RobK wrote:

That link is unreliable and much of it is guesswork.

46009 was the production test 'mule' and the first to hand over to the USAF, ie. leave Seattle.

46007-46016 are all in a state of rework from the USAF moving the goal posts.

46017-46021 were mostly done until the last moving of goal posts. 46017 and 46019 have been delivered to the tanker program but neither have flown since arriving at the MFC. 46018, 46020 and 46021 are all back at PAE being reworked.

46024 rework at PAE.

46038, 46040, 46041, 46042, 46043, 46044, 46045 have all delivered to the tanker program and are being QC'd at BFI before fly-away.

46041 and 46042 will probably be the next ones to leave imo.

JayinKitsap wrote:

RobK wrote:

That link is unreliable and much of it is guesswork.

46009 was the production test 'mule' and the first to hand over to the USAF, ie. leave Seattle.

46007-46016 are all in a state of rework from the USAF moving the goal posts.

46017-46021 were mostly done until the last moving of goal posts. 46017 and 46019 have been delivered to the tanker program but neither have flown since arriving at the MFC. 46018, 46020 and 46021 are all back at PAE being reworked.

46024 rework at PAE.

46038, 46040, 46041, 46042, 46043, 46044, 46045 have all delivered to the tanker program and are being QC'd at BFI before fly-away.

46041 and 46042 will probably be the next ones to leave imo.

Thank you for the good information.

RobK wrote:

Nice! That makes 5 fly-aways thus far this month. I expect that 46046/ & 7 will transfer to the BDS Program in the coming days and fly down to BFI for pre-delivery checks now that a couple of stalls have been freed up. Looks like 46041 should be the next one to fly-away.

The Air Force will not allow its new tanker to carry personnel or cargo after several incidents in which cargo locks broke free during flight, prompting the service to issue another Category 1 deficiency for the troubled aircraft.

Air Mobility Command, working with the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center and the KC-46 System Program Office, recently issued a Flight Crew Information File restricting the Pegasus from carrying cargo or passengers, AMC spokesman Col. Damien Pickart said in a release.

The restriction comes as AMC kicks off its largest-ever exercise here at Fairchild AFB, Wash., which includes all of its other refuelers and airlift aircraft while the KC-46 remains on the sideline.

The restriction was issued “following the discovery of cargo restraint devices coming unlocked during recent operational test and evaluation flight. These floor restraints prevent cargo and passenger pallets from shifting during flight, which might endanger the aircrew and aircraft,” Pickart said.

...

Ozair wrote:

Another Category One deficiency that has been discovered during OT&E. Great that they identified it before it became a flight issue for cargo or personnel on regular missions but another frustrating setback for the aircraft. Hopefully the fix is straight forward noting a reasonably large number of number of aircraft now that will likely have to be modified.

KC-46 Banned From Carrying Cargo, Passengers Due to Major New Deficiency

The Air Force will not allow its new tanker to carry personnel or cargo after several incidents in which cargo locks broke free during flight, prompting the service to issue another Category 1 deficiency for the troubled aircraft.

Air Mobility Command, working with the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center and the KC-46 System Program Office, recently issued a Flight Crew Information File restricting the Pegasus from carrying cargo or passengers, AMC spokesman Col. Damien Pickart said in a release.

The restriction comes as AMC kicks off its largest-ever exercise here at Fairchild AFB, Wash., which includes all of its other refuelers and airlift aircraft while the KC-46 remains on the sideline.

The restriction was issued “following the discovery of cargo restraint devices coming unlocked during recent operational test and evaluation flight. These floor restraints prevent cargo and passenger pallets from shifting during flight, which might endanger the aircrew and aircraft,” Pickart said.

...

http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pag ... iency.aspx

mjoelnir wrote:

Ozair wrote:

Another Category One deficiency that has been discovered during OT&E. Great that they identified it before it became a flight issue for cargo or personnel on regular missions but another frustrating setback for the aircraft. Hopefully the fix is straight forward noting a reasonably large number of number of aircraft now that will likely have to be modified.

KC-46 Banned From Carrying Cargo, Passengers Due to Major New Deficiency

The Air Force will not allow its new tanker to carry personnel or cargo after several incidents in which cargo locks broke free during flight, prompting the service to issue another Category 1 deficiency for the troubled aircraft.

Air Mobility Command, working with the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center and the KC-46 System Program Office, recently issued a Flight Crew Information File restricting the Pegasus from carrying cargo or passengers, AMC spokesman Col. Damien Pickart said in a release.

