2018 Hurricane Season: Helicopters deployed for search and rescue take off and refueling

As I was perusing videos on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) the other day, I came upon a very interesting video that I knew that I just had to share with you. It is a video that includes a helicopter being refueled in the air. Yes, the aerial refueling is important and something that fascinates me, but more to the point is that these two videos highlight two HH60-G Pave Hawk Helicopters and an HC-130130P/N king aerial refueling aircraft from the 920th Rescue Wing. With a range of up to 504 nautical miles (or 580 miles) under what is probably ideal conditions I can see the importance of the aerial refueling aircraft.


This first video shows the helicopters and the refueling aircraft taking off to be on call for search and rescue work in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. The video (just under six minutes) is shot by Tech. Sgt. Jared Trimarchi of the 920th Rescue Wing/Public Affairs Q. Here is the description from the DVIDS page with the video

Airmen from the 334th Air Expeditionary Group take off to survey the Florida panhandle, Oct. 11, 2018 from Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, after Hurricane Michael left its mark on the peninsula coast. The 334th AEG is an expeditioary search and rescue unit made up of Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing, PAFB, Florida and the 563rd Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Aircrew took off in two HH60-G Pave Hawk helicopters and an HC-130P/N King aerial refueling aircraft. The 334th AEG is standing by to perform search and rescue if called upon by Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The second video (just under two minutes) was shot by Senior Airman Brandon Kalloo Sanes of the 920th Rescue Wing/Public Affairs Q.  In this video clip you will see one of the helicopters being refueled during the mission. From the description on the DVIDS video page:

Airmen from the 334th Air Expeditionary Group take off to survey the Florida panhandle, Oct. 11, 2018 from Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, after Hurricane Michael left its mark on the peninsula coast. The 334th AEG is an expeditioary search and rescue unit made up of Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 920th Rescue Wing, PAFB, Florida and the 563rd Rescue Group, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Aircrew took off in two HH60-G Pave Hawk helicopters and an HC-130P/N King aerial refueling aircraft. The 334th AEG is standing by to perform search and rescue if called upon by Federal Emergency Management Agency.