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Airman spots aircraft fuel leak at 35,000 feet
Air Force Link ^ | May 14, 2009 | Tech. Sgt. Rey Ramon

Posted on 05/15/2009 2:19:54 PM PDT by microgood

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To: F15Eagle

There was a special mod of the KC-135 designated KC-135Q for the refueling of SR-71 and U-2/TR-1 aircraft. Apparently the tanks for the JP-7 were isolated from the ones that fueled the tanker with JP-4.


21 posted on 05/15/2009 3:10:49 PM PDT by CholeraJoe (Just because I haven't run off and joined the circus, doesn't mean I'm not looking online for jobs.)
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To: thesharkboy

Exactly what I was wondering.


22 posted on 05/15/2009 3:12:55 PM PDT by Some hope remaining.
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To: microgood

What airline??


23 posted on 05/15/2009 3:15:09 PM PDT by taillightchaser (!)
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To: thesharkboy
I'd venture the guess that before they went feet wet over the Pacific, they'd have done a gut check and asked if they could trust their gauges and decided “No”.

At the least, the guy saved them from having to even consider an incorrect plan of action.

In my experience this is a nice feeling for those who have to make decisions.

24 posted on 05/15/2009 3:36:09 PM PDT by El Sordo
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To: microgood

Excellent story. Should e-mail it to Napolitano so she can start an investigation.


26 posted on 05/15/2009 3:54:42 PM PDT by rabidralph
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To: F15Eagle
I may be wrong about this but in regards to the SR-71 I think they would fill her up just enough to get her off the ground and in the air nearby and then refuel it and then it they would start flying her fast.

And where ever the last refueling took place they would give it just enough to get back to the base, Sometimes they would fly it around the base before landing to use up what ever they could before landing. After they landed and parked it they would put metal pans under it to collect the fuel that leaked out that remained.

27 posted on 05/15/2009 4:47:53 PM PDT by ReformedBeckite
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To: thesharkboy

“Why were the crew still planning to fly to Japan while they were losing so much fuel? Their gauges were working properly, right? Am I missing something here?

Indeed. Why wasn’t the rapid fuel depletion from the tanks noticed by the crew?
All the automation of a modern airliner should have caught this easily.


28 posted on 05/15/2009 4:51:50 PM PDT by HereInTheHeartland (I agree with Rick..)
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To: CholeraJoe

Didn’t also the KC-135Q have modified engines to fly faster and basically they would fly as fast as they could and the SR-71 would slow down as slow as she could.


29 posted on 05/15/2009 4:52:58 PM PDT by ReformedBeckite
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To: F15Eagle

The airframe IS the fuel tank on SR-71.


30 posted on 05/15/2009 6:10:12 PM PDT by IDFbunny
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