AP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:49 p.m. ESTHoliday Travel Alert: Airports with Highest Percentage of Delays and Cancellations in 2024In the twilight of his footballing career, Nani found fulfillment in nurturing the next generation of talent, imparting wisdom garnered from his own journey. He may not have inherited the mantle of Cristiano Ronaldo, but he had forged his own legacy, one that was built on his unique talents, experiences, and unwavering spirit.kijiji bc 。

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The price of Bitcoin, the most popular digital currency, fell by over 30% within a few hours, dropping from its recent high to a new low. This sudden crash caught many traders off guard, leading to a cascade of forced liquidations as leveraged positions were automatically closed to prevent further losses. As a result, it is estimated that close to 570,000 traders were wiped out, their accounts liquidated, and their investments gone in a blink of an eye.While advanced fighter jets like the F-22 Raptor, the F-35 Lightning II, and the F-15 Strike Eagle may garner a lot of attention, these are little more than paperweights if they don't have fuel. One of the great pillars of the US Air Force's ability to project power around the world is its massive fleet of aerial tankers (the Air Force operates the two most common tankers in the world ). Tankers massively extend the range fighter jets can operate and the amount of time they can spend over an area of interest . The United States Air Force has operated refueling aircraft since the 1950s and some types of aircraft (like the Boeing B-52 ) have been refueled by four types of tankers - the KC-97 Stratofreighter, KC135 Stratotanker, KC-10 Extender, and the KC-46 Pegasus. This article will only consider the Air Force's main tankers and the US military's other aerial refueling assets (like the MQ-25 Stingray, the MV-22 Osprey, and the KC-130J Super Hercules). Here is a brief history of Air Force tanker aircraft. The need for a jet-powered tanker The first US aerial refueling tests occurred almost 100 years ago in 1929 when the US Army Air Corps used a C-2A biplane 'Question Mark.' However, while the idea was there, it didn't really go anywhere until the jet age. With the dawn of the jet age, there was a need for long-range from the country's jet-powered fighters, bombers, and other aircraft. "Making use of a Boeing-designed ‘flying boom’, aerial refueling techniques for the Air Force changed overnight with the KC-97. Instead of the probe and drogue method, refueling boom operators, known as ‘Boomers’, in the rear of the aircraft could fly the boom into the receptacle of the awaiting aircraft." - Air Mobility Command While jet engines were a massive leap over the old piston engines they replaced, early jet engines also consumed vast amounts of fuel. The US first started to address the need for air refueling by modifying aging B-29 and B-50 bombers into tankers. The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter was a long-range heavy military cargo aircraft developed from the B-29 and B-50 bombers (development of the C-97 started in 1942). The Boeing YC-97 first flew late in World War II and entered service in 1947 after the war's end. Soon a tanker variant of the C-97 was developed and the KC-97 Stratofreighter came into service in 1951. Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter Number built: 811 Propulsion: 4x Pratt & Whitney R-4360-59 Wasp Major piston engines Date serviced: 1958-1971 Developed from: Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter Status: Retired However, the KC-97 was propeller-driven, and it could barely hold formation with the Air Force's latest jets coming into service. The KC-97 remained in front-line service until 1973 (but continued to serve until the end of the decade with the Guard and Reserves). Incidentally, modern, more powerful turboprop aircraft like the Airbus A400M Atlas and the KC-130J Super Hercules are able to refuel jet aircraft. The news comes as the FASF is divesting its fleet of KC-135s to replace them with Airbus A330-based tankers. The Air Force's jet-powered tanker KC-135 Stratotankers The first Air Force jet-powered tanker aircraft was the KC-135 Stratotanker built from the Boeing 707 airliner. As the Air Mobility Command states , " Upon seeing Boeing’s newest all-jet airliner design in 1954, the 367-80, which would become the very successful Boeing 707 series, the USA immediately saw potential for an all-jet tanker aircraft. The KC-135 Stratotanker took to the skies for the first time on August 31, 1956 and it remains in front line service to this day ." "Strategic Air Command’s dream of an all-jet Air Force came with the arrival of the KC-135 Stratotanker. The new jet powered tanker could easily keep up with the latest fighters, bombers and other aircraft in the operational fleet." - Air Mobility Command With around 377 KC-135 Stratotankers remaining in service, these are the primary tankers in US service. They have also been exported to many US allies and partners around the world (although many are being replaced by the Airbus A330 MRTT or the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus). KC-10 Extenders The KC-10 Extender was built on the widebody McDonnell Douglass DC-10 jetliner (the DC-10 entered service in 1971). The three-engined DC-10 was selected over the Lockheed C-5, the Lockheed, L-1011, and the Boeing 747 in 1977 (which were also bidding for the contract). The first KC-10 flew in 1980 and soon became a critical part of the Air Force's aerial tanker fleet . However, the extensions also reduced the airframe's lifespan, and the last of the KC-10 Extenders was retired in 2024 . The KC-10 Extender was the result of the Air Force wanting a longer range and great fuel capacity aircraft to supplement the KC-135 Stratotanker. A total of 60 KC-10s were produced for the Air Force (and a couple of similar KDC-10s were