Boeing, Airbus fuel up for tanker battle in Congress

Times Leader ^ | June 5, 2005 | Stephen J. Hedges

[operation clinton cleanup]

A non-USA tanker should be off the table, even if it is "assembled" in the USA. Huge (all) DoD contracts should be awarded to those who pay the taxes in the first place.

[jettester]

Ever tanked up on the KC-10 with the NATO Pods on the wingtips and the boom on the tail?

[USNBandit]

Yeah, the war pods had just come out when I making my trips to the Gulf. Nice BIG baskets and when you get in the basket you push in the hose until the light goes green. The control inputs are really weird because you are battling the vortices and jet wash. It basically feels like you are about to depart.

The easiest configuration was tanking off the center hose on the KC-10, the toughest is probably tanking off the 130. Those baskets really move around.

[MARK4]

The last production KC-10 was delivered in 1988.

According to www.kc-10.net the year was 1989.

[AF1]

I would love to see these contracts awarded to American companies. However looking at Boeings track record and how they like to lay off its employees or shut down and move a company because they voted for a union. I don't like them! But then with every other company running overseas to put more money in the shareholders pockets. I guess Boeing is better then another overseas company cashing in on our sweat and blood. Damn I hated to say that. If anyone from boeing reads this, treat your employees fair!!!