KC-135 Air-Refueling Tanker Project Title: KC-135 Air-Refueling Trainer Project Customer: United States Air Force

KC-135 Air Refueling Boom Operator Trainer in Use

ACME SolidWorks™ Rendering of KC-135 Air Refueling Boom Operator Trainer

Project Overview: The US Air Force uses just two KC-135 boom operator part task trainers to support all boom operators. Originally developed in 1978, these two trainers received a visual system upgrade in 1990. Even with this system upgrade, the aged technology impacted the trainers' effectiveness and reliability.  In addition, one of the two trainers was out of service due to outdated technology, unreliable performance, and age. These circumstances put tremendous pressure on the single, fragile, remaining resource supporting the Air Force’s entire worldwide boom operator part task training needs.

ACME Services Used: Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, Web Design Analysis Consulting, Fabrication of Initial Set of Projector and Mirror Mounts.

Project Details: The Government awarded ACME programmatic technical responsibility and tasked ACME with evaluating the two trainers.  The evaluation's goal was to identify a means to restore the two trainers to operational status while simultaneously improving system reliability, maintainability, and supportability.  The results of the evaluation indicated that the entire trainer needed to be refurbished and upgraded to meet the improved performance goals.  Approximately eight months after receiving the evaluation report, the Air Force exercised a contract option to have ACME completely upgrade the two trainers (August 2002).  Over the next 15 months, ACME upgraded the two trainers, one at a time.     

ACME’s trainer upgrade applied state-of-the-art technology while greatly increasing performance reliability, including:

• Replacing the existing Encore host computer, then re-hosting the trainer aerodynamic code on a new PC-based host computer
• Developing a new graphical user interfaced instructor operator station
• Replacing the single channel visual system with a new PC-based image generator and rear projection screen display system
• Developing a two channel, electric control loading system to provide force feedback for the ruddevator (boom control stick)
• Replacing the aural cueing system and installing a digital intercom system that matches the aircraft configuration
• Completely refurbishing the student station while simultaneously replacing all trainer instrumentation, signal input/outputs (I/O), wiring, and cabling.

ACME retained the student station physical structure, which emulates the aircraft and replaced all other trainer components thus completely modernizing the trainer.  Three new flat-screen monitors revitalized the Instructor Operator Station (IOS). One of the new monitors controls the simulation through touch screen commands, another monitor displays the student recording scene, and the third monitor repeats the Out-the-Window (OTW) scene.  ACME combined the remainder of the trainer equipment into three rack-mounts near the IOS station.

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