Photo By Airman 1st Class Patrick ONeill | 22nd Air Refueling Wing Airmen tour the Boeing factory in Everett, Washington, April 2, 2026. The Boeing factory in Everett is the largest manufacturing building in the world, covering 472 million cubic feet of space. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Patrick O’Neill) see less
| View Image Page
KC-46 Delivery - A milestone flight and a final farewell
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kansas — A brand-new KC-46A Pegasus touched down
and taxied toward its new home at McConnell, April 3, 2026. The moment represents
the continued modernization of the Air Force’s tanker fleet and the culmination of a
distinguished career.
A select team of Airmen from the 22nd Operations Group, 22nd Maintenance Group,
and 22nd Medical Group arrived at the Boeing Production Facility in Everett,
Washington. The visit offered a rare, firsthand look at the precision engineering and manufacturing required to build the world’s most advanced multi-mission aerial refueler.
The crew’s primary mission was to accept delivery of the Air Force’s 105th KC-46A
Pegasus. For the maintenance crews in attendance, the factory tour was an opportunity
to pick the brains of the Boeing professionals who build these machines from the
ground up.
The delivery flight itself featured a high-profile crew. Brig. Gen. Corey Simmons,
Director of Operations for U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), took the
controls for the first leg of the journey. Departing from the overcast skies of Washington,
Gen. Simmons piloted the brand-new tail from the Boeing factory to Travis Air Force
Base in California.
“It’s been a life-long dream to deliver a brand new airplane to the Air Force,” Simmons
said. “I got to work on the KC-46 in a couple of different roles, and to get to do this one
time is like being a little kid again.”
The delivery crew met with a contingent of McConnell jets that had recently been
diverted to California on a weather relocation. The sight of multiple McConnell tails
lined up on a different coast served as a reminder of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing’s
agility and ability to maintain readiness regardless of environmental challenges.
After Gen. Simmons concluded his portion of the mission at Travis Air Force Base and
continued on to his duties with USTRANSCOM, the focus shifted toward home — and
toward a significant personal milestone for one McConnell pilot.
The final leg from Travis AFB back to McConnell was commanded by Maj. Kyle Haydel,
a KC-46 pilot with the 22nd Operations Group. This wasn't just another delivery; it was
Haydel’s "fini flight," the traditional final flight of an Air Force pilot's career or
assignment.
During his final approach to McConnell’s runway, Haydel was near-speechless. “It feels
bittersweet,” he said. “And that’s all I’ve got.”
Piloting a factory-fresh aircraft for one’s final military flight is a rare honor. Haydel guided
McConnell’s 25th Pegasus into Kansas airspace, bringing the aircraft home to join the
world's largest KC-46A fleet. As the wheels touched the runway at McConnell on April 3,
the aircraft was officially "delivered," and a chapter closed for a dedicated aviator.
After having some time to reflect on his experience, Haydel said “If I had the words to
sum-up 25 years of pain, love, sadness, joy, triumphs and failures all culminating into a
single approach and landing – I’d probably be better suited as a novelist. It’s an
absolute emotional rollercoaster.”
With the addition of this aircraft, McConnell Air Force Base continues to solidify its role
as the epicenter of global reach. The integration of the maintenance and operations
groups during the Everett tour ensures that the personnel who fly and fix these aircraft
are as synchronized as the technology inside them.
As Haydel stepped off the flightline to the traditional "hose down" by family and
colleagues, the 105th Pegasus was already being prepped by maintainers. Its journey
started in Everett, but its mission—to provide rapid global mobility and aerial
refueling—is just beginning.
Subscribe
