In-Flight Refueling Tests Moving Forward | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-10.06.25

AirborneNextGen-
10.07.25

Airborne-Unlimited-10.08.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-10.09.25

AirborneUnlimited-10.10.25

Thu, Jun 04, 2009

In-Flight Refueling Tests Moving Forward

A330 MRTT Successfully Performed 1st Contacts Using New Refueling Pods

The Airbus Military A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) has completed another major milestone, successfully performing a series of dry contacts using the new generation Cobham 905E hose and drogue under-wing refueling pods. The receiver aircraft was a Spanish Air Force F/A-18A+ fighter.

The system performed well in hose extension and retraction, and showed good hose response in the contact as well as stability during pre-contact and when connected.

This new refueling pod is a development of the 907E pod already in service with the Canadian and German air forces on their A310 MRTTs. The pods can each deliver up to 420 gallons per minute through a 90 ft  hose, and are controlled from a state-of-the-art Fuel Operator Console located in the cockpit.

"The next steps in the flight test program involve more contacts with the new hose and drogue refueling pod and the advanced Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS), refueling a variety of receivers that will include French, Portuguese and Spanish small and large receiver aircraft. This flight test phase will lead us to the completion of military certification, and final qualification with our customer" said Miguel Morell, Vice President Airbus Military Derivative Programs.

The A330 MRTT has been selected by the air forces of Australia, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and was chosen last year by the U.S. Air Force for its recapitalization of the service's aging tanker fleet.

FMI: www.airbus.com

Advertisement

More News

True Blue Power and Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics Power NBAA25 Coverage

Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics and True Blue Power ANN's NBAA 2025 Coverage... Visit Them At Booth #3436 101 Aviation Nears STC Approval for Lithium Battery Upgrade on Gulf>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (10.11.25): Hertz

Hertz The standard radio equivalent of frequency in cycles per second of an electromagnetic wave. Kilohertz (kHz) is a frequency of one thousand cycles per second. Megahertz (MHz) >[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (10.11.25)

“NATCA does not endorse, support, or condone any federal employees participating in or endorsing a coordinated activity that negatively affects the capacity of the NAS, or an>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (10.11.25)

Aero Linx: European Association for Aviation Psychology (EAAP) Since 1956 the European Association for Aviation Psychology (EAAP) provides a forum for professionals working in the >[...]

NTSB Prelim: Pegasus Quantum 15

Aircraft Experienced A Total Loss Of Engine Power During A Go-Around Attempt And Then Impacted A Soybean Field On September 13, 2025, at 1625 eastern daylight time, a Pegasus Quant>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC