Quote:
Originally Posted by 3WE
-Expensive fuel tanker...
-Burning a lot of expensive fuel itself (as Peter says)...
-Requiring all the normal, expensive airliner maintenance...
-Staffed by an expensive crew...
-Expensive, special training for two flight crews...
-Extra crew member on one or both aircraft...(tanker has a "boom pilot")
-Expensive, special plumbing on both aircraft...
-Requiring special ATC assistance...
-A certain elevated safety risk...
-10-zillion expensive hoops and certifications to work through for permission to do this...
...or a truck and a rampie...
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Not to mention the regulatory problems:
§ 91.111 Operating near other aircraft.
(c) No person may operate an aircraft, carrying passengers for hire, in formation flight.
Although I couldn't find specific examples, I'm sure other countries have similar limitations in their regulations. I'm sure there isn't an FAA inspector or politician alive who will sign off on a waiver for 91.111 (c). When (not if) there is a collision and a tanker and passenger plane are lost, there would be political backlash like you've never seen before and whoever authorized the operation would be at the center of the storm.
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