The restriction comes as AMC kicks off its largest-ever exercise here at Fairchild AFB, Wash., which includes all of its other refuelers and airlift aircraft while the KC-46 remains on the sideline.

The restriction was issued “following the discovery of cargo restraint devices coming unlocked during recent operational test and evaluation flight. These floor restraints prevent cargo and passenger pallets from shifting during flight, which might endanger the aircrew and aircraft,” Pickart said.

...

http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pag ... iency.aspx

We have here the product of the superior design and production capabilities of Boeing. They design products, that fulfill the desire of the USA air force.
- Every frame is delivered with surprises of additional items in unexpected places.
- The superior design insures, that only refueling can be provided, that than is not disturbed by unnecessary freight and passenger transportation demands.
- The superior design of the probe and drogue system insures, that refueling operations by the Air Force are not troubled by unnecessary refueling demands by the Navy or Marine Corps.
- The superior design insures that in flying boom operation, stealth bombers and fighters are properly scratched, so everybody sees that they have been refueled.

This superior designs insures, that nobody will steal a K-46 and will leave an A330MRTT instead. Who wants an multi role tanker transport, when you can get a simple single role tanker?

kc135topboom wrote:

https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2019/09/11/air-force-restricts-kc-46-from-carrying-cargo-and-personnel/

Boeing, what's wrong with you?

Are the MD guys still running the show at Boeing?

Cargo floor locks are simple devices.

You didn't have this problem with the C-17.

So what did you change?

kc135topboom wrote:

https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2019/09/11/air-force-restricts-kc-46-from-carrying-cargo-and-personnel/

Boeing, what's wrong with you?

Are the MD guys still running the show at Boeing?

Cargo floor locks are simple devices.

You didn't have this problem with the C-17.

So what did you change?

bikerthai wrote:

Cargo floor locks are pretty much standard off the shelf parts. They would be the same or similar for Boeing or Airbus. Perhaps military grade locks are different. Must be the cargo floor itself. Did Boeing use the commercial cargo floor? That would be different than the C-17 floor and may need to be tweeked when used with military pallets. But the commercial floors on the 747F is used with military pallets right? Just need fine tuning of the procedures perhaps.

Revelation wrote:

kc135topboom wrote:

https://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2019/09/11/air-force-restricts-kc-46-from-carrying-cargo-and-personnel/

Boeing, what's wrong with you?

Are the MD guys still running the show at Boeing?

Cargo floor locks are simple devices.

You didn't have this problem with the C-17.

So what did you change?

Wait, those C-17s came from when those MD guys were totally in charge of MD.

bikerthai wrote:

Cargo floor locks are pretty much standard off the shelf parts. They would be the same or similar for Boeing or Airbus. Perhaps military grade locks are different. Must be the cargo floor itself. Did Boeing use the commercial cargo floor? That would be different than the C-17 floor and may need to be tweeked when used with military pallets. But the commercial floors on the 747F is used with military pallets right? Just need fine tuning of the procedures perhaps.

Much more fun to rant about Boeing than to question USAF procedures.

The KC-46 definitely uses the commercial aircraft's cargo floor, but IIRC its specifications changed based on the military spec just before KC-46 went in to production.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — It’s been eight months since the U.S. Air Force accepted the first KC-46 tanker from Boeing, but the head of Air Mobility Command says the company hasn’t made progress on the aircraft’s biggest technical problem.

“When we accepted the KC-46 with known CAT 1 deficiencies, we did so with the belief that it offered the fastest route to achieve limited operational capability and meet an urgent war-fighter requirement,” Gen. Maryanne Miller said during a Wednesday roundtable at the Air Force Association’s conference. Miller used a shortened version of the term category 1, which the service uses to describe serious technical issues that impact safety or could result in the loss of an aircraft or life.

“Eight months have passed since our first delivery, and Boeing has not made any progress in addressing those CAT 1 deficiencies,” she added.

Click here to read more from the Air Force Association’s 2019 conference.

At issue is the tanker’s Remote Vision System, a Rockwell Collins-designed camera suite that allows operators to steer the boom into a receiver aircraft without physically watching the process through a window, as is the case with the legacy KC-10 and KC-135.

Currently, the RVS presents imagery that is distorted in certain lighting conditions, posing difficulties for boom operators and leading to incidents of accidental scraping of the surface of receiver aircraft with the boom — leading to two category 1 deficiencies.

