Patent ID: 7690599

Claim:
A method for illuminating an in-flight refueling operation between a first aircraft and a second aircraft comprising: providing a generating device both within an interior of the first aircraft and within a refueling operator station such that the generating device is accessible by an operator of the first aircraft while the first aircraft is in flight; generating an emission with the generating device that is predominantly in a near infra-red spectrum and such that the emission is eye-safe to an operator of the second aircraft; directing the emission with a directing device operably engaged with and disposed proximate to an outer surface of the first aircraft, wherein directing the emission comprises directing the emission to an in-flight refueling position relative to the first aircraft, wherein directing the emission comprises directing the emission to define an emission envelope containing the in-flight refueling position relative to the first aircraft so as to illuminate the second aircraft as the second aircraft enters the in-flight refueling position; and transmitting the emission from the generating device to the directing device located remote from the generating device.