Abstract: System for providing an enhanced night vision of an scenario (13) from at least a first and a second observation places (11, 15), such as in the case of the scenario of an in-flight refuelling operation where the first observation place (11) is the tanker aircraft and the second observation place (15) is the receptor aircraft comprising: Laser based infrared illumination means (21) of the scenario (13); Vision means (23) located in said first observation place (11) comprising at least one camera suitable to be used with said Laser based infrared illumination means (21); NVIS means (31) including a filter (33) eliminating the laser infrared light emitted by said illumination means (21) allowing human observers an enhanced vision of said scenario (13) from said second observation place (15).

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for providing enhanced vision of the refuelling scenario in aerial refuelling operations between a tanker aircraft (10) having refuelling means and a receiver aircraft, the system comprising: vision means (1) located in the tanker aircraft (10) that comprise at least two cameras (4) which are spatially separated a distance (90) from each other, directed to the observation of the refuelling area (92) where connection between the tanker aircraft (10) and the receiver aircraft occurs, this refuelling area (92) being located at a distance (91) from the cited cameras (4), and monitoring means (30) that are able to receive and display the images coming from the vision means (1), providing the air-refuelling operator with different images, these images representing different perspectives of the refuelling area (92) observed by said vision means (1), the distance (90) being calculated as a function of the distance (91) and the component (d) of the size of the refuelling area (92) in

Abstract: System for providing an enhanced vision of an scenario from an observation place (10), particularly the refueling area of a receiving aircraft from a tanker aircraft during a refueling operation, comprising two high resolution cameras (4) for providing video signals of said scenario (92) for stereo monitoring and a three-dimensional monitoring system (31) for displaying three-dimensional images (17), image processing means (13) for performing a digital zoom of a selected zone (23) in the captured digital images (17) of the scenario (92) and means for displaying the zoomed images (25?, 25?) on said three-dimensional monitoring system (31) over or instead of the original digital images (17). The invention also refers to a method for providing an enhanced vision during a refueling operation including the viewing of three-dimensional zoomed images (25?, 25?) of a selected zone (23) of the refueling area (9).

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for illuminating an in-flight refueling operation involving a tanker aircraft (14) and a receiver aircraft (13), comprising: a generating device (2) for generating a light emission, substantially in a near infrared spectrum; a directing device (12) for directing the emission to define an emission envelope (15) containing a spatial range of in-flight refueling positions of the receiver aircraft (13) relative to the tanker aircraft (14); further comprising a collecting device (3) for collecting the light emission generated by the generating device (2) and means (5) for transmitting the light emission collected by the collecting device (3) to the directing device (12).

Abstract: A backup device for raising a refueling boom interconnecting a tanker aircraft with a receiver aircraft in flight, the boom being joined to the tanker aircraft by a mechanical articulation and a hoist cable. The backup device includes a secondary cable fixed at one side in the boom, and fixed at the other side in a cable actuator placed inside the tanker aircraft, the secondary cable being extended along the underside of the tanker aircraft and along the boom, and attached to them in at least three intermediate points with clips or staples that can be released by a force exerted through the secondary cable. The cable actuator has rolling devices to roll the secondary cable for raising the boom to the stowed position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for illuminating an in-flight refueling operation involving a tanker aircraft (14) and a receiver aircraft (13), comprising: a generating device (2) for generating a light emission, substantially in a near infrared spectrum; a directing device (12) for directing the emission to define an emission envelope (15) containing a spatial range of in-flight refueling positions of the receiver aircraft (13) relative to the tanker aircraft (14); further comprising a collecting device (3) for collecting the light emission generated by the generating device (2) and means (5) for transmitting the light emission collected by the collecting device (3) to the directing device (12).

Abstract: System (1) for providing indication of the position of a refuelling boom (2) in a tanker aircraft relative to a receptacle (17) in a receiver aircraft during refuelling operations, in particular in the approximation operation, the system (1) comprising a plurality of light emitting devices (23-33) mountable on the boom (2), each emitting device (23-33) providing a respective visible light beam, said light beams providing spots of incidence (3-13) when contacting the receptacle (17) in the receptor aircraft, in such a manner that the position of the spots of incidence (3-13) on the receptacle (17) varies depending on the position of the refuelling boom (2) relative to the receiver aircraft in the approximation operation. The invention also relates to a method for the approximation operation of a refuelling boom (2) in a tanker aircraft to a receptacle (17) in a receiver aircraft operating such a system (1).

Abstract: System for hoisting and releasing an aircraft refuelling boom (6) at in flight refuelling operations between a tanker aircraft and a receptor aircraft comprising a linking device (5) connectable to the boom (6), and a lifting and lowering device (14) for operating the linking device (5) and therefore the boom (6) such that, when refuelling operations have to take place, the boom (6) is lowered down by the lifting and lowering device (14), said linking device (5) comprising connecting means (7) able to disconnect the boom (6) from the linking device (5), thereby allowing a free-flying boom refuelling operation, said connecting means (7) being also able to connect said boom (6) to the linking device (5), thereby facilitating the lifting of the boom (6).

Abstract: The invention relates to a backup device for raising a refueling boom (11) interconnecting a tanker aircraft (13) with a receiver aircraft in flight, said boom (11) being joined to said tanker aircraft (13) by means of a mechanical articulation (45) and a hoist cable (23), comprising a secondary cable (31) fixed at one side in the boom (11), fixed at the other side in a cable actuator (41) placed inside the tanker aircraft (13), said secondary cable (31) being extended along the underside (25) of the tanker aircraft (13) and along the boom (11), and attached to them in at least three intermediate points with means (34, 35, 36, 37) that can be released by a force exerted through the secondary cable (31), said cable actuator (41) having rolling means (43, 45, 47, 49) to roll the secondary cable (31) for raising the boom (11) to the stowed position.