According to Miller, Boeing needs to make progress in improving the “acuity” of the system, which currently presents imagery comparable to what a person with 15/20 vision would see. The company also needs to improve what Miller termed “depth plane compression,” which is how the user internalizes the distance between the boom and the receiver aircraft based on that imagery.

Boeing presented the Air Force with a “preliminary” redesign of the RVS that includes new hardware and software, Jamie Burgess, Boeing’s KC-46 program manager, told Defense News on Tuesday. The Air Force has not decided whether to accept it.

“The basics of the approach is to enhance the system so it provides more dynamic adjustment to contrast and varying environmental conditions,” he said. “It does more dynamic adjustment on its own, as opposed to the operator having to make adjustments. And then that's going to provide some enhancements as far as resolution.”

Burgess declined to say how much of system’s hardware must be replaced but did note that “key components” of the vision system would be changed.

“It's not just one thing, it's not just a camera or a display,” he said. “There are things throughout the system that will get adjusted. But we’re in the early phases of that.”

Miller said she has not personally been briefed on the redesign, but that she and Boeing officials have a discussion scheduled for Sept. 30. The newest category 1 deficiency, which Defense News first reported on Sept. 11, will also be a topic of conversation.

Last week, the Air Force put restrictions on the KC-46 that will keep it from being able to carry passengers and cargo for an indefinite period of time. The problem, which was discovered on a single tanker, was that multiple cargo restraint devices had became unlocked during a series of flights. Although the restraint devices did not completely open up and release the cargo, allowing it to roll freely throughout the cabin, AMC officials worried that such a scenario would pose considerable safety risks to personnel and potentially unbalance the plane during flight.

While the root cause is still under investigation, Boeing believes that the vibrations from flying or landing is creating friction between the rails of the cargo floor and the latch on the back of the lock, causing the latch to move to a position in which it is no longer fully engaged, Burgess said.

DigitalSea wrote:

“Eight months have passed since our first delivery, and Boeing has not made any progress in addressing those CAT 1 deficiencies,” she added.

“Eight months have passed since our first delivery and Boeing has not made the needed progress in addressing” the major deficiencies with the Remote Vision System and the boom itself, Miller said.

“We continue to work closely with the USAF and have a good path forward” on the Remote Vision System upgrade,” Boeing spokesman Chick Ramey said in a statement. “The team has an agreed-upon set of requirements, and we are in the process of finalizing the details of the system improvements. Our collaboration with the Air Force will ensure that the KC-46 is operationally capable and robust for decades to come.”

The Air Force currently is withholding about $28 million, or 20% of each plane’s cost, from Boeing, or more than $500 million currently on the 19 planes delivered so far.

JayinKitsap wrote:

Boeing mismanagement probably cost more than a Billion compared to a properly run program.

kc135topboom wrote:

The USAF had to use that money before the end of FY-2019, which ends today.

The Boeing KC-46A Pegasus in-flight refueling tanker formally transitioned into Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) on 22 October.

The US Air Force programme executive officer for the tanker formally certified the long-awaited process, the service says in a media release.

IOT&E is intended to test the KC-46A’s effectiveness, suitability and capabilities for its three primary missions: air-to-air refueling, cargo and passenger operations, and medical evacuation, says the USAF.

While the USAF starts operational tests of the KC-46A, Boeing will continue to work in parallel on fixes to category-one deficiencies in the aircraft’s design. The service decided to move forward with IOT&E despite the tanker’s lack of full functionality as it thinks in the long run it would be the fastest way to achieve full operational capability, which the USAF hopes will come by 2022 or 2023.
...

Amid criticism from the US Air Force that it is moving too slowly towards fixing the KC-46A Pegasus in-flight refuelling tanker Boeing is touting incremental improvements that is says should help get its troubled programme back on track.

The Boeing KC-46A aircraft is beset by three category one deficiencies: problems which could cause injury, death, aircraft damage or restricted combat operations. The issues include deficiencies with the aircraft’ remote vision system (RVS), its refuelling boom and cargo floor restraint locks.

Boeing believes it is within striking distance of fixing one of those problems: cargo floor restraint locks which have jostled partially unlocked during flight, an issue which could lead to pallets coming loose.

...

The company says it plans to retrofit the restraints with a secondary lock to hold the first lock in place.

The RVS has two problems: a 3-D video display system that distorts images and leads to depth perception problems for operators trying to guide booms into receiving aircraft; and a problem automatically adjusting to changing lighting conditions.
“It's primarily when you're looking directly into the Sun or directly away from the Sun – when the Sun's at a low angle, casting a shadow,” says Burgess of the RVS’ difficulty adjusting to changing lighting.

