N623MA

The airframe bearing tail number N623MA is a 1964-built example of the Boeing C-135 Stratotanker / C-135 Stratolifter, manufacturer Boeing, with U.S. Air Force serial 63-8471 now shown on civil registry as US-registered. This particular airframe is owned by Metrea, a corporation headquartered in Washington, D.C., and appears on civil registers under corporate ownership rather than military custody. The aircraft’s paperwork reflects its long service life stemming from a 1964 build year and former military serial, with public valuation and condition summaries not published. Notable registry actions are limited to its civil registration under the tail N623MA and the documented corporate ownership in the District of Columbia.

The airframe is configured in a tanker/transport cabin capable of accommodating up to 37 passengers or mission and cargo pallets as required, reflecting the mixed-role heritage of the Stratotanker/Stratolifter family. Typical mission profiles for this configuration emphasize medium-range transport and aerial refueling-adjacent logistics, with the listed cruise speed of 460 kts and a ferry/operational range of 1,305 nm defining routine routing options. Operator support and maintenance would be coordinated through the corporate owner based in Washington, D.C., and routine considerations for this airframe include life-limited components associated with its 1964 build and the modernized powerplants of the CFM F108/CFM56 series. Avionics fit for ex-military conversions often includes a mix of legacy flight instruments and selective modern upgrades to meet civil airworthiness and mission requirements.

The C-135 family occupies a niche as a heavy, long-lived fixed-wing multi-engine tanker/transport platform derived from Boeing narrow-body airframes, providing robust payload and range for governmental, corporate, or special-mission operators. Competing options in similar mission spaces include purpose-built tanker conversions and newer tanker/transport airframes offering lower operating costs; however, the C-135’s continued appeal rests on structural resilience and adaptable cargo/tanker cabin arrangements. Maintenance and resale considerations for this specific 1964 airframe emphasize the impact of age on corrosion control, structural inspections, and the economics of sustaining older hulls despite the benefit of modernized CFM56-series engines.