Mobility Airman profile: Travis captain pilots KC-10 for combat air refueling missions over Afghanistan

Published Dec. 16, 2010
By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- The KC-10 Extender has a maximum take-off weight of 590,000 pounds. Most of that weight is fuel is stored in the plane's six fuel tanks that can hold more than 356,000 pounds of jet fuel.

Getting that fully-loaded Extender into the air takes the skill of the entire aircrew -- pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and boom operator -- and all of the 52,500 pounds of thrust from each of the KC-10's three engines. So it's no wonder that Capt. Nicholas Collins, a KC-10 Extender pilot deployed to the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia, has a challenge in "driving" a KC-10 for regular combat air refueling missions over Afghanistan.

Captain Collins, as part of the 908th EARS, supports air refueling operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility for operations New Dawn and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The 908th is part of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing.

Deployed from the 9th Air Refueling Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., Captain Collins is trained to meet the demands of flying the Air Force's largest air refueling tanker aircraft. Becoming a pilot in the Air Force is not easy -- it requires years of training and practice. According to the Air Force specialty description for 11T2, qualified pilot/co-pilot, Airmen in Captain Collins' field are required to plan and prepare for missions and review mission taskings, intelligence and weather information.

They also supervise mission planning, preparation and filing of flight plans and crew briefings while at the same time ensuring their aircraft is pre-flighted, inspected, loaded, equipped and manned for missions. All of this is done in addition to the actual physical act of flying the aircraft.

Airmen like Captain Collins also command crews. They are trained to operate aircraft controls and equipment and perform, supervise, or direct navigation, in-flight refueling, and cargo and passenger delivery. They also ensure the operational readiness of the crew by conducting or supervising mission specific training and they develop plans and policies, monitor operations and assist commanders with functions related to airlift operations, the job description shows.

Captain Collins also has to maintain mandatory job knowledge in the theory of flight, air navigation, meteorology, flying directives, aircraft operating procedures and mission tactics. Keeping and maintaining that knowledge is important considering air refueling Airmen are having one of their busiest years in air refueling in 2010.

As of Nov. 30, 2010, Airmen supporting the air refueling mission in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility have off-loaded more than 962 million pounds of fuel to more than 76,000 aircraft for wartime operations, Air Forces Central statistics show.

At his home station with Air Mobility Command's 60th AMW, Captain Collins supports a mission responsible for strategic airlift and air refueling missions circling the globe, the wing's fact sheet states. The unit's primary roles are "to provide rapid, reliable airlift of American fighting forces anywhere on earth in support of national objectives and to extend the reach of American and allied air power through mid-air refueling."

At the 380th AEW, Captain Collins supports a deployed mission that includes air refueling, surveillance, reconnaissance and air battle management in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia.