Page 2 - Boom Operator News Today

Time this year, i would say im done. but i know it would be 601 after that. >> youre saying this time 2020, youre going to try to get there. talk about what you do in addition to this. what is your responsibilities with the air force? give us an idea of your service to our great nation. >> im an in-flight refueler, known as a boom operator. i refuel aircraft while in the air, whether a fighter jet or a bomber. many times they have to get refueled in the air, so i appropriate at this much a mobil...

Refueling jet flying over iraq and syria. captain clark polika commanding the massive airborne gas station. >> a challenging environment. its very rewarding. >> reporter: the first batch of planes, two f-15 eagle strike aircraft. getting them hooked up to the tanker at 400 miles per hour, a challenge for the crews of both planes. here is the boom operator. >> it is two moving aircraft. but they are moving at around the same speed. just the rate of closure that the aircraft has towards you, when ...

Captain clark pillica commanding. >> dynamic air space, challenging environment. very rewarding. >> reporter: the first batch of planes, two f-15 eagle strike aircraft. getting them hooked up to the tanker at around 400 miles per hour, a challenge for the crews of both planes. boom operator says -- >> it is two moving aircraft but they are moving at around the same speed, so at the end its just the rate of closure the aircraft has towards you when they stop whan you are actually able to give the...

Not too far from them. frederik pleitgen was in the air with americans assisting in the fight. >> reporter: this thanksgiving americans are in harms way fighting isis. on the ground and in the air. were on board a kc 10 extender refueling jet flying over iraq and syria. captain clark palika commanding the massive airborne gas station. >> its a demanding airspace. challenge but rewarding. >> reporter: the first batch of planes, getting them hooked up at around 400 miles per hour, a challenge for ...

Captain clark palika commanding the massive airborne gas station. >> its a dynamic airspace, challenging environment, but its very rewarding. >> the first batch of planes, two f-15 eagle strike aircraft. getting them hooked up to the tanker at around 400 miles per hour, a challenge for the crews of both planes. boom operator says. >> it is two moving aircrafts. they are moling around the same speed. at the end, the rate of closure the aircraft has towards you when they stop and when youre able t...

Of this huge strategic tanker. im here with the commander of this aircraft. shes going to tell us about what the mission is here today. >> this airplane is amazing. it is an air refueling tanker. so our primary mission is to give fuel to pretty much the fighter aircraft who are enforcing the no-fly zone over libya. thats probably our biggest strategic importance right now. were giving gas to them so they can stay over the air space and stay over libya for longer periods of time before they have ...

On his belly in a cramped pod in the aircraft tail. were right in the area where the boom operator does the business. its at the back of the plane. you can see gist over here another f-16 fighter plane is attempting to receive them. take a look. the libyan conflicts may seem a long way down. but this precise high altitude maneuver is having a die recollect impact. >> are they all united states f-16s? >> today. yes. not to say we couldnt refuel f-16s from the coalition partners. >> but this time ...