Thunderbird Pilot Reacts to the Worst Aerial Refueling Close Calls

Fighter pilot reacts to the biggest aerial refueling mistakes of all time. Aerial refueling is when one larger jet passes gas to smaller jets or sometimes aircraft the same size. Aviation history has changed forever due to aerial refueling. Support this Chanel by becoming a Patron on Patreon: / maxafterburner
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[@Bsquared1972]

What about the KC-10, my man? I know we get retired next year, but 44 years of faithful service deserves something. As a retired Evaluator Boom with over 5K hours in the jet, I'd say we've done a sight more F-15E plugs than the KC46. You are even using KC-10 centerline drogue refueling footage. Ah, how soon they forget.

[@21flywitme]

I concur, we’re not done yet! Supported more dudes in AOR than that techie Franken-tanker!

[@1949crewchief]

I believe Boeing is behind the retirement push. No other aircraft in our inventory could and still cannot do what the 10 did and does. Not to throw shade at the 135 but we could carry more fuel than the 135 MTOW!

[@21flywitme]

We deployed a full fighter squadron a few yrs back…15 fighters, 50k in cargo, 100 personnel, 5,000 miles in 36 hrs with only 3 KC10s. Only jet I know that can do that.

[@1949crewchief]

@@21flywitme Amen.Thats exactly what im talkin about. We had some pretty high tempo operations in the gulf war days. With the USSR falling, Gothic Serpent, Desert Shield/Storm, Sourhern Watch and on and on we were always gone. That jet was my home. We even made Thanksgiving dinner over the Pacific, turned off the overhead lighting and used emergency lighting for some homey feel. lol.

[@21flywitme]

We were high ops tempo during ISIS. So were the 135s, but when one broke…who did they give all their gas to before leaving the AOR?? We always stayed in the fight!

[@MrGoodnplenty1957]

I was a KC-135A/R Boom Operator from 1979-1986 & the KC-10 from 1986-1999. Thank you for giving us Tanker Toads complements and being upfront and honest about Inflight Air Refueling. We had a Warning in the KC-135 & KC-10 Dash-1 that stated, "Flying aircraft in close vertical proximity is not safe." In 1988 flying in the KC-10 from Osan AB Korea to Clark AB P.I, i had an F-4E hit the boom ice shield during refueling. The receiver was approaching the aft and lower limits. I gave him "Up 4 and Forward 4." He was close to top off and could barely hang on to the boom and hit burners. I couldn't disconnect and call a breakaway fast enough. The flight of 8 diverted and we diverted to Kadena AB Japan. I had a pax in the back filming. I took the video and sent it to HDQ SAC which showed i was not at fault.

[@MaxAfterburnerusa]

Awesome comment thank you and thanks for what you did. cheers!

[@kilianortmann9979]

The Navy doesn't really have a choice, flying boom needs quite a large amount of space at the tail of an aircraft and that boom operator, so the tanker needs to be a relatively large aircraft. The Navy needs to launch aircraft that can refuel others from their carriers, especially important because the planes often only have gas for three or four landing attempts and of course no alternate on the high seas. At the moment the USN is using their Super Hornets with four bags under the wings and a buddy refueling pod on the centerline.

[@section8usmc53]

Spot on. Also, they can refuel more than one aircraft at a time with the dedicated refueler.

[@HotForgeChaos]

The S3 Viking used to be pretty good for that role too

[@section8usmc53]

@@HotForgeChaos I miss that plane. So unique in looks and function. One of my favorite planes of all time. Sad thing is that unlike the F-14 Tomcat and other fighter planes, The S-3 Viking didn't get the big send off. It just quietly disappeared.

They also do buddy refueling between fighters. No way you can fit a boom into a fighter.

[@werewolf5674]

So the Navy is the man, and Airforce is the girl, right?

[@troypetty8141]

I was on the tanker that the AWAC almost took out. I was on the right side of the boom operator. When the AWAC dove it also sucked our tale down, and we pulled some negative G's in the tanker. I was floating beside the oxygen bottles above the boom pod. The camera was mounted on the window, so it doesn't look like we were moving much, but we were thrown all over the place. We didn't know how close it was until we saw the video. It all happened to fast. I asked the boomer how he knew to break the lock up and he said he saw the pilot fight the controls.

[@jcheck6]

Glad you are still with us Troy!

