Travis is also home to an air refueling
formal training unit (FTU). On average, 10
boom operator students pass through
the FTU each year. This is a highly skilled
and complex task as MSgt Lucero
Stockett, a boom operator instructor,
explained. ‘I have been ying for 15
years, my entire career as a KC-10 boom
operator. I have been a line instructor,
formal training unit instructor and
an evaluator. Once all new student
boom operators have completed
their simulator/emergency training
procedures within ight safety, they head
over to the FTU to complete the rst
stage of their air refueling training. The
number of hours each student takes to
complete this important element varies
from student to student; you really can’t
put a number on it.
‘Once they are signed o on refueling
day heavy and night heavy aircraft,
they will soon have the opportunity tocomplete their check ride or evaluation,
which includes multiple dry contacts in
the KC-10. Every student is a di erent
challenge. Some pick it up very quickly
while others need more practice
and training.
‘There are two types of quali cations,
consisting of heavy aircraft [KC-10, C-5,
C-17] and ghter aircraft. All student
crew members have to complete ‘heavies’
refueling within the FTU while the ghter
aircraft refueling training is generally
completed by Travis’ own in-house
instructors while they are assigned to
an operational ying squadron. This can
be completed at the FTU if resources are
available, but if this is not possible it will
be completed through the FTU’s mission
continuation training. Both ‘heavy’ and
ghter quali cations are required to
become a mission-ready boom operator.
‘After a student successfully completes
their air refueling check ride, they moveto the operational squadron where they
begin the second part of their training,
which is cargo management/loading.
Passing their check ride and learning to
load cargo takes approximately two to
six months on average. Once again there
are no set timelines or de nitive number
of hours for this stage — students must
simply reach the required professional
standard during their check rides.
‘By utilizing in-house training and
combining this with our front-line
squadrons here at Travis, this helps
minimize training time and acclimates
our students to the operational
squadrons as well as aircrew life.
Students really bene t from this because
every ight is di erent, and they are
always learning something new.’
The remaining shelf life of the KC-10
Extender in service is limited, but a
nal decision on its fate has yet to be
revealed. Travis AFB expects to receive
the new Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker
at some point in the next six years.
Until then, Team Travis will continue to
support the nation’s military, any time,
anywhere.Left: Maj Bob
Budde and a
student pilot run
through their
pre-fl ight checks
as part of the
early-morning
fl ight briefi ng.
Below: Budde in
the right-hand
seat of ‘Xtndr 10’
as the student
to his left takes
control in the
busy KC-10
cockpit during an
evaluation fl ight.
Bottom: Four
Extenders
basking under
the Californian
sunshine, waiting
for their next
training fl ight.http://www.combataircraft.net // June 2018 87
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