Stratotanker is gas station in the sky

The KC-135 Stratotanker is a gas station in the sky. It can refuel any aircraft in the United States military's inventory arsenal. SSG Lance Welch said, "This is actually it's sole purpose - it's called The Boom. We actually have three people on the jet, that's all it requires. We have two pilots and one boom operator, that's what I do. I lay on the back down here on my stomach and I operate this big poll in the back and we fly that into other aircraft; that is how we give them their gas."

In the boom pod of the tanker and the primary function is to hook up to another aircraft and get that fuel pumping. "We usually offload around 1,600 pounds per minute, so its 6,800 pounds per minute and for smaller airplanes it's usually 1,200 pounds per minute," explained Welch.

The pilot sits up front and flips a switch that pumps the fuel from the gas tanks to the boom. Lt. Colonel Tim Martin is the 506 EARS director of operation and pilot that flies the KC-135. "It's a conventional airplane. It's very similar to the ones we flew back in the 70's with regular throttles. You push it forward and you go fast," he said.

The KC-135 usually links up with the B-52 bombers but it has the capacity to refuel other military aircrafts as well. Martin says he always has all hands on deck to ensure things are smooth sailing high in the sky, saying, "When I'm refueling I try to maintain as smooth and stable a platform as possible so the guys behind us don't have a difficult time staying in position."

This KC135 is 51 years old. TSGT Erin Burleson is another key part of the operational chain as the acting crew chief, she helps maintain the KC-135. She said, ""It's a large aircraft so you tend to get into some heavy components, you need maintenance stands and special equipment just to help you do your job."

The KC-135 operated by the 927th Air Refueling Wing is a reserve unit based out of MacDill AFC, Florida is running aerial refueling operations until late-December. "Today we are here on Guam mostly to provide a presence and to remind the rest of the world that we are still here and these tankers can still cover the entire western pacific with any type of aircraft in the inventory," he said.

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