[@jamesellison9588]

The AWACS event was at Geilenkirchen Germany. Student AWACS pilot had trimmed for nose up (expecting weight from refuel)and his pubs fell off his knee. His reaction was to grab them. When he did, he relaxed forward pressure and the jet pitched up. Quick thinking IP pushed the jet back away and saved a horrible Class A.

[@MalvinSibanda]

I want to tell you a story about me the time l was yang boy.old woman story Robert Mugabe who don't have axe amasende . The time who tell people a story me l was yang 9 yes old. But me l did tell my friends a story for big woman.

[@rsusi01]

When he says “passing thousands of pounds of gas” 😂😂 I chuckled love the vids tho great work

[@fredjames73]

As a receiver pilot during air refueling with a KC-135 was taught to use visual cues off the tanker to maintain my pre contact and contact position. Used the Tanker position lights as a backup tool to stay in position.

[@maxcorder2211]

Flying B-52’s on 12 hr Vietnam bombing missions out of Guam required rendezvous north of the Philippines with tankers out of Okinawa. The B-52D model took about 45 minutes on the boom to get full tanks. Since we flew around the clock, refueling on many missions were at night and often in bad weather. Try wrestling a B-52 for almost an hour at night in heavy rain. And, if you didn’t get your gas, you couldn’t make it back. You’d have to hit your target and recover to Thailand. Happy day was when I got transferred permanently to Thailand, where the missions were 5 hours and no refueling. The AWACS was ok coming in, though he was high in the envelope. You can tell this because the refueling probe was retracted in the sleeve. When the boom operator saw the problem, he should have called for a breakaway, where the tanker accelerates and the receiver retards throttles and descends.

[@ABLYamimash3]

Thanks for sharing! Did you like Thailand?

[@maxcorder2211]

@@ABLYamimash3 Better than Vietnam. Not getting rocketed.

[@capital101]

I was a KC-135 boom operator refueling a flight of A-10's one night, while the pilot wives were with me in the tanker. With the A-10 receptacle being in front where the pilot can see it, one of the newer guys kept trying to fly onto the boom like a probe / drogue, instead of being still letting me do it. What should have been an easy night, and a nice show for the wives, turned out to be one of my worst A/R headaches!

[@wheelman8637]

I was expecting you to say that one of the wives yelled, "Just let me guide it in like when you're drunk."

[@Ender_Wiggin03]

My old A-10 had that happen once at night, left a really nice scratch on the center windscreen that was there until my unit retired ours 5 years later.

[@FUCK_________googIe]

what in the fuck... wives in the tanker?

[@capital101]

@@FUCK_________googIe 😂 Yep, the A-10 unit arranged to have their wives/girlfriends fly along and watch them refueling. It sounds crazy, but events like that are actually not uncommon. It's a morale thing that I'm sure will continue, unless and until there is some type of mishap.

[@PreachingGamer]

Hitting them limit switches is not good

[@scotttudor6647]

It wasn’t until the third time I watched it that I paid attention to the shadow the tanker’s tail was casting on the AWACS. Watch the aspect change from high oblique, to fully linear and recognizable as the tail, to shadow no longer being recognizable as the tail, to nose of AWACS completely in shadow. I got chills when I saw just exactly how close this was.

[@thomasnelson2463]

I was a Boom Operator from 1979 - 1983, KC-135A model. When the AWACS LEAPT up, I literally jumped back from my computer screen in an involuntary burst of profanity! I am not sure I would have been able to get myself together enough to make contact with that receiver again on that mission. On a Coronet East while we were dragging a flight of F-4's, one of them had his fuel system freeze up, and was only able to burn from his center body tank, I don't remember how much fuel he had in the other tanks, but he was on the boom for most of the way across the Atlantic. He went so far as to descend down to warm air and was able to thaw it out, but it froze up again at AR altitude. That was my only chance to get out of the pod and pee, & it was getting bad!

[@scottbtraveling1444]

While enroute to Eielson AFB. in 1981the same scenario occured with one of the four F4's being unable to cross feed fuel. I was on the KC-135 laying next to the boom operator and it was incredibly interesting to watch the refueling operation from that vantage point. Who knows, perhaps you were the boom operator?

[@jcheck6]

That happened to me going from Texas to Germany in an F-4. My right external tank would not feed. Thought I might have to blow the tanks prior to landing with one full and one empty but had enough aileron left to keep it upright.