also built for the Royal Netherlands Air Force). KC-135 Stratotanker: KC-10 Extender: KC-46A Pegasus: Number built: 803 (total, including export) 60 93+ (179 planned) Propulsion: 4x CFM International F108-CF-100 turbofan engines 3x General Electric F103 turbofan engines 2x Pratt & Whitney PW4062 turbofan Date served: 1957-present 1981-2024 2019-present Developed from: Boeing 707 airliner McDonnell Douglas DC-10 airliner Boeing 767 airliner Status: In service Retired In The KC-10 had a range of 3,800 nautical miles at maximum capacity and additional refueling pods mounted on the outboard wings that housed a fueling hose system. In the early 2000s, the Air Force had planned to keep the KC-10s flying until 2043 (although ultimately they were retired two decades early). The KC-46A Pegasus is the Air Force's newest tanker and is based on the Boeing 767 airliner. KC-46A Pegasus The latest Air Force tanker is the Boeing KC-46 Pegasus - built on the Boeing 767 (although the Boeing 777 and Airbus A330 were also considered during the selection process). After some selection debacles (including, at one point, selecting the Airbus A330), the Air Force selected Boeing's 767 in 2011 as the basis for its clean-sheet tanker. The KC-46A first flew in 2015 and was delivered to the Air Force in 2019. Internationally, the KC-46 Pegasus has also been ordered by Japan (six tankers) and Israel (four tankers) to replace their aging fleets. However, it hasn't proven as popular on the export market as the A330 MRTT (which is now the most common non-US tanker in the world). "The KC-46A delivers more fuel at all ranges and from shorter runways than the KC-135 aircraft it’s replacing — while utilizing less ramp space than competing tankers — ensuring mission reach from forward and austere airfields." - Boeing Around 93 have so far been delivered and the Air Force plans to acquire around 179 of them to partially replace the aging fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers. The KC-46 is able to carry a combination of over 210,000 lbs of fuel, and 65,000 lbs of cargo, 58 patients, or 114 passengers. KC-46A Pegasus tankers are being progressively upgraded over time making them capable of more missions. For example, the KC-46 has data links and Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) integration (which connects the aircraft with other platforms providing tactical situational awareness and real-time information). With three-quarters of the world's tanker fleet, the USAF dominates the list of aerial tanker fleets. Future of Air Force tankers The KC-46 Pegasus may prove to be the last conventional tube-based tanker built from a passenger airliner. The Air Force foresees different requirements in the future (which is why the Air Force is only partially replacing the KC-135 with the KC-46). Today, the United States Air Force has around 600 tankers - around 75% of the world's total military tanker fleet. Congress requires the Air Force to operate a minimum of 466 tankers (its unclear if Congress excludes the KC-130Js from its definition of tankers). Regardless, 179 KC-46A Pegasus tankers will not be enough to replace the KC-135s and KC-10s . Two future tankers the Air Force is currently working on are the blended-wing body JetZero aircraft and a stealth tanker being developed by Lockheed Martin. The Air Force will be compelled to keep large numbers of KC-135s in service until these (or other) tankers come into service in sufficient numbers in the 2030s. JetZero is planning for the blended wing body to become a commercial airliner. "The JetZero Blended Wing is the biggest leap in commercial aircraft design since the beginning of the jet age and the best first step toward the ultimate goal of zero-carbon emissions aviation. The aircraft will launch in 2030 with 100% SAF compatibility, and the internal volume to accommodate zero-carbon hydrogen." - JetZero JetZero (with Northrop Grumman) has been contracted to build a full-scale blended wing-body cargo/tanker demonstrator for the Air Force and says the aircraft should be operational by 2030. Blended wing-bodied aircraft offer much greater efficiencies and are seen as a key technology to allow the airline industry to reach net-zero emissions. The other tanker in development is the Next-Generation Aerial Refueling System (NGAS) being developed by Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works. NGAS is designed as a stealthy platform (which would enable it to fly closer to or in contested airspace). There have been discussions if the aircraft will be manned or unmanned (recent renderings of NGAS show it to be an unmanned platform). Currently, the NGAS is planned to enter service by around 2035. However, there are doubts about the future of the program as the Air Force has said it may prove unaffordable .This term refers to the phenomenon where students, instead of studying diligently throughout the semester, choose to put off their academic responsibilities until the last minute. As Finals Week approaches, the Procrastination Station is in full swing, with students scrambling to catch up on weeks of missed lectures and assignments.

In addition to his on-field performance, Ronaldo's off-field business ventures and investments also indicate a keen interest in building a legacy beyond his playing days. From launching his own brand of clothing and footwear to investing in hotels and gyms, Ronaldo has shown a keen business acumen that could set him up for success long after he hangs up his boots.In addition to the pricing differences, there have been reports of changes in the availability of certain features and functionalities for new and old users. Some users have noticed that new members have access to exclusive content or features that are not available to existing subscribers. This disparity in access to content has caused frustration among long-time users who feel they are being left behind in terms of the benefits offered by the platform.