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McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. — A two-year collaboration between Aircraft Fuel Systems and Hydraulic Back shop Airmen has led to the Air Force’s first locally rebuilt KC-46 fuel return valve, creating a new capability for the entire fleet and saving an estimated $127,000 per fuel return valve. Four have been repaired so far saving $508,000 through the Air Force Repair Enhancement Program.
The issue began in when KC-46 pilots reported unexpected fuel transfer problems during flight. Airmen isolated the trouble to the fuel return valve, a component that regulates fuel returning through the boom system. When the valve failed, aircraft could not fly until a replacement arrived.
“The pilots were seeing fuel transfer problems, and when we pulled the valves, we kept getting the same failures,” said Senior Airman Junior Ramirez, Aircraft Fuel Systems Journeyman, 22nd Maintenance Squadron. “We were turning them in faster than supply could replace them. At that point, we had to look inside and figure out what was actually breaking.”
With replacement valves taking six months to a year to return from the manufacturer, Fuels Airmen disassembled a failed unit and discovered a small internal dowel pin was repeatedly shearing. During the teardown, they also noticed the KC-46 valve closely resembled the KC-135 fuel return valve, a component the Air Force has repaired for decades.
“When we compared it to the KC-135 valve, the parts were basically the same,” said Master Sgt. Ronald MacLaughlin, Accessories Flight Chief, 22nd Maintenance Squadron. “That meant if we could get the individual components, we could rebuild the KC-46 valve ourselves.”
The teams began researching technical data, identifying compatible seals, and sourcing parts that had never been ordered before for the KC-46. They also needed new Skydrol-capable hoses and fittings, which required additional research and coordination with supply and fabrication sections.
“We needed a hose that could handle Skydrol, and the fittings for it, and that alone took days of research,” said Senior Airman Andrew Heidkamp, Hydraulics Technician, 22nd Maintenance Squadron. “Once we had that, we checked our boom test stand and realized we could repurpose it for this valve. That was the breakthrough.”
Fuels and Hydro then worked with Metal Technologies to fabricate custom blanking plates needed for testing. After months of collecting data, diagrams, materials, and approvals, the component was ready for the first-ever local rebuild.
“Our hydraulic back shop Airmen did in three days what the supplier takes six months to a year to do,” said Master Sgt. Sean McAteer, Aircraft Fuel Systems Section Chief, 22nd Maintenance Squadron. “They took the valve apart, identified the failed components, replaced everything, reassembled it, and then created a way to test it in-house.”
With no official test stand for the KC-46 valve, Hydro Airmen developed their own setup using modified equipment. They performed multiple leak checks and function tests before coordinating with Boeing engineers to verify the repairs.
“Engineering told us, ‘What you did is perfect. Put it back on the jet,’” McAteer said.
Once the first valve was successfully rebuilt, word spread quickly. Within days, other KC-46 bases contacted McConnell for guidance on how to duplicate the process.
“We had bases contacting us within three or four days asking how we did it,” McLaughlin said. “They wanted the parts lists, the test setup, everything. We’re sharing the process so the whole fleet can benefit.”
The rebuilds have already saved the Air Force more than $508,000 through AFREP, and the capability now exists to repair any future KC-46 fuel return valves in-house. For the Airmen involved, the achievement represents the impact of persistence, technical expertise, and cross-shop cooperation.
“They saw a need, saw it was something we could fix ourselves, and they decided to take the reins,” McLaughlin said.
McConnell Airmen have now established a repeatable process that improves tanker readiness, reduces wait times, and offers a fleet-wide solution that did not exist before.
| Date Taken: | 12.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2025 17:04 |
| Story ID: | 553588 |
| Location: | MCCONELL AIR FORCE BASE, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, McConnell Airmen Pioneer First KC-46 Fuel Return Valve Repair, by SrA William Lunn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
