Back on the subject of new Boeing patents, here is one for "a method for facilitating emergency separation of in-flight refueling system components". Basically it is a "fuse" located between the hose and its drogue to allow the drogue to separate from the hose before damaging the probe or the hose.
If you wonder why such a thing might be needed, I have put together a compilation of clips showing things that can go wrong during aerial refuelling...
And while on the subject of aerial refueling...
I know boom refueling makes sense for bombers and heavy transports, but has anyone ever worked out what it has cost the US Air Force over the decades to use a system that limits its tankers to refueling one fighter at a time and which is incompatible with the systems used by its sister US services and many of its allies?
You will never see a US Air Force tanker doing this...
US Navy Convair R3Y Tradewind refuels four Grumman F9F Cougars
Comments (1)
And this sounds like fun: http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/manual/6/6-23.php
Posted by Kieran Daly | November 13, 2007 1:15 PM
Posted on November 13, 2007 13:15