[@MrGoodnplenty1957]

Fellow Boom. I was a KC-135 Boom from 1979-1984 at McConnell and 1984-1986 at Castle in the 924th Operation squadron, before finishing my career in the KC-10's. good to see another boom on here. "Boom Stowed, Leaving Position."

[@willyjg58]

Just a side note. I was a combat air crewman aboard Navy P-3 Orion Sub Hunters (more precisely, Maritime Patrol Aircraft.) We were not aerial refueling capable but carried enough fuel for, on occasions, 16-18 hour flights. Listening to this guy, I'm sure he's legit, I've heard from him and other recent aviation guys, refer to what their jet engines burn as 'gas'. I was in from '78-'82 and I don't think I ever heard a pilot or a flight engineer say, 'gas'. It was, 'fuel' or JP (as in JP5). Also, it was the FEs job to 'refuel' from a 'fuel truck'. It was his job to calculate, then verify with the pilot in command how many pounds of 'fuel' to load for weight-and-balance. When we lost an engine in a P-3 it wasn't, at least in my experiences, a big deal. The P-3 flew easily on 3 engines. In fact to save 'fuel' we routinely, as in almost always, shut down an engine on patrol to save 'fuel'. We always shut down #1 engine (outboard engine, port side) because that engine did not have a generator installed on it. The other 3 engines did. At any rate, now I feel really old and dated. We said fuel, now they say gas. Damn it! Now I'm depressed. Im going to sign off now guys. I'm going to go to the convenience store and get a six-pack to make me feel better. The store is only about an eighth of a mile away, but its hot. I guess I'll just drive my 'horseless carriage.' 😅

[@joesmith3279]

A family member is a tanker pilot. They showed me a video of them refueling a B1 over the ocean. The B1 pilot was a new butter bar lieutenant who over corrected & went into a pio. He almost hit the back of the tanker too. He ripped the refueling nozzle right off the boom. The female boom operator was so scared over the incident, she was in tears. It wasn't as bad as that awacs though. Damn! That was close! Wow! No ejection seats on a tanker. You get hit by one of the receivers, you're going down. 😢

[@danielfragoso7283]

no way he was a butter bar flying a b-1, by the time he qualed he was at least a 1st lieutenant

[@maxcorder2211]

@@danielfragoso7283 Truth. I doubt there are any 1st Lt aircraft commanders in the B-1.

[@jaylancaster5419]

Ironic that this video hit today of all days. Our thoughts are with the families that lost loved ones on the Blackhawk that crashed while refueling in the Med yesterday (and hitting the mainstream news today).

[@giuseppe4909]

Oh yeah, and hooking up with a KC-130 from an HH-60 is just a delight…I always sat there hoping we didn’t really live up to the name “chopper”

[@airraptor]

The worst accident I am aware of was in 1992. I was a crew chief on C-141s. I had been at McChord AFB. One day a four ship of141s on refueling training had a midair with another 141 and both planes were lost. One of the classes of MQTP were scheduled to be on that training flight as an incentive flight. One of the guys in the class was sick and the whole class decided to take the flight that day.

[@mikebrase5161]

One of my best friends has a similar story. He was supposed to jump the day the F-16 crashed into the C-130 at Pope Air Force base. At the last minute he got called out to be a Grader for another unit going for the Expert Infantry Badge.

[@snowcats95]

Was reading a book by a KC-135 guy and there was one story of them refueling some Middle Eastern A/C (can't remember what country). Anyhow, they were saying the boom snapped and the fighter pilot radioed the tanker "I guess I made an air mess, no?" . Too funny.

[@caseyj8210]

Hey bro, I’d like to offer an alternative explanation (my theory) on the awacs event. I believe that after the initial disconnect, drift up, and then fairly rapid backing out, the -135s A/P kicked off. I saw the same thing while doing night AR in a C-17. As you back away, your bow wave loses its influence on the tanker’s stab, creating a nose up moment on the tanker. Their A/P starts trimming nose down to counter (opposite of what happens when you close toward contact). If you back away too rapidly and exceed the tanker’s trim capability, the A/P disengages. In this video, If you look at the horizon, you’ll notice a distinct (tanker) nose down pitch followed immediately by the appearance of the awacs climbing. I’m not so sure the problem here was so much an awacs pitch up, but more likely an abrupt tanker nose down pitch. Scary situation, whatever the case may be.

