A view from inside: Mid-air refueling with the Alaska Air National Guard

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (KTUU) - Flying a cargo jet just 10 feet below another fixed-wing aircraft is not an inherently normal thing to do unless you‘re with the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson or the 168th Wing out of Eielson Air Force Base.

It’s exactly what crews with the 144th Airlift Squadron did during a September training flight in a C-17 Globemaster III, departing JBER just before noon before linking up with a KC-135 Stratotanker that departed Fairbanks-based installation a short time later.

Commanding the C-17 on this day is Lt. Col. Brian Marasco, a flight instructor for the pair of co-pilots on board; Capt. Erik Andresen and Capt. Robert Monfore, all of whom need this training flight to meet minimum training requirements and stay current.

However, to be able to complete this type of training, several factors need to be in alignment.

“There‘s definitely a lot of variables involved in linking up with a tanker aircraft,” Marasco said. “Not only do we have two aircraft we’ve got to get airborne, we have to have weather requirements to meet that.”

While it wasn’t exactly a bluebird day over Anchorage, weather conditions permitted the training to go forward as planned.

As Marasco and Andresen cruised through the clouds, they were in constant contact with the pilots aboard the KC-135 coordinating location.

As their eyes fixate on the horizon, through a thin layer of clouds the tanker comes into view. From there, a series of procedures occur before the fuel line is ready to connect to the C-17.

“We start at a mile behind the tanker, at 1,000 feet below, and then we slowly climb up below them to be a half mile behind the tanker, 500 feet below,” Marasco said. “Then, we slide into what we call a stern position, which is about 50 feet behind the tanker and about — probably about 18 to 20 feet below them.”

From there, both crews stabilize their speeds and match power settings before getting clearance to move into the final position.

Marasco is the first to pilot the cargo plane into position as operators aboard the KC-135 extend the boom. It takes a few attempts and some extremely minor adjustments by Marasco before the line successfully seeds into the C-17.

While the main purpose of the training is to successfully connect the two planes, on this mission, the KC-135 does transfer fuel to the C-17 after a cancelation left the tanker with weight to shed to be able to conduct other training exercises the 168th had scheduled for the day.

After successfully connecting and disconnecting from the tanker, Marasco transfers the C-17‘s controls to Andresen’s command.

To keep currency, aircraft commanders have to do one “plug” every 45 days.

“It is a perishable skill; practice makes perfect,” Andresen said. “It is not the easiest thing [to do].”

Through the headset, Marasco calmly talks Andresen through the process, repeating the phrase “wiggle your hands, wiggle your toes,” a tactic used to help pilots ease any tension.

Andresen successfully connects and disconnects a few times from the KC-135, obtaining his refueling requirements for that 45-day period.

Marasco asks if he would like to complete another connection, but Andresen admits he needs a break.

“Aerial refueling is very fatiguing, especially when you haven‘t done it in a while,” Andresen said. “It does wear on you if you’re doing it for a long time.”

While Marasco stays in the left seat of the cockpit, Andresen trades seats with Monfore to allow the third pilot the chance to complete his mid-air refueling minimums.

Meanwhile, crews on the KC-135 are also trading positions for training purposes.

After Monfore completes a series of plugs, Marasco radios to the KC-135 commander to ask if his crew needs any additional training. Upon getting the all-clear, the KC-135 banks left to head back to Eielson, while Marasco, Monfore, and Andresen discuss heading back to JBER to complete additional take-off, approach, and landing procedures — additional currencies they need to maintain — before wrapping up the training mission.

Monfore and Andresen swap seats again once back on the ground, each performing a couple of short takeoffs over the Knik Arm, before landing a final time to taxi back to the parking spot just outside the C-17 Operations and Maintenance building.

They discuss plans to reheat the chicken shawarma waiting for them in the fridge before they debrief their flight.

The training day was complete, and currencies were maintained. As the crew exits the cargo jet, the next group of guardsmen walk toward it to complete their own set of training exercises.

It‘s a 24/7 cycle of work that Marasco says he doesn’t regret signing up for.

“I would encourage this career path to anyone who is pursuing flying,” Marasco said. “Looking back over the years, it’s been a great journey.”

Marasco currently has 21 years in the National Guard, with the past 12 serving in the Alaska Air Guard. He plans to retire in August of next year.

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