The Air National Guard’s 126th Air Refueling Wing at Scott AFB, Ill., reported a black letter flight Monday, the first in the history of the unit. The accomplishment came when members from the 126th Air Refueling Wing Maintenance Squadron and 906th Air Refueling Squadron flew a KC-135 Stratotanker on a complete mission “with zero discrepancies,” according to a press release. Black letter flights are extremely rare because they require not only an entirely safe flight, but the absence of any irregularity within the mission whatsoever. “A [discrepancy] could be a decal missing on a plane,” said Maj. Tim Huchel, 126th Maintenance Squadron commander, according to the release. Huchel said the last black letter flight took place two years ago at McConnell AFB, Kan. The achievement is even more impressive in the case of the 126th because the KC-135 is more than 50 years old.
Dick Cheney’s Legacy with the Air Force
Nov. 6, 2025
Dick Cheney, who died Nov. 3 at 84, is best remembered by most Americans as among the most powerful Vice Presidents in history, a consummate Washington insider who had previously served in the Nixon administration, was Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford, a Congressman for a decade, and Secretary…
