The Air Force’s Latest Tanker Is Banned from Carrying Cargo and Passengers
The U.S. Air Force has indefinitely barred people and cargo from riding in the back of the new KC-46A Pegasus. The action is yet another strike against the KC-46A and Boeing, which has seen quality control problems since entering service last year. In the latest incident, cargo locks have opened, leading to concerns that cargo in the big jet’s hold could break loose and injure passengers.
The KC-46A Pegasus is the Air Force’s latest tanker. A military version of the Boeing 767 commercial airliner, the aircraft is designed to refuel other jets in the air. Secondary missions include carrying passengers and cargo (the “C” in the KC-46A designation). The aircraft suffered cost overruns and technical problems entering service, and earlier this year the Air Force twice suspended deliveries over construction debris, tools, and other items found sealed in aircraft.
Now, the service says cargo locks came undone during a recent testing and evaluation flight of the aircraft. According to Defense News, over the course of a multi-stop flight, the crew repeatedly checked on the cargo locks that secured pallets to the flight deck. Several cargo restraint devices on the KC-46A were later found unlocked. Unrestrained cargo pallets could suddenly move across the flight deck, injuring or even killing crew members. Such pallets could also shift to radically alter the weight balance of the aircraft, making it “impossible” to control.
The Air Force has filed a Category 1 deficiency report, which is reserved for serious technical issues that could endanger the aircrew and aircraft or create some other major problem. Boeing says it's aware of the issue, analyzing the locks, and is ready to issue a fix as soon as possible.
The KC-46A Pegasus will replace many older KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft in Air Force service. The KC-46A is powered by two Pratt & Whitney 4062 turbofan engines, each generating 62,000 pounds of thrust. The Pegasus can carry a mixture of up to 212,299 pounds of jet fuel or 65,000 pounds of cargo split among 18 88-inch by 108-inch pallets and 58 passengers.
Source: Defense News.
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