MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. -- A brand-new KC-46A Pegasus touched down and taxied toward its new home at McConnell, April 3, 2026. The moment represents the continued modernization of the Air Force’s tanker fleet and the culmination of a distinguished career.
A select team of Airmen from the 22nd Operations Group, 22nd Maintenance Group, and 22nd Medical Group arrived at the Boeing Production Facility in Everett, Washington. The visit offered a rare, firsthand look at the precision engineering and manufacturing required to build the world’s most advanced multi-mission aerial refueler.
The crew’s primary mission was to accept delivery of the Air Force’s 105th KC-46A Pegasus. For the maintenance crews in attendance, the factory tour was an opportunity
to pick the brains of the Boeing professionals who build these machines from the ground up.
The delivery flight itself featured a high-profile crew. Brig. Gen. Corey Simmons, Director of Operations for U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), took the
controls for the first leg of the journey. Departing from the overcast skies of Washington, Gen. Simmons piloted the brand-new tail from the Boeing factory to Travis Air Force Base in California.
“It’s been a life-long dream to deliver a brand new airplane to the Air Force,” Simmons said. “I got to work on the KC-46 in a couple of different roles, and to get to do this one time is like being a little kid again.”
The delivery crew met with a contingent of McConnell jets that had recently been diverted to California on a weather relocation. The sight of multiple McConnell tails
lined up on a different coast served as a reminder of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing’s agility and ability to maintain readiness regardless of environmental challenges.
After Gen. Simmons concluded his portion of the mission at Travis Air Force Base and continued on to his duties with USTRANSCOM, the focus shifted toward home — and toward a significant personal milestone for one McConnell pilot. The final leg from Travis AFB back to McConnell was commanded by Maj. Kyle Haydel, a KC-46 pilot with the 22nd Operations Group. This wasn't just another delivery; it was Haydel’s "fini flight," the traditional final flight of an Air Force pilot's career or assignment.
During his final approach to McConnell’s runway, Haydel was near-speechless. “It feels bittersweet,” he said. “And that’s all I’ve got.”
Piloting a factory-fresh aircraft for one’s final military flight is a rare honor. Haydel guided McConnell’s 25th Pegasus into Kansas airspace, bringing the aircraft home to join the world's largest KC-46A fleet. As the wheels touched the runway at McConnell on April 3, the aircraft was officially "delivered," and a chapter closed for a dedicated aviator.
After having some time to reflect on his experience, Haydel said “If I had the words to sum-up 25 years of pain, love, sadness, joy, triumphs and failures all culminating into a single approach and landing – I’d probably be better suited as a novelist. It’s an absolute emotional rollercoaster.”
With the addition of this aircraft, McConnell Air Force Base continues to solidify its role as the epicenter of global reach. The integration of the maintenance and operations
groups during the Everett tour ensures that the personnel who fly and fix these aircraft are as synchronized as the technology inside them.
As Haydel stepped off the flightline to the traditional "hose down" by family and colleagues, the 105th Pegasus was already being prepped by maintainers. Its journey
started in Everett, but its mission—to provide rapid global mobility and aerial refueling—is just beginning.