KC-46 completes flight-testing required for customer delivery

KC-46A Pegasus N842BA (c/n 41852) is one of the six aircraft involved in the flight-test programme. Boeing

According to a Boeing news release on July 13, company and US Air Force teams have completed all flight-testing required for first delivery, concluding its military type certification testing and receiver certification testing with KC-135, F-16 and C-17 aircraft during the second week of July.

Receiver certification testing involving a KC-46 and receiver aircraft flying at different airspeeds, altitudes and configurations to ensure compatibility and performance throughout the refuelling envelope of each receiver began in April. Testing was conducted from Boeing Field in Seattle and Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Further receiver certification testing of A-10 and KC-46 has also begun, with final certification of A-10, F/A-18, KC-46, F-15 and B-52 to be completed prior to the start of initial operational test and evaluation testing.

The KC-46 test team completed supplemental type certificate (STC) and formal military type certification from the US Air Force flight-testing in April and is currently working through the associated paperwork prior to STC award from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Six KC-46A aircraft have completed 3,300 flight hours and offloaded two million pounds of fuel during aerial refuelling with A-10, C-17, KC-10, KC-46, F-16, F/A-18 and AV-8B aircraft.