Posted on 04/03/2006 5:47:49 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON, April 3, 2006 All 17 people aboard survived the crash of an Air Force C-5 Galaxy transport jet at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Air Force officials reported. No official information was available on the condition of the survivors, who are members of Air Force Mobility Command's 436th Airlift Wing and the Air Force Reserve's 512th Airlift Wing. Both units are based at Dover.
The jet crashed short of the runway at 6:30 a.m. while attempting to return to the base shortly after takeoff, reportedly because of mechanical problems. The huge aircraft broke into three pieces -- the tail, fuselage and cockpit section.
A board of Air Force officers will investigate the crash. The last previous C-5 crash was on Aug. 28, 1990, during Operation Desert Shield, when a C-5A crashed after takeoff from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, killing 13 of the 17 people on board.
Stretching almost the length of a football field, the C-5 stands as high as a six-story building. The cargo compartment is 121 feet long, 19 feet wide and 13 feet high. The Berlin Airlift required 308 aircraft of the C-47 vintage, the military equivalent of the DC-3. Seventeen C-5s could have completed the same operation, according to a fact sheet on Dover Air Force Base's Web site.
The Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., in December 1903 was 102 feet shorter than the C-5's 222.9-foot wingspan.
The C5 is a BBW ... big, beautiful "woman". And built like a tank. Thank God all survived.
Excellent links, FRiend; thank you.
It's great all aboard survived. Sounds like most of them walked away.
The Camryn Manheim of all flying machines. Nyuk-Nyuk.
Check the coffee pot - sez Lockheed.....
After an accident, an Air Force aircrew crew is locked down for a complete medical exam, blood and urine taken and complete tox screen - for the use of the accident board.
If an Air Traffic facilty was involved, the crew on duty gets the same treatment...
Just business.
If I remember correctly, the C5 carries an internal fire suppression system. It also has specially designed fuel tanks that are self sealing.
It's happening, Lockheed is currently replacing the military engines with new commercial engines(very similar to CFM-6's).
The avionics upgrades are another story. I believe they are working it or have started some glass cockpit upgrades.
Yes the engines are usually the Achilles heel of the C-5, I should know, I spent 4.5 years at Dover as a Jet Engine Mechanic. I can't remember a night we got to go home early because there was no work.
Cheers
?????
A joke - the Lockheed folks who made the C5A also engineered the L1011 - even the coffee pot was over-priced.
C-5s were in fact flying in 1969. One of the oldest at Travis AFB came off the line in 1968.
Not boeing--lockheed.
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