AIRBUS VOYAGER 100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
PATROLLERS AND AIRLIFTERS RAF CENTENARY CELEBRATION 91Left
The Voyager can
‘trail’ fi ghter aircraft
up to 2,650 miles
(4,265km) from base,
while off-loading 60
tonnes of fuel.Below
An RAF Voyager
tanker taking off
from Nellis Air Force
Base in Nevada, USA,
during Exercise Red
Flag in January 2017.
ALL CROWN COPYRIGHTAIRBUS VOYAGERAIRBUS VOYAGERAIRBUS VOYAGERAIRBUS VOYAGERAIRBUS VOYAGERAIRBUS VOYAGERAIRBUS VOYAGERAIRBUS VOYAGERAIRBUS VOYAGER
configuration in a single class, with
a 34in seat pitch. Contemporary
in-flight entertainment systems
are included, as is a fully-equipped
galley at the rear of the aeroplane: it
is as comfortable and well-equipped
as any modern airliner. The cabin
can also be converted to carry 40
stretchers or three critical care patient
facilities, with a reduced number of
seated passengers. At the same time
the Voyager can carry 243,000lb
(110,225kg) of fuel, for its own use
or for dispensing to other aircraft.
Although the aircraft carries less
fuel than the Tristar it replaced, its
modern Rolls-Royce Trent
engines are far more fuel-efficient
than its predecessor and it can
therefore off-load more fuel to other
aircraft while remaining on-station
for longer periods.
For refuelling, RAF versions are
fitted with two Cobham 905E
under-wing refuelling pods and a
Cobham 805E Fuselage Refuelling
Unit. Surprisingly, the RAF
examples, unlike those aircraft they
replace, have no probe for their own
in-flight refuelling.Aircraft which are only fitted
with the wing pods are designated
as Voyager KC2 while those that
also have an FRU are known as the
Voyager KC3.
The aircraft has a range of 9,200
miles (14,805km) but with full fuel
and cargo that is reduced to 5,200
miles (8,368km). Voyager can ‘trail’
four fighter aircraft up to 2,650
miles (4,265km) from base, while
off-loading 60 tonnes of fuel.INTO SERVICE
In July 2011, 10 Squadron, an
ex-VC10 unit that disbanded in
2005, was reformed at RAF Brize
Norton with its first Voyager arriving
in December. Training flights
commenced in early 2012 and
the first operational tanker flight
took place in May 2013 following
certification. Delivery of the RAF’s
first three-point KC3 tanker also
occurred that month. A few months
later, on September 25, the Vickers
VC10 retired and within days 101
Squadron, its last operator, had
re-equipped with the Voyager. Then,
in March 2014, the Tristar followed
the VC10 into retirement and
216 Squadron disbanded, leaving
Voyager-equipped 10 Squadron and
101 Squadron as the RAF’s sole
AAR capability.“In 2011 the UK aircraft made its public debut at the Royal
International Air Tattoo (RIAT) where it was formally
“In 2011 the UK aircraft made its public debut at the Royal
International Air Tattoo (RIAT) where it was formally
“In 2011 the UK aircraft made its public debut at the Royal
named Voyager.”
International Air Tattoo (RIAT) where it was formally
named Voyager.”
International Air Tattoo (RIAT) where it was formally