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Flight of the KC-10: Crew members talk about driving AMC's largest tanker

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  They were on the flightline here Aug. 4 going through their pre-flight checklists and movements like they always do.

As a group of four, this aircrew for the KC-10 Extender knows what they have to do to get Air Mobility Command's largest tanker in the air. Combined, their flying hours -- which numbers in the tens of thousands -- surpasses the time it takes to fly around the world more than 100 times. To them, however, it's another day on the job where they will "drive" on to their home station at Travis AFB, Calif.

The KC-10, which first entered service in March 1981, has a cargo payload of up to 170,000 pounds and can carry up to 356,000 pounds of fuel and 75 passengers. Although its primary mission is that of an aerial refueler, the KC-10 can combine the tasks of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refueling fighters and simultaneously carry the fighter support personnel and equipment on an overseas deployment. The versatile plane is also capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations.

"That's why I love this plane - it can do so much," said Senior Master Sgt. Sara Galvin, a KC-10 flight engineer from the 9th Air Refueling Squadron at Travis AFB.

As a flight engineer, it is Sergeant Galvin's job to "pre-flight" the KC-10 before it goes on a mission.

"I come in right after the maintenance crew chief finishes his preparations," said Sergeant Galvin, who has more than 8,000 flying hours as a KC-10 flight engineer and overall had 10,016.8 hours after the flight to Travis. "I check all around the plane, get the flight deck ready for the pilots, and work with the other aircrew members to get the pre-departure checklist items completed. Really, it's a team effort by all of us."

Part of that team is the aircraft commander. On the Aug. 4 flight, that duty went to Lt. Col. Chad Johnson - also from the 9th ARS. When he's doing that role, he said he's not only thinking about completing the preflight preparations, he's also going through step-by-step in his mind all the things his team will need to do to have another successful mission.

"As an aircraft commander, you are always concerned with the mission," Colonel Johnson said.

Colonel Johnson has been flying airplanes -- KC-10s in particular -- for more than 22 years either on active duty or in the Air Force Reserve. When asked about his job as a pilot, he said, "I love it...it's a great career."

Colonel Johnson also added that his love for his job amounts to the fact that he knows how crucial the air refueling mission is to the Air Force's overall mission to "fly, fight and win...in air, space and cyberspace."

"We can't do our wartime mission without air refueling," Colonel Johnson said. "Every aircraft (in the Air Force) has to have the ability to be extended to deliver the things the warfighter needs. Additionally, air refueling allows us to fight in a manner in which we want to fight our wars. It's very important."

The importance of the mobility warfighter and air refueling especially hits home for KC-10 pilot Maj. Jay Johnson, who is assigned with the 571st Global Mobility Readiness Squadron at Travis as part of AMC's Phoenix Mobility professional development program. Phoenix Mobility offers selected officers to learn and become fluent in air and space operations center operations, contingency response wing operations, and en route mobility operations.

"For me, being assigned under the 615th Contingency Response Wing construct, I'm able to learn all about contingency response group operations such as air base opening and humanitarian relief operations," Major Johnson said. "On top of that, I'm still able to keep current on my flying status. It's an experience that provides the best of both worlds in both air and ground operations."

Major Johnson said every time he's "got the stick" for the KC-10 it reminds him that the plane will always be a vital piece of air mobility puzzle.

"I'm proud to be able to even sit in this seat," Major Johnson said. "From all I've learned from working with all the career fields in the CRG, it makes me appreciate what I do even more."

Major Johnson noted that without the air refueling, airlift and other capabilities the KC-10 brings to the air mobility mission, Airmen like his fellow CRG members wouldn't have the "global reach" capability they need to immediately respond to any crisis. "It's a great plane," he said.

As the KC-10 began its downward approach to Travis AFB from the 36,000 feet that it had been cruising at for several hours, boom operator Staff Sgt. Dan Rufkahr, also from the 9th ARS, stepped into the flight deck and announced, "I'm going to start getting things ready in the back."

For the five hour trip from Illinois to California, Sergeant Rufkahr had cared for more than 20 passengers and everything else from the flight deck back to the boom pod. Besides being the person who's in charge of refueling planes, the boom operator also in charge of caring for the passengers. Sergeant Galvin said she appreciates everything she's seen boom operators do throughout her 27-and-a-half-year career.

"The booms are such an important part of the air refueling mission," Sergeant Galvin said. "Up front, it's our pleasure to drive them to work."

After the 181-foot, 7-inch KC-10 landed on the Travis AFB runway then taxied to a parking space on the ramp and came to a stop, each of the four crew members began their post-flight work. Soon after that was done and all the passengers were gone, they left their unit and went on home until they have to do it all over again.

"I don't know what it is, but doing this is such a wonderful thing," Sergeant Galvin said. "I get to fly in a beautiful airplane and have an office with a great view. Doing this just never gets old. So, until next time, that's it for today."