Kaboom! Refueling plans ablaze by the sea

Following news of the - thankfully non-lethal - Omega Aerial Refueling 707 crash in California, I can't help but wonder how this will affect air forces and upcoming air shows.

Until the K-707 crashed with 150,000lbs of jet fuel, Omega had just two K-707s and one KDC-10 tanker.  

I saw the KDC-10 at Aero India a few months ago. It was there supporting Boeing's ultimately ill-fated F-18E/F Super Hornet bid for the MMRCA competition. Boeing test pilot Ricardo Traven told me that the KDC-10 was of critical importance in getting a pair of US Navy Super Hornets and Boeing support personnel to Bangalore. Aside from refueling the F-18s in flight, the large cabin (the aircraft was formerly a JAL DC-10) had more than enough space for a full support team.

Two weeks later on the eve of Australia's Avalon show RAAF chief Mark Biskin told me Australia is still using Omega while it awaits the long-delayed A330-based KC-30A tanker.

There are not many commercial tankers around, so the loss of the K-707 will certainly be felt. I would also be curious to know where the crashed aircraft was heading with all that fuel.

Wonder what Omega will comes up with as a replacement. Another KDC-10, perhaps?