‘So… there I was, the only pilot in the cockpit, and I had never piloted a KC-135 before!’ Roger Daisley, former F-102 pilot.
‘During the Vietnam era, I was stationed in Okinawa as a pilot, flying the F-102,’ recalls Roger Daisley, former F-102 pilot, on Quora. “I had just finished an R&R to the States and was returning to Okinawa. To get back, I caught a “hop” in a KC-135 (Jet tanker) from Travis Air Force Base, California, to Okinawa. Normally, the passengers sit in the back of the aircraft, where many times it is also packed with cargo, such as spare engines, etc. On this flight, there were about five to ten passengers, as I recall.
‘About halfway through the flight, I decided to walk up to the cockpit and chat with the pilots. I was wearing my fighter pilot flight suit. (In the KC-135, the entrance to the cockpit is not blocked or locked. It is not unusual for a passenger to walk up front and talk to the crew members).’
Daisley continues;
‘We chatted about “pilot things,” such as where are we now, what are you using for navigation aid (before GPS), how is the fuel going, and what is our ETA… those kinds of things. After about fifteen minutes, the copilot, sitting in the right seat, asked if I would like to sit in his seat for a while, while he took a break. The AC (Aircraft Commander), who sits in the left seat, agreed, so I slid into the right seat as the copilot departed.
‘After about ten minutes and more “pilot talk,” the AC said he was going to go back and get a cup of coffee. He got up and left the cockpit. So … there I was, the only pilot in the cockpit, and I had never piloted a KC-135 before! I sat there and contemplated and marveled at the situation (the aircraft was on autopilot).
‘After about ten minutes, the AC returned, and we started chatting again. He asked, “How long have you been flying the KC-135?” I replied, “About ten minutes … I’m an F-102 pilot.” No comment! End of chatting.’
Daisley concludes, ‘I logged 10 minutes of KC-135 flying time in my Air Force flight log!’
Photo by U.S. Air Force