[@jonah2047]

do you think the boom was damaged?

[@FunktasticLucky]

​@@jonah2047doubt there was any contact with the boom but man that was definitely quick reaction of both tanker and awacs. Definitely not a PIO situation though. You can clearly see the tanker nose down for whatever reason

[@evanfox1291]

Heard/seen several others on this incident and they all mentioned bow wake being a contributing factor. Not just PIO😊

[@markburton8680]

My father passed a lot of gas … he was a KC-135A model pilot!

[@pjotrtje0NL]

0:05 I think the most horrible AAR accident was the B-52, with nukes onboard, hitting a KC-135 over Spain…

[@skycop4093]

Ryan. I used to work for the CARF. I remember doing a bunch of stuff for you

[@MrTakeYoBitsh]

This is S-TIER content

[@MaxAfterburnerusa]

S Tier...wow really appreciate that. Stay tuned for a new video dropping tomorrow morning

[@Capt_OscarMike]

I literally spit my coffee all over my keyboard and monitor when you spewed out, "OF COURSE THEY USE A BASKET...THEY WEAR BELL BOTTOMS"... Definitely the Best Deep Burn given to the BOAT BOYS I've ever heard....By the way, hearing you throw shade on the BELL BOTTOM BOYS (I think that was a hit song in the 70s) while Rockin the 'STACHE definitely caused at a minimum a THIRD DEGREE BURN... Well Done...Well Done Indeed... PS. In my humble opinion you should go all out, MAX AFTERBURNER (see what I did there) and grow that STACHE into an AUTHENIC-ICONIC "BULLETPROOF MUSTACHE" ... do so in memory & honor of one of the most iconic American Fighter Pilot's in history...the Legend, GENERAL ROBIN OLDS... I am confident you will have that iconic STACHE ready for inspection by what General Olds' referred to as, "MUSTACHE MARCH" ... Truly would be EPIC

[@Nathan-vt1jz]

The probe/drouge looks like it might be a little trickier, but less likely to have a catastrophic accident than with the wing boom. That AWACS refueling was really close to a major collision.

[@ven.clydejarudhammo9716]

Probe / drouge is slow. Wing boom, the fuel is pumped to the receiving aircraft.

[@rickdelatour5355]

Old boomer here (70/74). My little old heart skipped a beat just then.

[@MaxAfterburnerusa]

Nice! Glad you’re here ! And yes I hear you on heart skipping a beat!

[@bestestusername]

from a 4hr mission to a 10hr mission! I hope you claimed your overtime😂

[@Nghilifa]

I think the USAF actually "invented" both styles of A2A refueling. The F-100 Super Sabre had a probe, and so did the F-105 Thunderchief. The "Thud" was actually a "hermaphrodite" as it had a probe as well as a receptacle for a boom.

[@jcheck6]

Don't forget the A-37 which did "probe" refueling.

[@tdrewman]

My fathers friend who he grew up with in NY was one of the crew killed in the 1966 Palomares B-52 crash. He was one of the men that was not able to bail out.

[@curtjurgens5538]

HC-130J Crew Chief here. Although we're USAF we refuel CV-22, F-35 and of course HH-60G. We also refuel Army birds. Our drogues are pretty busy! You completely left out the sketchiest refueling! HAAR Helicopter mid air refueling! Good video and story either way.

[@cheatohs6719]

I think the Probe and Droge was so the Navy can have carrier cappable refuelers onboard so they didnt need to be to reliant on the USAF as much.

[@haunter_1845]

100% still the case today. Buddy tanking has been going on for a long time. In Vietnam, the A-6 for example could be used in really bad weather to keep aircraft up until the deck was clear. Today the Super Hornets fill this roll, but it does put a lot of extra hours onto those airframes.

[@derreckpressley1165]

Navy pilots always talk about Carrier landings, is like to see them try air borne refueling

[@Synoopy2]

Very informative - I am just learning the F15E in DCS world and it is challenging, but so enjoyable. I have not tried to refuel yet because I am trying to learn the navigation systems first.

