KC-30 Boom comes off.
 

From Defence Media

An in-flight incident occurred during a training flight for Airbus Military staff, involving an Australian KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft and a Portuguese Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft.

The aircraft was being operated by Airbus Military Corporation. No Australian personnel were on board the MRTT at the time of the incident.

The incident resulted in the detachment and partial loss of the refuelling boom from the MRTT, which fell into the sea.

Both aircraft suffered some damage but returned safely to their home airfields.

Project AIR 5402 will supply five MRTT aircraft to the Australian Defence Force. Design, development and testing of the prototype aircraft is being undertaken by Airbus Military at its facilities in Madrid, Spain.

Airbus Military and the relevant European military airworthiness authorities will have the lead responsibility for investigating the incident.

Australian Defence experts will participate in the investigation process.

More information here: Boom or bust! – RAAF KC-30 loses boom | Australian Aviation Magazine

:eek:

Fortunately both aircraft recovered safely and no-one was injured.

Well that could bugger the KC-X bid. Boeing will be all over Washington with the news....

Sounds like a bit of a lucky escape, particularly for the F16. Thank heaven there was no injuries.

ORAC I think has a point though. Boeing will be all over this like a rash. :rolleyes:

For clarification the complete boom did not fall off, it was near the receiver. This has happened on a number of other tankers before normally caused at night by incorrect closing speed.

Also for clarification, the KC-767 also has had a partial boom loss when one aircraft was unable to retract the boom in flight and had to land with the boom extended.

And at least one US E3 was damaged when it pulled the Boom off of a KC135

The article is badly written. As I understand it, the initial fault lay with the American built F16, which precipitated the fracture on the tanker's bit of kit. It has happened many times before, and will doubtless happen again.

It's one very good reason why most tanker 'Tracks' are conducted over the high seas.

one problem we wont have to worry about..........

Zeke, incorrect. I understand that after the initial failure, the KC-30A boom became uncontrollable, struck the rear of the tanker, detached completely, then fell into the sea.

BEagle, that was a "possibility" or "speculation" put forward by the magazine "Australian Aviation" in their article.

All they have confirmed, which is exactly what their source, the Australian DoD confirmed, is that they boom had a partial failure, and it was that part that failed and departed.

EADS has the whole incident on video, and both aircraft landed safely.

Well, I'm sure the truth will eventually emerge. However, I think you'll find that the boom certainly did strike the tanker and became completely detached after the Portuguese F-16 moved clear - although the intial failure was the loss of the boom nozzle.

Another one throwing fuel onto an 'a' versus 'b' argument, pathetic!

Out of interest, is the boom desgned with a frangible tip to ensure separation in an emergency?

Portuguese.

I don't the answer to the boom nozzle question you pose, ORAC.


.

I would imagine that once the F-16 driver saw the boom about to go AWOL he would have the heater full on and the g meter off the scale.:eek: Not what you want to have in close formation with you and I bet he's glad he's back in the mess bar!:ok:

Most unfortunate but could happen now and again. As I sit in my study I see on a shelf a probe tip obtained from a customer many moons ago. After all the procedure, boom or drogue, is a deliberate (one hopes) controlled high speed collision between two aircraft with all the momentum that that involves. Even the strongest system will be tried beyond the limit sometime.

Isn't even attempting to deliver fuel more than Boeing has achieved so far??

Hardly gives them bragging rights when a freak event occurs. :}:}:}

Well, at least the front didn't fall off.

Did it fall fast enough to become a sonic boom?

NR

Think you'll find the majority of the French and USA refuelling tracks are over land..............