Patent ID: 8911236

Claim:
An in-flight training method for the simulation of an air to air refueling operation performed by using in flight a real refueling system, wherein the method comprises: a) providing to a display images generated using a controlled depth order arrangement of images of a virtual receiver and images of said real refueling system; b) generating a simulated response of a control device for the real refueling system based on real-time data of the position and behavior of said real refueling system during the simulation and based on real-time data of the position and behavior of said virtual receiver; c) capturing in real time images of said real refueling system with an image detector and generating data representing the real time position and behavior of said real refueling system, d) said images of the real refueling system and the generated data of the position and behavior of said real refueling system being used to generate the images of said real refueling system provided to the display; e) generating receiver data representing a position and behavior of said virtual receiver; f) generating in real-time an evaluation on the possibility of contact, collision or aerodynamic interference between the virtual receiver and said real refueling system using the real-time data of the position and behavior of said real refueling system and the receiver data of the position and behavior of the virtual receiver; g) simulating a response of a control system for the real refueling system based on the evaluation of the possibility of contact, collision or aerodynamic interference; and h) using said simulated response of the control system, said images and data of the position and behavior of the real refueling system and said receiver data of the position and behavior of said virtual receiver to synthesize the images of said virtual receiver and said real refueling system provided to the display.