Boeing is also in the preliminary design phase of changing the boom actuator system on the KC-46A, which is doesn’t connect properly to the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. The A-10 doesn’t have enough engine power to push into the boom and compress the actuator, especially at high altitudes or when it is weighed down with weapons, says Burgess.

Boeing has also had trouble getting the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to certificate aerial refuelling pods made by Cobham. Aerial refueling pods had not been certificated by the FAA before and Boeing says it underestimated the time needed to gather all of the required data. The company believes the pods should receive certification by June 2020.

Ozair wrote:

Boeing looking to get the aircraft up to standard as soon as possible.

Boeing’s plan to get the KC-46A tanker back on schedule

Amid criticism from the US Air Force that it is moving too slowly towards fixing the KC-46A Pegasus in-flight refuelling tanker Boeing is touting incremental improvements that is says should help get its troubled programme back on track.

The Boeing KC-46A aircraft is beset by three category one deficiencies: problems which could cause injury, death, aircraft damage or restricted combat operations. The issues include deficiencies with the aircraft’ remote vision system (RVS), its refuelling boom and cargo floor restraint locks.

Boeing believes it is within striking distance of fixing one of those problems: cargo floor restraint locks which have jostled partially unlocked during flight, an issue which could lead to pallets coming loose.

...

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... ed-461841/

Re the cargo locks I’m stunned that the solution to this is not to fix the current locks but add a second lock…

The company says it plans to retrofit the restraints with a secondary lock to hold the first lock in place.

The video system is still only just moving forward with the delay apparently related to both parties not agreeing on the requirements.

The RVS has two problems: a 3-D video display system that distorts images and leads to depth perception problems for operators trying to guide booms into receiving aircraft; and a problem automatically adjusting to changing lighting conditions.
“It's primarily when you're looking directly into the Sun or directly away from the Sun – when the Sun's at a low angle, casting a shadow,” says Burgess of the RVS’ difficulty adjusting to changing lighting.

Continued issues with refuelling the A-10 that require a boom fix.

Boeing is also in the preliminary design phase of changing the boom actuator system on the KC-46A, which is doesn’t connect properly to the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. The A-10 doesn’t have enough engine power to push into the boom and compress the actuator, especially at high altitudes or when it is weighed down with weapons, says Burgess.

And Boeing is still waiting for the hose and drogue pods to be certified.

Boeing has also had trouble getting the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to certificate aerial refuelling pods made by Cobham. Aerial refueling pods had not been certificated by the FAA before and Boeing says it underestimated the time needed to gather all of the required data. The company believes the pods should receive certification by June 2020.

It feels like there is still a way to go before the KC-46 is delivered as promised.

Max Q wrote:

Ozair wrote:

Boeing looking to get the aircraft up to standard as soon as possible.

Boeing’s plan to get the KC-46A tanker back on schedule

Amid criticism from the US Air Force that it is moving too slowly towards fixing the KC-46A Pegasus in-flight refuelling tanker Boeing is touting incremental improvements that is says should help get its troubled programme back on track.

The Boeing KC-46A aircraft is beset by three category one deficiencies: problems which could cause injury, death, aircraft damage or restricted combat operations. The issues include deficiencies with the aircraft’ remote vision system (RVS), its refuelling boom and cargo floor restraint locks.

Boeing believes it is within striking distance of fixing one of those problems: cargo floor restraint locks which have jostled partially unlocked during flight, an issue which could lead to pallets coming loose.

...

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... ed-461841/

Re the cargo locks I’m stunned that the solution to this is not to fix the current locks but add a second lock…

The company says it plans to retrofit the restraints with a secondary lock to hold the first lock in place.

The video system is still only just moving forward with the delay apparently related to both parties not agreeing on the requirements.

The RVS has two problems: a 3-D video display system that distorts images and leads to depth perception problems for operators trying to guide booms into receiving aircraft; and a problem automatically adjusting to changing lighting conditions.
“It's primarily when you're looking directly into the Sun or directly away from the Sun – when the Sun's at a low angle, casting a shadow,” says Burgess of the RVS’ difficulty adjusting to changing lighting.

Continued issues with refuelling the A-10 that require a boom fix.

Boeing is also in the preliminary design phase of changing the boom actuator system on the KC-46A, which is doesn’t connect properly to the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II. The A-10 doesn’t have enough engine power to push into the boom and compress the actuator, especially at high altitudes or when it is weighed down with weapons, says Burgess.

