuff from the ship... maybe I'm wrong to think I'll get busted.

Thank you for your awesome video

Thanx for showing us civilians how great & wonderful our military is. When I was 18 the AF told me I was too skinny. Navy told me submarines required special school so 6 years it was gonna be. I should’ve signed Navy. Biggest mistake I ever made. So thank you for sharing!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

This will always amaze me.

You make it look so easy,, very cool

Back in the day I was a B/N on an A-6E and I remember having to do refuelings. My most memorable was going from Cherry Point to Iwakuni and having to do multiple hops over 3 days to get there with various aerial and land based refuelings.

Wow...just amazing pilot skills....

MERCIIi pour ce ciel bleu topaze matinal...j adore après le bain il fallait dans le creux de mon oreille cette douce et enivrante musique en même temps!.... MERCIIi Monsieur l excellent AVIATEUR Respect, Admiration.

Great videos. Love the channel.

Great KZread, I can't imagine the concentration needed to get this done, on a calm day, let alone a turbulent day.

What a trying experience for Operator and Pilot, while watching the Fuel Gage.

Always hated taking fuel from KC-135s in the Tornado....nice Vid

Hard day at office, thanks for sharing

Got er’ done!! Good job pilot!!

Hats off to you sir that is impressive to watch.

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Cheers. Thanks for watching.

Wow that was stressful lol. Love the video would love to hear you do voice over and explain what’s happening 👍🏼

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Yeah. I’ll voiceover this one soon.

That’s me in DCS… after few beers LoL… on a serious note, nicely done..

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Cheers!

Have a wonderful holiday Now I understand this job is not always very easy

Nice plug and chug!!

Good job sir. First of all you got fuel and didn't have to walk home. Also impressive is how many comments you reply to. Thanks

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Cheers! Thanks for watching.

Many years ago I watched from the ground ( 11225 ft elevation on Mt Hoods Summit) Air Force jets refueling over the Oregon Cascade mountains. It's an awesome sight

Awesome channel man.

Your a skilled pilot to b able to maintain flying so close to your buddy.

Darn good flying Navy....Semper Fi.

thanks for great video.... .it takes my breath away (as DCS player ;-)

This view really amazing 👍

great video sir, salute for staying humble its, a pilot 👍

Yeah...Original Unedited .....Excellent, Thanks.

Quite the dance Growler Jams!

Love your videos !

Great video! Use to fly the F/A-18C in DCS a lot and really enjoy doing the air refueling in the game. It would be intresting to hear from a real F18 pilot if the air refueling in game is close to the reality or not.

thank U for C4 seeds 😘🙏🏻🇱🇰

Beautiful view from your office window though...

Aviation Art is living the dream with market value!

Canadian Tanker, cool! That looked nerve racking.

so satisfying when the probe finally locks up with the basket

Awesome job.

Love Growler Jams! DCS o'clock methinks! I'm a Right DDI Fuel page kinda guy!

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Right DDI? Get out of here, rookie!

It's amazing that it's possible to so finely control the airspeed of the plane to match the tanker.

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

That’s the easy part. Just like driving co-speed next to another car on the freeway.

Such a awesome view

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

Cheers!

I was muttering ffs as you missed the basket then chuckling, let's try again.

@GrowlerJams

Жыл бұрын

I was doing the same thing, minus the chuckles.

I used to practice this in a video game and it was incredibly difficult to connect. Very frustrating, also. You get so close and something bobbs. Can only imagine how difficult IRL. I've done plenty of real civilian flying, even formation flying.

getting gas is getting gas. nice job!