[simpits-tech] Tanker TTC records:

[Brian Sikkema]

http://records.fai.org/general_aviation/current.asp?id1=134&id2=4

Note the climb to 15,000 Meters (just over 49,000 feet), 8 minutes 15 
seconds. That's a SUSTAINED rate of climb of 6,000FPM to almost 50,000 
feet! Record set in 1988, still current. :P

Interesting side note, last time I deployed that tail, 3554, was out 
there. It's the only Active Duty tanker I'm aware of that still has nose 
art (the Cherokee Rose). Also while I was there, it got struck by 
lightning, blew off a couple panels near the HF antenna on the tail! 
lol. I was up while it happened, heard the chatter on the radio. Got 
some pics of the damage around here somewhere.... They ended up pulling 
the HF probe antenna off and flying it back to the states like that for 
repairs. Looked really weird without that big probe on the tail.

Brian