[@99AudiMan09]

most of my time in DCS is in the Hornet or Tomcat. Refueling with the Drogue basket is difficult to learn. I have the F-15E but am still learning it and have not tried aerial refueling yet either

[@JoeSmith-nu8oo]

I wanted to x-train into a tanker and the clowns in personnel screwed things up telling me my contract was not something they were familiar with and needed to check it out.I pointed out the wording where it stated in no uncertain terms that I was eligible after completing 3 years active duty to x-train into any open field that I chose and satisfactorily completed training so I don't understand why there's any confusion about this. But we all know how the military works or doesn't work for you.When they wouldn't honor the contract I just finished up my time and separated and went on my way.I wanted to stay longer but wasn't going to deal with that kind of garbage! Gotta love how the government/military can just ignore the contract they made but if you try it man oh man.

[@ranger-1214]

Beating up on the Navy for the Probe-and-Drogue then showing a clip at 7:18 of the P-n-D unreeling from a USAF aircraft. Caught Ya!! ;-)

[@johnosbourn4312]

Max, the aircraft in the second video, is the Boeing X-32 JSF Demonstrator, which lost to the Lockheed Martin X-35 JSF Demonstrator.

[@kmac4671]

13 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

[@bobbrown8661]

Pilot: Fill'er up! Boom Operator: Any Major credit card accepted. 🤣🤣

[@nobodyhome2318]

I have some questions regarding the refueling of aircraft. How long does the KC-135 stay on cap, do they refuel aircraft multiple times while on that cap depending on the amount of aircraft they're servicing, can they divert fuel for their own usage? Did the KC-135 in your 10hr mission launch from a different airbase, because you said no aircraft were landing or taking off during that snow storm? Great video!

[@allgood6760]

Thanks Max.. they look like mating Dragonflies 👍

[@keithmarks6145]

The flight engineer on the E-3 popped in on our annual CRM training and spoke about this. He said the negative G's caused a lot of injuries to the crew. Apparently there was an IP standing observing the AR (which was allowed if all of the flight deck seats were filled) and he hit his head on the sextant port. There were also a lot of T.O.s and panels flying around the cabin that caused some injuries to the back-enders.

[@chrismaverick9828]

Via many many hours of flight sims I've learned just how dangerous and infuriating PIO can be. It gets into your brain and drives you nuts in that everything you do to correct seems to result in too much and exacerbates the problem. The only real solutions are 1: if still in the beginning stages you notice it immediately and cut what you think is the right amount of correction in half. This can prevent the oscillations from getting worse and lead to more stability as you further reduce the amount of input. 2: If advanced then you need to break off and reset the situation. Then do it smoother. NO matter how frustrating and tough and annoying it is, you must ALWAYS resist the urge to shoot the tanker. DON'T SHOOT THE TANKER.

[@EagleFighterJet]

Very informative

[@theshoot2958]

I pass a couple pounds of gas but I don't fly tankers!😂😂😂

[@767driver]

As a former AWACS pilot I would have to agree with that assessment. Willy 91-05.

[@jaykuz7861]

Love the videos, keep them coming! I love when you keep us up to date and give insight on current combat situations such as the f-15 and 16 strikes in Syria. You should do a video on combat air rescue, my grandpa was a Jolly green! Or the SR-71 would be cool to.

[@Bene_Factum]

What, you can't get out and stretch your legs at the gas station?!😂

[@georgemorley1029]

Some people get wet over g force and missiles, but as a naval logistician I “live to give”, so refuelling makes me smile. Typically our RAS will be a lot more slow paced at sea, but it’s just as potentially hazardous if fucked up and certainly as impactful to operations if not completed. Replenishment IS sustainment of capability.

[@Ezees23]

The AF makes it hard as heck to aerial refuel (telescoping boom). The Navy makes it pretty easy on it's aviators (probe and drogue) - except for being a little harder in super high crosswinds. Plus, the refueler plane can refuel up to 4 planes at one time....

[@troypetty8141]

I work at an engine depot, and we get enough droque FOD'd engine that I would arque with you on that.

[@thudtrades1850]

Hey Wingnut.... You can't refuel helicopters with a boom..... lol

[@shawn2443]

MAX-“piddle pack” after that multi-storm delay ; ) 🇺🇸

[@MaxAfterburnerusa]

Yessssss

[@realpropertymangement7640]

Long ago, in a hot and sandy place, I had the privilege to fly along with a KC135 crew on an AWAC AR mission. The skill and cool professionalism on the part of both aircrews impressed then, and to this day.

