Why Do Tanker Planes Have Cabin Windows? — Civil Aviation Forum

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Why Do Tanker Planes Have Cabin Windows?

OD-BWH From Lebanon, joined Jan 2002, 398 posts, RR: 3
Posted (3 years 11 months 21 hours ago) and read 4945 times:

check this:

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Photo © French Frogs Aviation Pictures
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This aircraft is newly produced, and there are cabin windows! I've always thought tankers are like freighters!

A300, A319, A320, A321, A332, A333, A343, A346, B734, B738, B772, B773, F70

7 replies: All unread, jump to last

WCS From Canada, joined Apr 2007, 255 posts, RR: 17
Reply 1, posted (3 years 11 months 21 hours ago) and read 4896 times:

Hi,

Mainly because this is a MRTT aka Multi Role Transport Tanker. The plane is based on the full PAX A330 fuselage. The main deck could accommodates either freight or PAX. According Wiki, this plane could seats as many as 380 PAX!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A330_MRTT

WCS

FLY SKYTEAM JETS

Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19708 posts, RR: 56
Reply 2, posted (3 years 11 months 21 hours ago) and read 4888 times:

Tankers aren't completely full of fuel - it would be far too heavy. There is actually quite a lot of usable floor space inside, where you could put some seats for carrying troops or something like that. And if you're going to be carrying people on a fairly regular basis, it makes sense to have the windows.

They also make it a lot easier to see aircraft who are coming to refuel.

-Mir

7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day

AirbusA370 From Germany, joined Dec 2008, 242 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (3 years 11 months 20 hours ago) and read 4819 times:

In fact, in this case there are no extra fuel tanks. The standard A330's tanks are big enough to act as a tanker reservoir.

When not in use as tanker, this plane can very well transport cargo or troops or even move equipment and maintenance crew along with the fighters to their destination during a tanker mission.

BMIFlyer From UK - England, joined Feb 2004, 8810 posts, RR: 62
Reply 4, posted (3 years 11 months 19 hours ago) and read 4688 times:

The aircraft in the picture is part of a new fleet that will replace the L1011 / VC10 fleet, eventually. They will provide the RAF with its future Troop Transport / Mid Air Refulling needs.

Lee

Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own

Stitch From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 26700 posts, RR: 83
Reply 5, posted (3 years 11 months 14 hours ago) and read 4414 times:

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Quoting OD-BWH (Thread starter):
This aircraft is newly produced, and there are cabin windows! I've always thought tankers are like freighters!

This is not the case with the A330 since there is no freighter model currently in production. So the A330MRTT and the KC-30B (for the RAAF) use the A330-200 fuselage which have the window belt.

The KC-30A proposed for the USAF KC-X program will also be built on the A330-200, so it too should enter service with the window belts present should it be chosen.

Boeing's KC-767ADV proposed for the same program will use the 767-200 freighter shell so it will not have windows. The KC-767s currently in production for the JASF and the Aeronautica Militare also are based on freighters and do not have the window belts.

[Edited 2009-06-27 11:22:29]

Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21481 posts, RR: 24
Reply 6, posted (3 years 11 months 12 hours ago) and read 4208 times:

Quoting Stitch (Reply 5):
The KC-767s currently in production for the JASF and the Aeronautica Militare also are based on freighters and do not have the window belts.

Those aircraft are based on the 767-200 airframe. As far as I know, there was never a factory-built 767-200 freighter. All the 762s currently operating as freighters are converted passenger aircraft. The only factory-built 767 freighter is based on the 767-300ER.

Stitch From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 26700 posts, RR: 83
Reply 7, posted (3 years 11 months 12 hours ago) and read 4180 times:

Yup, you're right Viscount724. They just cover the windows which makes it look like none are fitted, but the window belt is there if you look hard enough.

I knew Boeing didn't offer a factory 767-200 freighter, but I thought perhaps they could apply the "no window belt" sections from the 767-300 freighter (and yes, I understand some of the fuselage sections would be shorter on the 767-200, but I figured they might be able to be "fitted to length").

I wonder if Boeing will go with a "non-window" belt for the 767-200LRF if they do launch it.

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