Page 1 - Edwards AFB Desert Wings 10-23-15

Volume 63, Number 17 Serving the community of Edwards Air Force Base, California October 23, 2015

www.edwards.af.mil – www.facebook.com/edwardsairforcebase

KC-46 program refueler touches down at Edwards

by Kenji Thuloweit While the KC-46s role is to refuel other
Editor aircraft, it itself may need refuel from other
KC-10s or KC-135s to extend its range. Fuel
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a Boeing 767-2C (EMD-1), departed from KC-46 acting in that role.
its home at Boeing Field in Seattle and
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Oct. 15. WREHWKHSUHPLHUEDVHIRUÀLJKWWHVWLQJWKH
Air Force’s newest capability.
The plan is to have the 767-2C here for
about two weeks. “For Ground Effects, Edwards AFB
provides calm morning weather and long
Boeing and the 418th Flight Test Squad- runways, including the lakebeds, both are
ron are conducting Ground Effects and Fuel requirements to take the data,” said Capt.
Onload Fatigue testing on the new tanker. Dylan Neidorff, KC-46 Test Operations en-
gineer. “For Fuel Onload Fatigue, Edwards
Ground Effects testing is to gather aerody- has a top notch Special Instrumentation sec-
namic data for updating the KC-46A simu- WLRQZKRSURYLGHVPRGL¿FDWLRQVWROHJDF\
lator as well as supporting FAA civil certi- tanker aircraft to support data collection on
¿FDWLRQ)XHO2QORDG)DWLJXHLVJDWKHULQJ the 767-2C.”
data to characterize the aircraft interaction
typically experienced when the KC-46A is Neidorff said Boeing and Air Force pilots
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KC-135 or KC-10 tanker. See TANKER, Page 3

Logistics Readiness Squadron aids stranded motorists

by Kenji Thuloweit Courtesy photograph by Robert Mejia
Editor

MOJAVE, Calif.—The 412th Logistics Readiness Squadron sent out four buses early Oct.
16 to assist the Kern County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol in trans-
porting motorists who had been trapped in a mudslide on State Route 58 east of Tehachapi.

Local authorities contacted Edwards AFB asking for assistance following the mudslide,
which occurred during the Oct. 15 heavy rains that affected the Antelope Valley. Many of
the motorists either left their cars to be transported to shelters or stayed in their vehicles
overnight.

Two Edwards AFB buses driven by Steven Schlecht and James Boyer transported about
75 people to Mojave High School where Kern County Sheriffs Deputies and the Red Cross
set up a shelter in one of the buildings. Cots were set up and volunteers helped with taking
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“One of the vehicles trapped in the mud was a tour bus with French tourists,” said Schlecht,
412th LRS Transportation section. “It was a mess out there.”

Alice Agenbroad and Robert Mejia of 412th LRS piloted two other buses that were sta-
tioned at the site of the mudslide in case more evacuations were requested.

Multiple mudslides occurred around L.A. County during the storm, which hit the Antelope
Valley hard resulting in road and freeway closures including the 58 freeway, which borders
Edwards AFB.

“I got a call about 2 a.m. saying we needed to come to work and help out the sheriffs,”
said Juan Lopez, 412th LRS. “The request went to the general and then came down through
412th Mission Support Group and then to us. It was good that they contacted us and we were
able to get some people out. A lot of the French tourists were elderly and it was pretty cold
out there; so it was good we got them to shelter.”

The section of 58 is expected to be shut down for a few days according to news reports
citing the CHP.

For more photographs, see Page 5

Town Hall The next semi-annual Ed- Briefers will include the For questions or
meeting wards Town Hall 412th Force Support recommended topics,
contact the 412th Mission
meeting will be 5-9 p.m., Squadron, 412th Security Support Group at 661-
Nov. 4 in the Airman and Forces Squadron, AAFES,
Family Readiness Center WKHVFKRROOLDLVRQRI¿FHU 277-0440.

(Bldg. 5620). and Corvias Housing.