Posted on 05/15/2009 2:19:54 PM PDT by microgood
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.
Exactly what I was wondering.
What airline??
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.
Excellent story. Should e-mail it to Napolitano so she can start an investigation.
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.
“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.
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.
The airframe IS the fuel tank on SR-71.
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