Cadets Watch Mid-air Refueling

Civil Air Patrol cadet Ronan Kelley on board a KC-135 Stratotanker during recent refueling exercises

Photo: Civil Air Patrol

Five cadets in training with the Civil Air Patrol at Sanford Seacoast Airport recently got an up-close look at how military aircraft refuel in the air.

Cadet Airman First Class Gavin Merrill, cadet Senior Airman Carter LeConte, cadet Master Sgt. Ronan Kelly, and cadet Airmen Hunter DeButts and Ethan Lynn were on board one of two KC-135 Stratotankers when they refueled other aircraft mid-flight. The boom arm of the Stratotanker can deliver up to 200,000 pounds of fuel at the rate of 1,000 gallons a minute.

“The KC-135 flight was outstanding,” said Ethan Lynn. “It was an amazing experience that only a limited amount of people will ever be able to [have]. I learned a lot on this flight. The boom operator taught most people going for a view of the refueling about the whole process.”

The cadets were training with the 101st air refueling wing of Maine Air National Guard.