Low On Gas? Nearest Pump Just Ahead... At 8,000 Feet

When running on empty, a driver pulls into a station, pays, selects a fuel type, inserts the nozzle into the vehicle and fills their tank.

A Marine Corps pilot, on the other hand, radios to another aircraft for support, and ascends 8,000 feet into the clouds at speeds of 200 knots to hook up to an 85-foot tube, trailing from either wing of a supporting aircraft. The aircraft gases up and pilots maneuver it back into the fight as rapidly as possible.

From the first in-air refueling attempts in 1921 -- a man walking wing-to-wing from a JN-4 Jenny, wearing a gas tank on his back -- to the effectiveness in the lengthened Vietnam War search-and-rescue flights, aerial refueling has prolonged flight duration and allowed combat aircraft to increase their range.

Recently, the MV-22 Ospreys -- currently exclusive to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing out of Marine Corps Air Station New River, NC -- flew more than 2,100 nautical miles to conduct various training exercises with the squadrons of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at MCAS Miramar.

3rd MAW’s squadron, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, known as the "Raiders," teamed up with 2nd MAW’s Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162, nicknamed the “Golden Eagles”, at extreme altitudes to participate in aerial refueling missions August 22 and 24.

During the training, one of the Raider's aircraft, a KC-130J Hercules, delivered more than 10,000 pounds of fuel to two of the Golden Eagle's Ospreys.

"The purpose and importance of aerial refueling is to allow the aircrew to continue deeper into the fight," said Maj. Brent A. Johnson, the mission commander for the training exercise.

During the arial refueling, the KC-130J releases a fuel hose from each wing. A basket, known as a drogue, attached to the end of each hose connects with the probe of the Osprey. The tubes deliver fuel from the tank of the Hercules to the Osprey.

To allow for a smooth connection, the Osprey flies in a basic formation with the Hercules. The MV-22 pilot keeps his eyes on the KC-130J while watching the basket in his peripheral vision until he maneuvers the probe into the refueling hose.

The crew chief and loadmaster in the back of the massive, flying gas station, act as aerial observers, ensuring the receiving aircraft maintains the proper pre-contact position. They also make certain the receiver does not tear the hose and cause a fuel leakage.

"Communications between the pilots and the observers is essential because the pilots have no way of seeing what's going on in the back of the plane," said Cpl. Christopher Chamberlain, a loadmaster with VMGR-352. "We let them know if something goes wrong or if a component isn't functioning properly."

Both aircraft's pilots coordinate their speeds, to allow proper connection for the refueling process, explained Capt. Rodney Rodriguez, the KC-130J pilot for the exercise.

"The hook-up and delivery needs to occur as quickly as possible," said Rodriguez. "The longer it takes to make a connection, the more fuel we burn and the less we have to give them."

As ANN reported, MV-22 Ospreys will make their debut in combat this fall. Integration training between the East and West Coast units will better prepare the Marines for the team efforts in Iraq, explained 1st Lt. Craig Anderson, a pilot with VMM-162.

(Aero-News salutes Lance Cpl. Jessica N. Aranda, MCAS Miramar)

FMI: www.marines.mil, www.miramar.usmc.mil/home.htm