Eastern Air Defense Sector, NY -- UTICA, New York—Six New York Air National Guard Airmen assigned to the Eastern Air Defense Sector got an aerial view of the 15,000 runners who turned out for Utica’s annual “Boilermaker” road race on Sunday, July 12.
The Airmen, who are assigned to the 224th Air Defense Group, were on board an Air Force Reserve KC-135 Stratotanker that flew over the race that morning.
They specialize in securing air bases and participated in the flight—on a 914th Air Refueling Wing aircraft out of Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station—as an incentive for their exceptional performance.
"We flew right over the start of the Boilermaker," said Airman 1st Class Addison D’Gagata. "You could see the road and a whole line of people running below us. It was incredibly cool."
Seeing the massive race from the air was memorable said Airman 1st Class Wyatt Boris.
“Being on the ground, you see a plane fly by and it's cool,” Boris said. “But being the one in the plane, going over an event like that, is a completely different kind of experience.”
The Rome-based Airmen got a firsthand look at the global reach refueling aircraft bring to the Air Force, D’Gagata, explained.
“I want to explore the different planes and learn more about them,” D’Gagata said.
The aircrew from the 914th gave the Airmen a thorough briefing on the aircraft. During the flight, the Airmen got a firsthand look inside the cockpit to watch the pilots in action.
They were also given the unique opportunity to lie down in the boom operator's pod. From this location a skilled non-commissioned officer “flies” the refueling boom into the refueling receptacle on another Air Force plane.
“They had a lot of knowledge and were very informative when they were showing us different parts of the aircraft,” Boris said.
Based on the Boeing 707 jetliner, the KC-135 Stratotanker has served as a mid-air refueling plane for over 60 years.
Powered by four engines, this versatile aircraft can take off weighing up to 322,500 pounds and carry up to 83,000 pounds of cargo and passengers.
In addition to refueling other planes in flight, the KC-135 can be configured to transport sick and injured patients during medical evacuation missions.
The Utica Boilermaker started in 1978 with a budget of just $750 and 876 runners. Since then, it has grown into a massive community event featuring its notorious 15K, alongside a 5K, a wheelchair division, a youth run, and a non-competitive walk.
The weekend-long event also hosts a Health and Wellness Expo and finishes with a legendary post-race party.
The Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS), headquartered in Rome, New York, is part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and is responsible for the air defense of the homeland. The 224th Air Defense Group (ADG), an independent wing-equivalent group of the New York Air National Guard, is located at EADS and provides the forces to conduct the air defense mission.
The 224th ADG has several squadrons and detachments. The 224th Air Defense Squadron, the 224th Support Squadron, the 224th Security Forces Squadron, and a Canadian Element NORAD detachment serve in Rome.
Two geographically separated units, the 223rd Air Defense Squadron and the National Capital Region Coordination Center detachment, serve in the Washington, D.C. area.
For more information about the New York Air National Guard, visit http://www.dmna.ny.gov/. For more information on the Eastern Air Defense Sector and the 224th Air Defense Group, visit http://www.eads.ang.af.mil/