A method of estimating an elevation angle of an aerial refueling boom on an aerial refueling aircraft, wherein a hoist cable is coupled between a hoist on the aerial refueling aircraft and the aerial refueling boom , the method comprising the steps of: collecting measured data signals from a hoist-cable length sensor , a plurality of aerial refueling boom position sensors , and a dynamic pressure sensor ; generating a first database of measured data corresponding to the collected measured data signals; optimizing the measured data of the first database to create a second database of optimized data corresponding to the measured data , wherein the measured data includes measured aerial refueling boom elevation data and wherein the optimized data includes optimized aerial refueling boom elevation estimation data ; comparing the optimized data to the measured data to determine a difference between the optimized aerial refueling boom elevation estimation data and the measured aerial refueling boom elevation data to determine an elevation data error; determining if the elevation data error is greater than a predetermined threshold value; updating the optimized data if the elevation data error is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and utilizing the optimized data to determine the elevation angle of the aerial refueling boom ; wherein optimizing the measured data is performed by defining and minimizing the following error function relationship: e θ B = f q ̃ ψ B θ B l hoist − T cable min e θ B subject to θ B ∈ R wherein θ B is the aerial refueling boom elevation angle, q̃ is the dynamic pressure exerted on the aerial refueling boom, Ψ B is the aerial refueling boom azimuth angle, l hoist is the hoist-cable length and T cable is the hoist-cable tension, which is maintained constant. collecting measured data signals from a hoist-cable length sensor , a plurality of aerial refueling boom position sensors , and a dynamic pressure sensor ; generating a first database of measured data corresponding to the collected measured data signals; optimizing the measured data of the first database to create a second database of optimized data corresponding to the measured data , wherein the measured data includes measured aerial refueling boom elevation data and wherein the optimized data includes optimized aerial refueling boom elevation estimation data ; comparing the optimized data to the measured data to determine a difference between the optimized aerial refueling boom elevation estimation data and the measured aerial refueling boom elevation data to determine an elevation data error; determining if the elevation data error is greater than a predetermined threshold value; updating the optimized data if the elevation data error is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and utilizing the optimized data to determine the elevation angle of the aerial refueling boom ; wherein optimizing the measured data is performed by defining and minimizing the following error function relationship: e θ B = f q ̃ ψ B θ B l hoist − T cable min e θ B subject to θ B ∈ R wherein θ B is the aerial refueling boom elevation angle, q̃ is the dynamic pressure exerted on the aerial refueling boom, Ψ B is the aerial refueling boom azimuth angle, l hoist is the hoist-cable length and T cable is the hoist-cable tension, which is maintained constant. <EOS>