Air Force Col. Brent Toth stayed awake into the wee hours of the morning preparing for a marathon mission flying a KC-46A Pegasus tanker nonstop around the world. Toth relied on Netflix to help him stay awake by adjusting his sleep cycle in late June. The crew, composed of nine airmen, took off from McConnell Air Force Base on June 29 and landed back on July 1 after flying more than 24,000 miles. Dubbed Project Magellan, the sortie builds on previous records set by the KC-46A tankers.
The crew synchronized work-sleep cycles for crucial aerial refueling rendezvous during the mission. Throughout the flight, the aircraft and crew members stretched the endurance of the Air Force’s newest tanker jet. The mission aimed to demonstrate the KC-46’s ability to go around the world while preparing for a protracted battle in the Pacific. Coordination of air refueling rendezvous required months of planning and took place at several prepositioned locations worldwide.
Real-time updates were crucial for the success of the mission, with two teams alternating between flying and resting to match critical needs. Crew members were monitored for fatigue and enrolled in a Department of Defense-Army fatigue study. The crew credited their success to early work customizing sleep schedules and careful planning. The mission also marked a significant milestone for the Air Force, setting new records for the KC-46 tanker and Air Mobility Command.
