“Aerial Refueling: When Things Go Wrong in the Skies”
Aerial refueling is a complex procedure that can go wrong, and at times, it can be deadly.
Hoses breaking off, fuel spilling, and mid-flight collisions are just a few of the factors that make aerial refueling dangerous.
As we delve deeper into each mishap, you may come to understand why aircraft can safely refuel with their engines running and in the presence of fuel leaks, while car engines need to be shut off at gas stations.
But what happens when a helicopter runs out of fuel in the middle of a category 1 hurricane is not what you might think.
The Unforeseen Incident
Certainly, that was close, if you ask me.
But what actually went wrong?
Two large airplanes flying close by might find themselves in a dangerous situation due to aerodynamic forces experienced in proximity.
In this case, the receiving aircraft was an E-3 Sentry.
As contact was made, the E-3 kept moving closer, and when the retract limit on the boom was reached, it auto-disconnected.
However, the E-3 was too close and too forward, so its bow wave pushed the tail of the tanker up.
A bow wave is a shockwave that forms in front and around the aircraft, similar to a ship’s bow wave but for aircraft.
As the tail of the tanker pushed up, the auto-pilot trim couldn’t keep up and disengaged, causing the tanker to descend toward the E-3.
Fortunately, the E-3 Sentry quickly dived down, saving both aircraft.
This CH-53 Sea Stallion is about to experience what it’s like to become a Muslim or Jewish man.
Mazeli Topov, I’m not a psychologist, but that’s gonna be one self-conscious Stallion.
See, the amount of turbulence behind a tanker aircraft is substantial, so it’s easy to overcorrect.
In this case, the helicopter pilot actually got lucky, because if the pilot had pulled up harder, the drogue may have been caught in the rotor blades, which could have been fatal.
But what happened to the helicopter, since it couldn’t refuel anymore?
Even if a helicopter runs out of fuel, it should still be able to land using autorotation.
As a helicopter descends with its engines off, the rotors continue spinning simply by the upward flow of air through the rotor blades.
Of course, if you lose the ability to refuel over enemy territory or in the middle of a hurricane, as you’ll see, things can get a bit more complicated.
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Whiplash
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After contact, the horse went slack, which resulted in a whiplash.
It is critical for the horse to stay fully extended at all times. Otherwise, resonance can occur, which will break off the drogue.
Those other pilots are probably not too happy either.
Let’s hear the original audio: “Tony, I told him to take it easy on the ‘horse.'”
When the horse breaks off, it can be sucked into the engine.
But this F-14 was lucky.
In a similar incident.
The aerial refueling basket was ingested into the F-35’s intake.
Both aircraft were able to land safely.
However, the damage to the F-35 was more than two million dollars and was reported as a Class-A Mishap.
But if you think, 2 million dollars is an expensive trip to the gas station.
This next refueling incident cost the US Air Force more than $150 million dollars.
Collision
On September 29th, 2020, a KC-130J and an F-35 were conducting aerial refueling using the probe and drogue method.
The KC-130J had a mechanical failure, and was unable to move its refueling pod.
The F-35 was unable to disconnect from the drogue.
As a result, the F-35 was dragged and spun around by the drogue.
The F-35 pilot managed to regain control at several points, but was eventually thrown off by the violent movements.
The F-35 pilot ejected, and the F-35 itself crashed.
The pilot survived, but the aircraft was completely destroyed, costing over $150 million dollars.
It’s worth noting that aerial refueling, despite the dangers and potential for mishaps, is an essential procedure for extending the operational range and endurance of military aircraft.
In wartime or during long-distance missions, aerial refueling can make the difference between mission success and failure.
Whether using the probe and drogue method or the flying boom method, skilled pilots and operators are necessary to ensure safe and successful refueling operations.
