F-22 Rapid Refuel Published May 1, 2013 477th Fighter Group Public Affairs JOINT BASE ELMENDORF RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Airmen from the 3rd and 477th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons perform a hot pit refuel with an F-22 here May 1. Hot pit refueling is a procedure performed in order to rapidly refuel the aircraft and allow it to complete a second sortie in a short amount of time. During a hot pit refuel the pilot will stay in the cockpit with the jet running while the maintenance crews perform safety checks and refuel the aircraft allowing it to return to flight in less than 30 minutes. View slideshow here.