First flight as a KC-10 Crewmember

[C5Engineer 1170]

Hey guys! As many of you know I am an active duty Air Force Enlisted Aviator. From 99-05 I was a KC-135 Boom Operator. In 2005 the Airforce decided I needed to be a Flight Engineer and I ended up on C-5's. There's a pretty big difference between the Air Refueling and Airlift mission. I recently had the opportunity to become a KC-10 Flight Engineer. Yesterday I took my first familiarization flight as I start the next 8 months of training. I forgot how awesome it was refueling fighters over snow capped mountains so I thought I would share a few of the pics I grabbed yesterday.

 

 

The KC-10 can be a tanker or a receiver. We helped out some of our brothers for some training while waiting for the next flight of F-15's to show up.

 

 

Waiting for his gas

 

 

They fly pretty tight off of us while waiting

 

 

Ended the day with a spectacular sunset off the Oregon Coast

 

 

I am super fortunate to be able to do this for a living.

[marshawk 82]

Wow thats some pretty cool pictures,good luck up there

[dholly 718]

Way cool pics Joey, how different is your desk?

[Av8r3400 1179]

Wow.  That's awesome Joey!

 

First, and most importantly, THANK YOU! for your service it is so greatly appreciated.

 

Second those are some beautiful shots.  Anytime you want to show more, we'll take 'em!

[C5Engineer 1170]

Way cool pics Joey, how different is your desk?

Quite a bit smaller and simpler Doug. The KC-10 is a direct descendent of the commercial DC-10 and it's operated very similar. The C-5 had too much military involvement in it's development and as a result it was far more difficult to operate than it needs to be. I am super stoked about being back in the Air Refueling world. Hauling stuff from A to B is important but there's something about being right on the edge of the fight refueling fighters who are dropping ordinance on the bad guy that is more exciting for me.

[jjbaker 73]

Awesome pictures and thanks!

[Av8r_Sed 82]

Thanks for the pics, Joey.  That's some awesome scenery to backdrop all that airpower.  You may have another career doing air to air photography once you retire.

[thebriman 69]

Great pictures Joey!

[EDMO 1078]

Awesome and exciting photos Joey - Much Thanks to you and all of the folks who try to keep us safe.

EDMO

[tcj 150]

Those are great pictures.  After doing that does flying your Avid still excite you?

[Luked 71]

Thanks for sharing pictures. That's awesome. Congratulations on the move back to refueling. Looks like it will be a great job.

[Jbird 15]

Wow I love it ,that has to be a thrill, nice work Joey

[Bandit 286]

Glad to see you back in the air. Awesome!

[allonsye 85]

Thanks for sharing. Keep 'em coming.  Flying a big-bird w/a coordinated, well trained crew as a well oiled machine gett'in it done as a team -- there's nothing like it in the world that compares is there?