Mid-air refueling tankers use a flying boom to transfer fuel between moving aircraft
Specialized tanker aircraft like the KC-135 Stratotanker use a rigid flying boom to transfer thousands of kilograms of fuel to fighter jets while flying in tight formation at high altitudes.
Aerial refueling tankers extend a aircraft's range by up to 150 percent using a sophisticated boom-and-drogue system. While both planes maintain a steady speed of 400 km/h, a boom operator precisely maneuvers a rigid tube into a receiver just 12 meters away. This process requires incredible stability to manage the turbulence created by wake vortices at 30,000 feet.
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