[@antongazaryan2532]

The Navy doesn't have many options because you can't attach a boom to an F-18 tanker for example. Busket is more versatile.

[@Rotorhead1651]

The first '53 I was assigned to was lost in a desert training exercise when a rookie pilot in the chopper next to it panicked when turbulence caused the drogue for the hose to whip the hose unexpectedly. Not realizing the hose was well outside his rotors, the rookie jerked the cyclic, causing severe damage to his aircraft, and causing the pilot of my bird to yake evasive action. Sadly, the pilot in my chopper (tail #72-1651), lost control, and the bird struck and rolled down a mountain, killing all on board. The rookie's helo made it back to base, but barely. When he jerked the cyclic, the extended AR probe pitched uo into the rotors and was cut off, causing damage to the rotor blades as well. It was a minor miracle that both aircraft and crews weren't lost.

[@ypw510]

As others noted, the US Navy doesn't really have much of an option since they only refuel using smaller aircraft. When I was in elementary school my class went on a tour of NAS Alameda and some of the planes we saw in maintenance were KA-6s that were older A-6 attack planes retrofitted as tankers. They couldn't possibly get a boom on one of those. The hose can be retracted. And these days they're using Super Hornets for buddy refueling where they take turns doing that. However, one of the issues is that it puts time on the aircraft. The Navy and Boeing are working on the MQ-25 refueling drone. Also - I don't get why the KC-135 and KC-46 are mentioned, but not the KC-10 Extender. My family toured one at an airshow and my wife and kid posed in the cockpit with a pilot. I sat in the boom operator's seat. And it had a lot of DC-10 internals. Someone waiting in line said she was a flight attendant and recognized the coffee maker was the same kind she saw on passenger DC-10s.

[@major__kong]

I believe the KC-10 just flew is last deployment not too long ago. It's going away.

[@lukevaxhacker7762]

And they *need* that coffee maker, as the KC-10 can carry passengers *and* refueling fuel in the same flight…

[@ypw510]

@@lukevaxhacker7762 The one we toured had a modular seating section bolted on near the front. But the weird thing was walking around all the rollers on the floor that made it easier to move cargo.

[@ypw510]

@@major__kong Sure. I understood that there were fewer of them so the infrastructure to maintain them was expensive relative to the inventory. But it's still a capable aircraft.

[@prichardgs]

This was great!!!! Thanks Max!

[@christianrode2549]

Reason for Basket refuelling for Navy makes sense, since u can use a Pod Option for refuelling - so Buddy Buddy Option becomes available - a Boom is not suitable for Operations of the Boat. Navy Ops might not always have Large Tanker Support - son this solution is more Flexible, yet a bit more challenging maybe, spend some time behind KC-135's myself, Iron Maiden (Boom to Drogue) sucks for Tanking...

[@midgetydeath]

I mean, sticking something big out behind the aircraft is probably related to the turbulence. Science.

[@unclerojelio6320]

Just to clarify, the tankers could take off and land at this single runway (for thousands of miles) but you couldn’t?

[@tmytyson]

Odds are the tankers weren't even based in the same country. If you've got all that space for spare gas you might as well use it.

[@rayraynod]

Navy pilots are the BEST!😊

[@theDgrader]

when the basket brakes off still attached to the fighter, can the fighter jet get rid of it to go again? can the refueling plane replace it with another mid flight ?

[@daveblevins3322]

Y'all are awesome 👍👍🇺🇸

[@johnrusac6894]

With the probe & drogue, it’s actually necessary to push the basket forward to bend the hose in order to start fuel flowing. The danger is in being too aggressive and creating a “sine wave” that travels up to the tanker, then back down the hose to the basket. It’s not about the hose being ripped from the reel on the tanker. The returning “wave” of the hose can whip so hard at the end that it rips the probe off of the fighter. In some cases, the basket gets torn from the hose & a fire hose spray of fuel can go right down an engine intake. There are cases where the badminton birdie like basket winds up hung on the probe. There is then no way to retract the probe into the jet’s nose. The plane, low on fuel has to land while wearing the basket.

[@bertg.6056]

Ryan, the aircraft that lost to the XF-35 was the XF-32. Affectionately called "Monica".

