Here’s What Fighter Pilots Talk About When They’re Gassing Up in the Sky
Fully topped up, the F-22 Raptor can carry a lot of fuel. Even saying it can carry “a ton” of fuel is incorrect, because technically, it can carry nine tons of fuel, or 18,000 pounds, according to builder Lockheed Martin. That means it can take a bit of time to fill up in the sky, so the pilots and the aircrew that fuel them get to talking. Mostly about stars, and cookies, and stuff.
The refueler on the big tanker and the pilot of the fighter jet need to be able to talk to each other to ensure that the fuel boom nestles right in the fuel receptacle of the receiving plane, and you don’t get fuel spraying everywhere or worse.
But once the hookup is complete, there’s not much more to do than maintain position and chew the fat.
