Travis aircraft - all lined up for "elephant walk"

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Robert Couse-Baker
  • 349th Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Team Travis conducts a mass launch of 12 mobility aircraft June 29, 2012, practicing the combat capability of safely and swiftly launching a large number of aircraft in a matter of minutes.

The mass launch's close-interval procession of taxing aircraft is called an "elephant walk," a World War II Army Air Corps term evoking a parade of pachyderms.

The launch of six KC-10A Extenders, three C-17 Globemaster IIIs, and three C-5 Galaxies provided essential training across the spectrum of mobility capabilities, including flight operations, operations support, aircraft maintenance, fuels and air traffic control.