[@TankR]

Awe should have shown the Sea Stallion that cut its snorkel off chasing a drogue. They landed fine, just some extra vibration from the dented blade. But yeah, they were chasing in a drogue, the dorgue went up towards the rotor disk, the pilot cranked the stick back to avoid it, then back down, and the rotor responded faster than the fuselage could swing under the rotor, and snip! MAZEL TOV!!! Nipped its own tip....

[@BlakeJoy]

when shadows almost meet you know its close

[@Mike_Oxlong_]

Not me wondering how that Hornet plans on refueling boom to probe. lol. And yea I know the basket is off the wing so he’s probably just waiting his turn

[@rjohnson80100]

Worst AR experience I had was having a pitch rod bushing on our HH-60G blow out. Was on the drogue and all of a sudden get this 1 per a revolution thump through the aircraft. Essentially when that blade came around it wouldnt be in the correct pitch of the cyclic input and cause the helicopter to elevate up and down real quick. it was controllable, but felt like the bird had the hiccups. That was a fun flight back to Nellis.

[@dreaminknight]

USN system with the boom makes sense because you don't have that much luxury space to operate a huge drogue tanker system on a carrier. However, naval aviator also (crash)land on a small 300m long floating thing in the middle of the ocean after a mission - unlike USAF pilots..

[@SuperTyrannical1]

By the end of some of these, I bet the tankers weren't the only thing passing gas. 😏

[@travisr.3667]

Approximately how many refuels will one of these flying gas stations have for your jet? You said they stick with you for a while, so I assume they must hold a considerable amount? How low would you let your tanks get before looking to refuel typically? Very cool video, this is fascinating stuff getting a peek behind the curtain like this.

[@chiweenie96]

This stuff is awesome

[@tmay092698]

Well being in CH-53e squadron in the Marine Corps, it would be impossible to get a probe into the rotor arc. Also, we only have C-130s and they don’t have a spot for a probe to go since they are cargo aircraft as well.

[@MrTonyharrell]

I saw a video with some really wild oscillations, all with a basket and some breaking the hose with the basket still attached to the aircraft. The way I understand it is, with a basket many other aircraft can be tankers. Helicopters have to use a basket. The Basket is slower than the Air Force method.

[@RedRoosterParty]

New T-shirt idea: "At the end of the day...."

[@gimpsunlimited2505]

Red flag, 2 ship F-15’s. Lead was good, got his gas and slid over to the left wing. Number two however was crowding the right wing tip so close I kept my eyeballs on him. When he was cleared precontact, he slid diagonally. As he rolled upside down underneath us, I had yelled at the boom to suck the boom up. He went right through where the boom had been. He recovered about a mile an half in trail. If he had hit the boom, you wouldn’t see this comment.

[@markhogan9435]

With my time in VF41, as PC working with pilots, not once did I here a complaint with AR...I guess landing on a pitching flt deck in a heavy thunderstorm at night catching 1 of 4 aresting cables, is no different than catching a basket on a fuel stick. Navy loves a challenge.

[@donwilson1307]

The absolute best comnentary refuling. That AWACS scene had my stomach rising uo into my chest cavity. I mean wowza.

[@MaxAfterburnerusa]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@justinholtman]

What good does the basket do? Can’t think of one pro of it

[@StyxRiverGynoid]

The difference between probe and drogue was explained to me once as being the Navy wants drogues so all their pilots can brag how they can nail a small target at high speeds, whilst the Air Force uses probes because it reminds them of sitting back and letting stewards bring them cocktails back at the O club. The Marine who was explaining this noted that their own practice was simply to invade some poor guy's gas station, which I guess has the added benefit of a head around back.

[@6to4to3]

Awesome to know that Freddie Mercury is flying our F-15s!!

[@jcheck6]

When you probe/drogue off a KC-135 or KC-10 boom you don't have that sine wave issue. Instead the receiver manuvers the a/c to put in an "S" bend in the hose to take up the slack. Have refueled from an -97, -135, and -10, both recepticle and probe and drogue. Thought the director lights on the KC-97 were the best and P&D the easiest (A-37) to hold positon once connected. The F-4 canopy bow was always in the way with recepticle AAR.

[@Wpns175]

One of the issues the X-32 had in the program was it took WAY longer to AAR than the X-35. This hurt it's testing big time.

[@DCSHacks]

Top of you game with this one! Keep up the great work!

