Boom operator brings more than fuel to the fight

Photo By Staff Sgt. Jacob Morgan | A KC-10 Extender crew of the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron prepares to land at night at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia Aug. 11, 2013. The refueling boom and hose and center-line drogue system of the KC-10 Extender are used to aerial refuel U.S. and allied aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Morgan)  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

08.13.2013

Story by Senior Airman Jacob Morgan 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION - By all accounts, he is continuously smiling. Starting with the phone call to begin the day's mission until the debrief, Senior Airman Turner Foote is always searching for ways to help normal duties. Assisting his crew and the maintainers wherever he can is something that comes naturally to Foote, but according to his crew, his hard work and attitude are one of the reasons they can stay focused on the mission.

Foote, a 28-year-old Jackson, Miss., native, could fool even the best age-guessers at the state fair. His demeanor and sincerity show the professionalism of an experienced KC-10 crew member, while his constant state of cheerfulness makes it seem, at 28, he has never experienced anguish.

As a boom operator with the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, he is one of four crew members responsible for an 88 million dollar aircraft that can carry 356,000 pounds of fuel, 170,000 pounds of cargo and passengers. While in flight, his main responsibilities include operating a boom to deliver fuel mid-air to U.S. and allied aircraft, balancing cargo weight on the aircraft, taking care of passengers and being a safety adviser to the aircraft commander.

"He is the consummate professional," said U.S. Air Force Major James Colbert, 908th EARS KC-10 Extender pilot and Foote's aircraft commander. "He takes pride in the aircraft and the mission and he has an enduring positive attitude that is a vital part of our deployment."

Sitting in the rear of the aircraft, Foote can see the receiver aircraft through a wide window and a set of mirrors.

Once the aircraft approaches, he controls refueling operations through a digital, fly-by wire system. Foote communicates with the receiving aircraft with a light system. The lights are used to position the refueling aircraft and let them know when to stop moving in or if they are too high or low.

According to Foote, boom operators receive extensive training because it is a rigorous job. Foote recalls that early in his career, when still flying with an instructor, a receiver came too close and the boom operator had to call a breakaway, a rare but scary occurrence.

"Several factors play into the difficulty of refueling," said Foote. "We practice a lot in the simulator, but in the aircraft it is different due to bad weather, a pilot in training, turbulence or many other factors."

The boom Foote operates from a pod in the back of the Extender is a connector assembly that attaches with a receiver end on another aircraft, once connected in mid-air it latches.

"We operate the boom mainly for Air Force aircraft and it flies itself once connected. Our job, once connected, is to talk with the pilot, keep them within safety limits and disconnect if we need to," said Foote. "We also operate the hose and center-line drogue system for Navy and allied aircraft, where they connect themselves."

The boom and center-line drogue system have automatic load alleviation and independent disconnect systems to enhance safety.

Another part of Foote's job is loading cargo. Foote has to work with shifting fuel, a cargo bay with specific pallet requirements and passengers.

"There are a lot of different factors that go into cargo including fuel, passengers and pallets," said Foote. "You try to remember all of the important information, but you can't remember everything, you have to know where to find the information."

Foote is responsible for coordinating with the aircraft commander and the flight engineer to make sure the cargo, the passengers and the fuel are properly balanced on the Extender. Potentially, he could be paying attention to the safety of the passengers, watching cargo and refueling aircraft all in the same mission.

"It's a lot of pressure for a new boom [operator] to handle all of these responsibilities," said Foote. "On my first deployment, I sat refueling aircraft for four straight hours making 16 different contacts. These aircraft are looking to you to provide fuel so they can continue their mission."

According to his crew, he handles the pressure quite well; keeping burden off of the rest of the team.

"No matter what, Foote moves the mission forward," said Colbert. "In the process, he has a positive attitude, cordially greets every receiver, never complains and is always a pleasure to be around."

• Date Taken: 08.13.2013
• Date Posted: 08.20.2013 05:47
• Story ID: 112258
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)
• Hometown: JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, US