How does a KC-135 refuel?
The KC-135 is equipped with a flying boom for fuel transfer; a special drogue can be attached to the boom on the ground so it can refuel probe-equipped aircraft. During air refueling, the large flyable boom attached to the airplane’s belly can offload fuel at 6,500 pounds per minute.
How many planes can a KC-135 refuel?
two receiver aircraft
These KC-135s are capable of refueling two receiver aircraft at the same time.
How long does it take to refuel a KC-135?
“It takes four hours for maintenance to perform their preflight inspections, ready the jet for refuel, then two hours for aircrew to run their checks and get ready for the next mission,” he says, noting that some inspections and maintenance procedures could be bypassed.
Can a KC-135 refuel a helicopter?
It provides aerial refueling support to all Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps aircraft. The KC-135 weighs 322,500 pounds. The heavy refueler flies at a speed of 530 mph.
What does KC stand for in KC-135?
) tanker (
The last KC-135 was delivered to the Air Force in 1965. The aircraft’s KC identifier stands for (K) tanker (C) transport. The aircraft is powered by four turbofan engines mounted on 35-degree swept wings, has a flight speed of more than 500 mph and a flight range of nearly 1,500 miles when loaded with 150,000 lbs.
Can helicopters be refueled in the air?
Helicopter in-flight refueling (HIFR) is a variation of aerial refueling when a naval helicopter approaches a warship (not necessarily suited for landing operations) and receives fuel through the cabin while hovering.
Can planes be refueled in the air?
Modern aircraft use one of two systems for aerial refueling: aerial boom or probe-and- drogue. In the aerial boom system, used primarily by the Air Force, the receiving plane flies in close formation to the tanker. A boom operator in the tanker then flies a rigid boom into a receptacle on the top of the aircraft.