Saturday, April 28, 2018
F-22 Raptor and KC-10 boom operator talk while fueling
The tanker's boom and the receiving aircraft's receptacle have intercom connections that activate once the aircraft are in contact. This way the boom operator and the pilot can converse clearly and securely without using the radios which can be negatively impacted by environmental and operational factors, and just poor operational security. The repartee between 'boom' and pilot makes the whole aerial dance look incredibly easy, which it absolutely is not.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The SR 71 required multiple refuelings on its missions, including one immediately after takeoff. Until the tanks heated up in flight, they leaked fuel, and were only partly filled on the ground. The fuel was especially dangerous.
ReplyDeleteBut the SR 71 was a pig at low speed (all delta wings are), and refueling is what flushed out most pilot trainees.
F-22 Raptor, not an Eagle.
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks for the correction.
Delete