The US Air Force needed (cough cough) a new refueling tanker aircraft. Boeing and Airbus/Northrop Grumman submitted contenders and the Airbus/NG proposal was chosen. Boeing protested this decision and long story short Boeing now has that contract.
The tanker, simply put, isn't working yet. Why? Because Boeing decided to take the boom operator, who used to ride in the back with a rear window to see the boom and fuel receivers, and instead place him up front and give him a fancy 3D-like display powered by multiple cameras and something like 3D glasses. This system does not perform well at all. But they're stuck with it now.
Because Boeing decided to take the boom operator, who used to ride in the back with a rear window to see the boom and fuel receivers, and instead place him up front and give him a fancy 3D-like display powered by multiple cameras and something like 3D glasses.
When you absolutely, positively, want to go out like a shooting star...
Nobody has mentioned the KC-46.
The US Air Force needed (cough cough) a new refueling tanker aircraft. Boeing and Airbus/Northrop Grumman submitted contenders and the Airbus/NG proposal was chosen. Boeing protested this decision and long story short Boeing now has that contract.
The tanker, simply put, isn't working yet. Why? Because Boeing decided to take the boom operator, who used to ride in the back with a rear window to see the boom and fuel receivers, and instead place him up front and give him a fancy 3D-like display powered by multiple cameras and something like 3D glasses. This system does not perform well at all. But they're stuck with it now.
When you absolutely, positively, want to go out like a shooting star...