As a boom operator, I had a TS, but that wasn't the reason why. I imagine that's why the AFMC booms have TS, but not every one of us even has a TS. The minimum is Secret.

That don't make any sense but goddammit i love it.

A mirror is a terrible dust cap. They're like dust magnets. This whole thing is turning into a debacle.

Mirrors reflect everything, including atmospheres. And vampires.

No, that is the heat shield. It reflects the heat back into the atmosphere, thereby eliminating the problem of heat buildup in/on/around the capsule before it even begins. Problem solved. Forever.

The receiver position lights are great, but the receivers use them in conjunction with the yellow centerline stripe, their "sight picture", and boom operator corrections called over the radio.

I totally get it. The GoPro used in the video doesn't help either, with its limited sensor sensitivity and fixed focus.

Every A-10's nose looks like it flew through a rock quarry at some point. It wasn't meant to be a pretty airplane.

It's not the size that counts, it's how you use it (and how often).

GPS, ETCAS, and everything else have made rendezvous to 1/2 mile a lot easier. From there, it's probably pretty easy to get to the tanker visually. They still use the A/A TACAN but I don't know how much that helps fighters when the tanker is constantly turning though.

I'm glad I never had a night like that. The worst I had was knocking out the EL receptacle distance markers on a C-17 in rough turbulence.

There is some moonlight in that shot, but even on a pitch black night, the floodlight and nozzle light are good enough to see with. I forgot to mention that the receiver aircraft also have lights that assist with the refueling. The F-15 has a spotlight just behind the WSO's position that illuminates the general…

Refueling at night is really commonplace and is part of the initial qualifications a boom operator has to get to become mission ready. The KC-135 has lots of lights to help illuminate the air refueling because it's already dangerous, there's no need to make it even more dangerous by doing it in the dark (unless the…

Nope. NVGs are reserved for a very special version of aerial refueling which takes place at low altitudes where the lights on the plane would make them very easy targets for AAA and MANPADs.

Because that's where they keep the oven.

Thank you for that. I really appreciate it!

I don't know, but I bet there would be a lot more laws about Legos. And cat pictures. And pizza rolls.

It is pretty crazy. I'm still not sure how it works. I think it has something to do with being loud and/or money.

I must be lost and must have accidentally posted in the illegal war section with my stories of enthusiastic murder. No, wait, I don't remember saying any of that. I think I need your help identifying what I said exactly. Unless this is completely unrelated and you didn't actually read anything and you are just…

During that time, the crews wore parachutes, I think because of the less than reliable nature of the engines, but the idea of having to bail out in the event of the shit hitting the fan in such a manner was probably a big part of it. After all, during WW3, the gas belongs to the guys dropping the bombs, regardless of…