A system for aiding maneuvering of a refueling boom of a refueling aircraft, the system comprising: a camera on the refueling aircraft configured to obtain an image of a receiver aircraft having a receptacle for refueling the receiver aircraft; and a processor on the refueling aircraft, coupled to the camera and configured to at least: determine, from points on the image of the receiver aircraft, an orientation and position of the receiver aircraft relative to the camera using a pose estimation algorithm and a known relationship between the points on the image of the receiver aircraft and corresponding points on a 3D model of the receiver aircraft; determine, based on the orientation and position of the receiver aircraft, a separation distance and respective positions of the refueling boom of the refueling aircraft and the receptacle of the receiver aircraft; and generate a display (200, 300) on a display device in the refueling aircraft, using the separation distance and respective positions of the refueling boom and the receptacle, the display being of a side perspective view of a 3D model of the refueling boom and the 3D model of the receiver aircraft having the receptacle, illustrating a current position of the refueling boom relative to a current position of the receptacle, from a viewpoint of a virtual camera positioned alongside the refueling boom, wherein the display of the side perspective view illustrating the current position of the refueling boom relative to the current position of the receptacle enables an operator on the refueling aircraft to observe and guide the refueling boom to the receptacle; wherein the processor being configured to generate the display (200, 300) includes being configured to retrieve and orient positions of the 3D model of the refueling boom and the 3D model of the receiver aircraft based on the separation distance and the respective positions of the refueling boom and the receptacle. a camera on the refueling aircraft configured to obtain an image of a receiver aircraft having a receptacle for refueling the receiver aircraft; and a processor on the refueling aircraft, coupled to the camera and configured to at least: determine, from points on the image of the receiver aircraft, an orientation and position of the receiver aircraft relative to the camera using a pose estimation algorithm and a known relationship between the points on the image of the receiver aircraft and corresponding points on a 3D model of the receiver aircraft; determine, based on the orientation and position of the receiver aircraft, a separation distance and respective positions of the refueling boom of the refueling aircraft and the receptacle of the receiver aircraft; and generate a display (200, 300) on a display device in the refueling aircraft, using the separation distance and respective positions of the refueling boom and the receptacle, the display being of a side perspective view of a 3D model of the refueling boom and the 3D model of the receiver aircraft having the receptacle, illustrating a current position of the refueling boom relative to a current position of the receptacle, from a viewpoint of a virtual camera positioned alongside the refueling boom, wherein the display of the side perspective view illustrating the current position of the refueling boom relative to the current position of the receptacle enables an operator on the refueling aircraft to observe and guide the refueling boom to the receptacle; wherein the processor being configured to generate the display (200, 300) includes being configured to retrieve and orient positions of the 3D model of the refueling boom and the 3D model of the receiver aircraft based on the separation distance and the respective positions of the refueling boom and the receptacle. determine, from points on the image of the receiver aircraft, an orientation and position of the receiver aircraft relative to the camera using a pose estimation algorithm and a known relationship between the points on the image of the receiver aircraft and corresponding points on a 3D model of the receiver aircraft; determine, based on the orientation and position of the receiver aircraft, a separation distance and respective positions of the refueling boom of the refueling aircraft and the receptacle of the receiver aircraft; and generate a display (200, 300) on a display device in the refueling aircraft, using the separation distance and respective positions of the refueling boom and the receptacle, the display being of a side perspective view of a 3D model of the refueling boom and the 3D model of the receiver aircraft having the receptacle, illustrating a current position of the refueling boom relative to a current position of the receptacle, from a viewpoint of a virtual camera positioned alongside the refueling boom, wherein the display of the side perspective view illustrating the current position of the refueling boom relative to the current position of the receptacle enables an operator on the refueling aircraft to observe and guide the refueling boom to the receptacle; wherein the processor being configured to generate the display (200, 300) includes being configured to retrieve and orient positions of the 3D model of the refueling boom and the 3D model of the receiver aircraft based on the separation distance and the respective positions of the refueling boom and the receptacle.