More KC-46A woes....
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Army and Air National Guardsmen from the Oklahoma National Guard disembark a 157th Air Refueling Wing KC-46A Pegasus from Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H., after returning from the District of Columbia to Oklahoma City, Okla., on Jan. 23, 2021.
Travelling in the Voyager is vastly more civilised!
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Originally Posted by BEagle
Having enjoyed the luxury of 'Rendition Class' travel in the Pegasaurus.....
Travelling in the Voyager is vastly more civilised!
Travelling in the Voyager is vastly more civilised!
CG
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Well, it'd be a 1340 mile walk, so I guess a couple of hours in a windowless Pegasaurus would indeed be preferable, particularly at this time of year!
Although they could pick up old Route 66 from St Louis to Oklahoma City, I guess. Which would be nice.
Although they could pick up old Route 66 from St Louis to Oklahoma City, I guess. Which would be nice.
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News from Boeing's 'mediaroom'
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EVERETT, Wash., Feb. 9, 2021 – The first Boeing [NYSE: BA] KC-46 tanker destined for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) took to the skies on its maiden flight yesterday. This successful flight highlights an important milestone as the aircraft now transitions into the certification phase of development.
“This is an exciting milestone for the JASDF and Boeing,” said Jamie Burgess, KC-46 program manager. “Japan is getting closer to receiving the most advanced air refueling tanker in the world.”
Japan is the KC-46 program’s first international customer and is scheduled to receive its first jet this year.
“This is an exciting milestone for the JASDF and Boeing,” said Jamie Burgess, KC-46 program manager. “Japan is getting closer to receiving the most advanced air refueling tanker in the world.”
Japan is the KC-46 program’s first international customer and is scheduled to receive its first jet this year.
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JASDF Kc-46 flies
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Oh no! Not another problem for the much troubled Pagasus? It's powered by P&W 4062 engines, part of the same 4000 series as the Denver UAL 777 (P&W4077) and the Belgium Longtail Aviation 747 (P&W4056), both of which recently rained parts on the ground below.
Boeing recommended grounding the P&W 777s, but there's been no mention, as far as I can see, of grounding the P&W 747 or the KC-46.
airsound
Boeing recommended grounding the P&W 777s, but there's been no mention, as far as I can see, of grounding the P&W 747 or the KC-46.
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The P & W 4060 series engine is different to the engine fitted to United B777, as it does not have the hollow wide chord blades that are fitted to the larger engine installed on B777. Still a very old design though.
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Originally Posted by airsound
Oh no! Not another problem for the much troubled Pagasus? It's powered by P&W 4062 engines, part of the same 4000 series as the Denver UAL 777 (P&W4077) and the Belgium Longtail Aviation 747 (P&W4056), both of which recently rained parts on the ground below.
Boeing recommended grounding the P&W 777s, but there's been no mention, as far as I can see, of grounding the P&W 747 or the KC-46.
airsound
Boeing recommended grounding the P&W 777s, but there's been no mention, as far as I can see, of grounding the P&W 747 or the KC-46.
airsound
While there is considerable commonality between the high pressure portions of the various PW4000 models, the low pressure sections are completely different between the 94", 100" (A330), and 112" (777) variants. There is simply no connection between the fan blade failures on the PW4000/112", and the PW4062/94" engine installed on the KC-46, aside from their being designed and built by the same company.
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Defense News has more news, and is quoting Gen. Ryan Samuelson, who leads the Air Force’s KC-46 cross-functional team, and Air Mobility Command chief Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost
https://www.defensenews.com/smr/air-...erations-soon/
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The Air Force currently has 44 KC-46s of the 179 it plans to buy over the program of record. By the end of 2021, that number will be up to 60 tankers, Samuelson said.
However, there are a number of missions that the KC-46 will not be permitted to perform until its critical deficiencies are resolved and the Air Force deems it fully operational, Van Ovost said. Namely, it will not be allowed to perform wartime missions in the Middle East for U.S. Central Command, nor will it be tasked for missions in U.S. European Command or U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
It will also be restricted from refueling stealth planes such as the F-35, F-22 and B-2, which all feature a low-observable coating that protects them from radar detection, Samuelson said. Air Force officials believe the KC-46 is at higher risk of damaging stealth coatings with its refueling boom because of longstanding issues with the Remote Vision System, a collection of cameras and infrared sensors used by operators to steer the tanker’s boom into a fuel receptacle.
However, there are a number of missions that the KC-46 will not be permitted to perform until its critical deficiencies are resolved and the Air Force deems it fully operational, Van Ovost said. Namely, it will not be allowed to perform wartime missions in the Middle East for U.S. Central Command, nor will it be tasked for missions in U.S. European Command or U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
It will also be restricted from refueling stealth planes such as the F-35, F-22 and B-2, which all feature a low-observable coating that protects them from radar detection, Samuelson said. Air Force officials believe the KC-46 is at higher risk of damaging stealth coatings with its refueling boom because of longstanding issues with the Remote Vision System, a collection of cameras and infrared sensors used by operators to steer the tanker’s boom into a fuel receptacle.
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