Fairchild AFB 20 Airplane MITO Launch - Cockpit View from #20

Video of the 20x KC-135 Minimum Interval Take-Off (MITO) launch from Fairchild Air Force Base on 29 September 2021, as taken from the cockpit of the last airplane in the formation.

[@iii9266]

Used to sit at the W. end of the e/w runway when Fairchild used to be a SAC base for the B-52's and watch them do touch & go's. What a heart pounder. Was also the when the tanker crashed and seen the B-52 go down when it was practicing for the Open House.

[@daveh4893]

Cool video! I lived at Fairchild AFB in the 1960s and my dad was a KC-135 pilot, when the aircraft was brand new to the Air Force. Sixty years later, still going strong. New engines and avionics help.

[@geraldmorain3166]

Remember a b52 is 380 million rivets flying in close formation.

[@charliehanna684]

Without the smoke from water in J-57's it isn't nearly as exciting! :)

[@robertheinkel6225]

Or the noise!

[@liljohn118th]

Totally agree!

[@geraldmorain3166]

1195 gallons

[@brucekent1841]

Love the old water burners.

[@charlesreidy9375]

Or the pucker factor if you loose water on one side before they split the pumps to either outboard or inboards losing water. CREW chief 70-75

[@MrGoodnplenty1957]

I was a KC-135A/R boom operator from 1979-1986. Back then MITO's were 12 seconds between tankers. Yeah it didn't look too good visually when you had water injection departures using J57 engines.

[@timdehoogh8441]

that must of been a sight to see sound of the Scream of the jet engines

[@robertheinkel6225]

When I was stationed at Grissom AFB IN, we had 13 tankers on alert, and planned on 10 second intervals on takeoff.

[@geraldmorain3166]

Buff cheifs salute you

[@airboss212]

really cool and good video, one can feel the spirit of aviation in this video !!!! thanks a lot for sharing this video here ! awesome !

[@Jrdnzy_edits]

I saw you guys, keep doing what you do.

[@davidkavanagh189]

Interesting to see all the rudder deflection during taxi. Do the KC135s lack a steering tiller or how does it work?

[@allys537]

would love some ATC or just cockpit noise in the background but that's a really good tight takeoff.

[@TJ-USMC]

NICE !!!

[@weofnjieofing]

Need J57’s on those kc135’s a proper turbojet with water injection just adds more theatrics to a MITO

[@brucekent1841]

And a runway covered in black smoke.

[@phatkid6811]

SOO many questions! (2500 135/1500 T-1; current STRAT/J5) Are 15 second MITOs back or what the hell? Was this part of GT or a Wing Commander demo thing??

[@liljohn118th]

1st question - yes, they've been back for a few years now. 2018ish IIRC. 2nd question - theaviationgeekclub.com/fairchild-sets-record-with-20-kc-135-stratotanker-minimum-interval-take-off-mito-departure/

[@billevans7936]

Thats Cool...!!

[@user-mb3bi8mb4s]

Amazing. Which was the call sign of the flight?

[@Mikael.formermilitary]

Minimum Interval Take Offs were changed from 10 seconds to 30 seconds staying 150 feet behind the jet in front of you. It was fun. 10 seconds would be scary. After T/I you fan up wind 💨.

[@brianstone8843]

I wonder how much stress is put on the airframe flying so close together on take off?

[@liljohn118th]

It's really not so bad. If you notice around the 2:20 mark in the video we bank off to the left, this is intentional as it moves us out of the wake turbulence of the preceding aircraft. We do hit some wake of the preceding aircraft and while it can be fairly sporty, it's nothing unmanageable. I've hit clear air turbulence more rough.

[@airboss212]

how is the stress when lining up behind a throttled up B52 at T/O and taking off so close? making sure u rotate soon enough ahead of it ? when all airborne what is next, i meet at a point and make a formation ? radar controller busy i assume or o u fly a prebriefed route with not too much radio talk?

[@joebagadonuts5573]

MITOs are only used for EWO aircraft. The object is to get the aircraft airborne before the incoming ICBM's hit. 12 second interval due to the SLBM threat. Now for the "reality check". SAC EWO bomber and tanker alert ended in 1992, 30 years ago. No need for MITO takeoffs anymore. The more common formation is cell departures at 1 minute intervals

[@robertheinkel6225]

You would never mix aircraft types for MITO. After liftoff, each aircraft turns left or right to avoid the turbulence. The aircraft do not form up after takeoff, but each aircraft is assigned to meet up with a bomber out there somewhere.

[@naturegirlfromny]

There is a jet shaped cloud to the left of center after take off!

[@vertisjohnson219]

Just wish they were "A" models so it would be lots of noise and smoke. Miss that, 917th ARS forever

[@f15sim]

Ah, I knew it! They travel in packs for protection!

[@liljohn118th]

We ride in single file to hide our numbers. 😉

[@sacpilot]

It'd be a great video if it wasn't for the horrible music. Fix that and you get an A+.

[@cotts135]

Was a boom operator in the 70's never saw more than 5 for a mito takeoff. I see 10 here, not saying 20 is not possible but just saying what I see.

[@liljohn118th]

www.kxly.com/fairchild-air-force-base-successfully-launches-20-jet-take-off/

[@MrGoodnplenty1957]

i was a boom in the 135's from 1979-1984 (McConnell) & 1984-1986 (Castle). from one to another, "Boom Stowed, Leaving Position."

[@charlesreidy9375]

Only remember more than 5 once. Coming out of Westover with an entire fighter wing coming to Spain in 72.. However launched my B58 in a pack of 20 at sunset at Little Rock. Totally awesome. J79s in afterburner

[@joebagadonuts5573]

Amazing how life like modern video "photo shop" is.

[@robertheinkel6225]

Are you saying this fake? We used to do this for major exercises.

[@tomking1890]

Stupid music instead of the engine sound

[@vertisjohnson219]

Just wish they were "A" models so it would be lots of noise and smoke. Miss that, 917th ARS forever

[@phatkid6811]

917th MX alumni - new Marcus who made the last tail flash.