Is there a technique for filling the drop tanks?

I am able to fill the default F-14 external drop tanks with the  payload manager but if I switch to another aircraft then it refuses to fill them.  I can take off and air to air refuel them but not from the manager.

 

What do you mean by "switch to another aircraft"? You mean you fill drops with say F-14A, then change aircraft to F-14B and cant fill the droptanks anymore?

To quote some advice I received from John during the beta period

Quote

 

- It's generally a bad idea to switch blocks mid flight. If you do, then try to reload user aircraft. There are hundreds, if not thousands of custom variables in the F-14, and it's going to screw things up if you jump from a loaded gauge set to an unloaded gauge set (which is what happens when you swap blocks mid sim).

 

Actually it does not allow me to fuel the external tanks if i change from the default aircraft, usually the VF-114 Aardvark  to any other F-14 including another block 90 A model.

For example if I load the Aden flight that comes with the Aerosoft F-14    I am on deck with a VF-114 F-14.  I can add external drop tanks and they fill when I click "Fill drops"

If I change to any other F-14 (including another A block 90) then I can load the drop tank but nothing happens when I click the option to fill them. 

I change aircraft as soon as the flight loads and before start up.    The the simulation knows the drop tanks are there since I can hit the airborne tanker and fill them.

I just tried it on the tarmac at Oceana, I can replicate the problem only when the jet starts in cold and dark. As a workaround if you load in the started up flight and switch to another jet it should load fuel correctly then you can set the jet to cold and dark after you have your tanks fueled up.

 

Cheers

-Josh

Thanks for checking on that for me Josh.  For free flight I did figure out a workaround already, if you select the new aircraft before starting the flight it will let you refuel.

The technique you mention should fix the saved flight as well.    I appreciate you guys giving me feedback.

I have had some time to try another saved flight and unfortunately despite using "ready to taxi"    I still can't fill the external tanks if I select another F-14.

This is referring to the saved start up locations on the carrier that comes with the AS F-14   Aden, Bremerton , Hawaii and so forth.