Can tanker aircraft draw off all their onboard fuel?

From: Hobo
Date: 11/30/2003 10:07 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:


Can a tanker aircraft draw on the fuel they carry to refuel other
planes, or are they limited to the fuel that model of plane would
normally carry?

With the exception of specially modified tankers like the KC-135s used to
refuel SR-71s they can use all the fuel on board.

The SR-71 uses a different fuel than the 135.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

The KC-10 can burn all its fuel or offload all but a couple thousand pounds.
We can easily burn the JP-7 fuel that the SR-71 used, it just doesn't
lubricate the fuel pumps as well. I assume the KC-135 is the same. Not sure
about the KC-130 with Benson tanks in the fuselage.
Curt
U. S. Air Force, almost retired


"B2431" wrote in message
...
From: Hobo
Date: 11/30/2003 10:07 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:


Can a tanker aircraft draw on the fuel they carry to refuel other
planes, or are they limited to the fuel that model of plane would
normally carry?

With the exception of specially modified tankers like the KC-135s used to
refuel SR-71s they can use all the fuel on board.

The SR-71 uses a different fuel than the 135.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

Even the KC-135Q could burn body tank fuel. IIRC They could fly on JP7,
but were limited to enroute flight, and not TO, Landing, and a few other
instances.


B2431 wrote:
From: Hobo
Date: 11/30/2003 10:07 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:


Can a tanker aircraft draw on the fuel they carry to refuel other
planes, or are they limited to the fuel that model of plane would
normally carry?


With the exception of specially modified tankers like the KC-135s used to
refuel SR-71s they can use all the fuel on board.

The SR-71 uses a different fuel than the 135.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

From: KenG
Date: 12/1/2003 5:16 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id: m

Even the KC-135Q could burn body tank fuel. IIRC They could fly on JP7,
but were limited to enroute flight, and not TO, Landing, and a few other
instances.


B2431 wrote:
From: Hobo
Date: 11/30/2003 10:07 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:


Can a tanker aircraft draw on the fuel they carry to refuel other
planes, or are they limited to the fuel that model of plane would
normally carry?


With the exception of specially modified tankers like the KC-135s used to
refuel SR-71s they can use all the fuel on board.

The SR-71 uses a different fuel than the 135.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

I stand corrected.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

From: "C Knowles"

snip
Not sure
about the KC-130 with Benson tanks in the fuselage.
Curt
U. S. Air Force, almost retired


The HC-130Ns and Ps I worked on carried 2 bensons each. If memory serves they
could transfer fuel from them to be used by the aircraft.

I don't know about the KC-130s.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

The KC-10 can burn all its fuel or offload all but a couple thousand pounds.
We can easily burn the JP-7 fuel that the SR-71 used, it just doesn't
lubricate the fuel pumps as well. I assume the KC-135 is the same. Not sure
about the KC-130 with Benson tanks in the fuselage.
Curt
U. S. Air Force, almost retired

There was a mid air explosion of a KC-135 about 15 years ago. They had
offloaded all the fuel they could, and the pumps no longer had that fuel for
cooling. Something got really hot, and the remaining vapors ignited...


Ron
Pilot/Wildland Firefighter

362436 (Ron) wrote:

The KC-10 can burn all its fuel or offload all but a couple thousand pounds.
We can easily burn the JP-7 fuel that the SR-71 used, it just doesn't
lubricate the fuel pumps as well. I assume the KC-135 is the same. Not sure
about the KC-130 with Benson tanks in the fuselage.
Curt
U. S. Air Force, almost retired

There was a mid air explosion of a KC-135 about 15 years ago. They had
offloaded all the fuel they could, and the pumps no longer had that fuel for
cooling. Something got really hot, and the remaining vapors ignited...


Ron
Pilot/Wildland Firefighter

More or less the fate of TWA Flt 800.
--

-Gord.

In article ,
362436 (Ron) wrote:

The KC-10 can burn all its fuel or offload all but a couple thousand pounds.
We can easily burn the JP-7 fuel that the SR-71 used, it just doesn't
lubricate the fuel pumps as well. I assume the KC-135 is the same. Not sure
about the KC-130 with Benson tanks in the fuselage.
Curt
U. S. Air Force, almost retired

There was a mid air explosion of a KC-135 about 15 years ago. They had
offloaded all the fuel they could, and the pumps no longer had that fuel for
cooling. Something got really hot, and the remaining vapors ignited...

That doesn't compute here. The only electric fuel pumps are in the mains
and the aircraft would be down to zero fuel before one was dry. The a/r
pumps are hydraulic are routinely run until the low pressure light comes
on.

--
Ron

The KC-10 can burn all its fuel or offload all but a couple thousand pounds.
We can easily burn the JP-7 fuel that the SR-71 used, it just doesn't
lubricate the fuel pumps as well. I assume the KC-135 is the same. Not sure
about the KC-130 with Benson tanks in the fuselage.
Curt
U. S. Air Force, almost retired

There was a mid air explosion of a KC-135 about 15 years ago. They had
offloaded all the fuel they could, and the pumps no longer had that fuel for
cooling. Something got really hot, and the remaining vapors ignited...

That doesn't compute here. The only electric fuel pumps are in the mains
and the aircraft would be down to zero fuel before one was dry. The a/r
pumps are hydraulic are routinely run until the low pressure light comes
on.


Found this online so far in my search...

"On Oct. 4, 1990, an Air Force KC-135A tanker exploded during approach to
Loring Air Force Base in Maine, in an incident that involved a rear refueling
tank rather than the central fuel tank. Witnesses said they saw two explosions
on the plane and then saw the tail section separate. Investigators blamed the
accident, which killed all four crew, on an overheated fuel pump. "



Ron
Pilot/Wildland Firefighter

"Gord Beaman" ) writes:

There was a mid air explosion of a KC-135 about 15 years ago. They had
offloaded all the fuel they could, and the pumps no longer had that fuel for
cooling. Something got really hot, and the remaining vapors ignited...


More or less the fate of TWA Flt 800.

Naw, that was that sekret manpad test; Ask Jimmy Kellstrom..
--
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