Patent ID: 7093801

Claim:
A positioning system adapted to facilitate in-flight spatial positioning of a first aircraft with respect to a second aircraft, the positioning system comprising: a transmitter carried by the first aircraft and configured to wirelessly provide a radio signal receivable by the second aircraft, the transmitter being further configured such that the radio signal is adapted to define a signal envelope that contains an in-flight refueling position, so as to guide the second aircraft to the in-flight refueling position relative to the first aircraft, the transmitter comprising: a first guiding device configured to provide a first radio signal component in a first frequency range defining a vertical plane coincident with a predefined portion of the first aircraft, the first guiding device being further configured to provide a signal defining a lateral position of the second aircraft relative to the vertical plane; and a second guiding device configured to provide a second radio signal component in a second frequency range defining a glide slope extending below and aft of the first aircraft, the second guiding device being further configured to provide a signal defining a vertical position of the second aircraft relative to the glide slope.