Flyover across Pa. celebrates 100 years since first successful air refueling

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- If you had your eyes on the sky Tuesday, you may have seen Air Force planes observing a special milestone. It's been a century since the first successful air refueling. 

A plane from the 171st Air Refueling Wing met halfway with a jet from Harrisburg's 193rd Special Operations Wing. They used a hose to pass about 5,000 pounds of fuel while flying at 300 miles an hour.

The aircraft flew over multiple state landmarks, including Downtown Pittsburgh around 1 p.m.  

"We hope that they see that we're serving," said Col. Ray Hyland, 171st Air Refueling Wing commander. "The bottom line is we're serving our country, these are men and women who work in the local community, that we're there for them. We're also national guardsmen; fire, flood or hurricane, we're the ones that get called out. Everyone thinks it's the Army but we're out there, these are the same people, we could be in your community tomorrow but we're up there today."  

June is also the 75th anniversary of the Air National Guard Base in Coraopolis where the 171st is located.