[@TheVikingSailor]

Navy doesn't have the luxary of huge air bases to launch airliners full of fuel. When you're the tip of the spear and need case recovery fuel in the middle of the Atlantic it requires loading another FA18 up with a Drogue and fuel pod and sending them up to circle the boat for recovery fuel. Hence needing a drogue chute setup. We do appreciate having the Air Force's airliners available when bringing ordenance on shore. 😉

[@woogitysquid1344]

Not sure if this was asked already? Can you listen to music at all while flying? Or any sort of outside audio to keep you occupied while flying and waiting for those storms to pass?

[@freepilot7732]

11:38 Hindsight but the tanker could have also sightly dropped her nose, directly raising the tail a bit up away from the crash zone while the AWACs descends too.

[@bradboyer5288]

Thats the one thing I can't do in dcs is ai -air refueling. I can get right up to that basket in my hornet. But then I start over correcting. If I do rarely connect, I just can't stay on it. I try to tell myself to relax and use half the last move I made but I just can't do it. lol

[@Blablablabla1ify]

Some honest and friendly advice, no hate here. I think it's a shame that you kept interrupting the clips with focus on you in the commentary. It doesn't flow well, as a viewer I'd rather see the whole clip. It can be repeated to fit your commentary, but as lovely as your face is, we'd rather see the clips with your voice over!

[@Kitfoo77]

I know on our airframe we had a crew unicorn the boom during a combat sortie (which means they tore it right off the tanker and it was stuck in the receiving jet). I think the worst I've seen was a flagpole sortie where the state governor was on the tanker, so they wanted to take a ton of pics of our "spy plane". We were porpoising for over 30 mins (basically we were going up and down constantly like a boat in rough water). That was the only time I ever had to go on full oxygen to keep from throwing up lol

[@FUCK_________googIe]

E3?

[@eazymoneyracing]

As an Evaluator Boom, that E-3 was the worst "close call" ever (and I have seen alot!). Yes, Booms have been ripped off the jet (135 and 10) but the E-3 was milliseconds from disaster (we Boomers hate doing it as well as I have no control of the baffoonery going on behind my jet)

[@indy500tabasco8]

love the 'MUSHTACHE'

[@my-yt-inputs2580]

Kef? As an ex/retired C-130 crew I'm still waiting for the publically releasable report from the Marine F-35 that collided with the Marine KC-130 Tanker. F-35 crashed, 130 lost 2 engines and had to land gear up in a farmers field short of a runway. I guess the Safety report is out but not public.

[@AdamD19D]

Contact... Return pre-contact... Contact... Return pre-contact. The basket also transfers much less fuel per minute compared to a boom

[@MaxAfterburnerusa]

Yo! Thanks for that

[@gregorymaupin6388]

The reason Navy uses the Drog is because we use smaller planes to give gas and a boom doesn’t make sense as no one could operate the boom. As a maintainer I’ve seen aircraft land with the basket still attached to the aircraft that was trying to refuel.

[@Dstew57A]

Yikes. I can barely handle a 9 hour flight and thats with standing up bathroom breaks. Can’t imagine sitting in one place for 10 hours..you made your cash that day.😮. Looked like that Awacs pilot moved fast to save avoid a disaster.Was that you flying the Mach Loop in Wales? Thats a great place to see some fast jet action.

[@cyh4031]

What do you do if you have to #1 or #2 on a 10 hour flight?

[@andrewbergman9315]

#1 - Carry it around on your leg in a piddle pack #2 - no idea, pray you never need to I guess 😉

[@leifsoderman5065]

I met an Air Force pilot in Savanna we talked a bit and asked him what was hardest thing flying he anserwed air refueling, as I remember correct he was the C130

[@williampaddock4863]

Wow that was close By that E3 wow !! Does the Navy use the probe and Droge not to be different it Because this system is Smaller and lighter For deployement at sea with buddy refueling systems IE Fighter aircraft types? When you are refueling in the air can you feel the Aircraft get heavyier and do you feel a change in the C.G.?

[@PatFarra-t5z]

I did not care to get gas on the 135. Hard in the phantom. Probe is behind you. The basket is actually made of metal. If you’re not careful it can rip off the probe or crack the windshield.

[@dust1209]

I think everything in that E3 that wasn't strapped down just went for a ride!