"Henry J Cobb" wrote in message
...
Kevin Brooks wrote:
"Henry J Cobb" wrote in message
...
And then you've got three pilots.

One pilot for each aircraft and then somebody in the back of the tanker
to fly the boom.

The boom operator is neither trained nor paid as a pilot, so your point
would be...?

"Fly the boom" is a common phrase in the USAF.

http://www.afmc.wpafb.af.mil/HQ-AFMC...eb/0226-03.htm

You need three people adjusting airfoils to make boom refueling work.

That's one more person than is needed for a probe and drogue refueling.

Heck, you could make an unmanned tanker for probe and drogue refueling.

You are still not making any sense. A boom operator is not a pilot. Flying
boom tankers are proven to handle a greater transfer rate than
hose-and-drogue tankers. So again, your point would be...?

Brooks

-HJC