And Boeing is still waiting for the hose and drogue pods to be certified.

Boeing has also had trouble getting the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to certificate aerial refuelling pods made by Cobham. Aerial refueling pods had not been certificated by the FAA before and Boeing says it underestimated the time needed to gather all of the required data. The company believes the pods should receive certification by June 2020.

It feels like there is still a way to go before the KC-46 is delivered as promised.

I don’t understand, 767 pure freighters have
been flying for years with cargo locks


Never read anything about a problem in that application, how is the KC 46 so different?!

ThePointblank wrote:

Max Q wrote:

Ozair wrote:

Boeing looking to get the aircraft up to standard as soon as possible.

Boeing’s plan to get the KC-46A tanker back on schedule


https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... ed-461841/

Re the cargo locks I’m stunned that the solution to this is not to fix the current locks but add a second lock…


The video system is still only just moving forward with the delay apparently related to both parties not agreeing on the requirements.


Continued issues with refuelling the A-10 that require a boom fix.


And Boeing is still waiting for the hose and drogue pods to be certified.


It feels like there is still a way to go before the KC-46 is delivered as promised.

I don’t understand, 767 pure freighters have
been flying for years with cargo locks


Never read anything about a problem in that application, how is the KC 46 so different?!

Different pallet system; military aircraft use the 463L master pallet, while civilian aircraft use the Unit Load Device system. The systems are not compatible with each other, with changes in both handling and how the pallets are secured in the aircraft.

ThePointblank wrote:

Max Q wrote:

Ozair wrote:

Boeing looking to get the aircraft up to standard as soon as possible.

Boeing’s plan to get the KC-46A tanker back on schedule


https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... ed-461841/

Re the cargo locks I’m stunned that the solution to this is not to fix the current locks but add a second lock…


The video system is still only just moving forward with the delay apparently related to both parties not agreeing on the requirements.


Continued issues with refuelling the A-10 that require a boom fix.


And Boeing is still waiting for the hose and drogue pods to be certified.


It feels like there is still a way to go before the KC-46 is delivered as promised.

I don’t understand, 767 pure freighters have
been flying for years with cargo locks


Never read anything about a problem in that application, how is the KC 46 so different?!

Different pallet system; military aircraft use the 463L master pallet, while civilian aircraft use the Unit Load Device system. The systems are not compatible with each other, with changes in both handling and how the pallets are secured in the aircraft.

Max Q wrote:

But surely these pallet locks have been around for decades in other military cargo aircraft?

Max Q wrote:

Ok, thanks for that

But surely these pallet locks have been around for decades in other military cargo aircraft?

Did Boeing change the design for the KC46 ?

747classic wrote:

The next KC-46A delivery BFI-IAB with callsign MDUSA16 at November 01th 2019, see : https://flightaware.com/live/flight/MDU ... /KBFI/KIAB

Aircraft data : L/N 1132 C/N 34127 B767-2LKC 17-46026 USAF KC-46A (VH026) LRIP 3, #03/15, N6018N, tail 76026
See : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... edit#gid=0

747classic wrote:

Some updates :

Three KC-46A deliveries at October 11th 2019 :

17-46038 KC-46A US Air Force delivery flight Oct11 #KBFI to #KIAB McConnell AFB as MDUSA13.

18-46040 KC-46A US Air Force delivery flight Oct11 #KBFI to #KIAB McConnell AFB as MDUSA14.

18-46043 KC-46A US Air Force delivery flight Oct11 #KBFI to McConnell AFB(?) flying as KAWW15. Destination not confirmed but was headed in that general direction.

747classic wrote:

747classic wrote:

Some updates :

Three KC-46A deliveries at October 11th 2019 :

17-46038 KC-46A US Air Force delivery flight Oct11 #KBFI to #KIAB McConnell AFB as MDUSA13.

18-46040 KC-46A US Air Force delivery flight Oct11 #KBFI to #KIAB McConnell AFB as MDUSA14.

18-46043 KC-46A US Air Force delivery flight Oct11 #KBFI to McConnell AFB(?) flying as KAWW15. Destination not confirmed but was headed in that general direction.

I noticed that I forgot to indicate the source, my mistake : https://tykesaeroblog.blogspot.com/sear ... l/DELIVERY

Ozair wrote:

Re the cargo locks I’m stunned that the solution to this is not to fix the current locks but add a second lock…