Moving to take the Stryker out of the "waiver world" into the "routine business world," Simmons said the Air Force is conducting extensive testing with C-130s, Strykers and the associated crews of both. A test conducted Oct. 15 verified that the Hercules' crew, Stryker's crew and infantry squad could exit a C-130 with a Stryker aboard in less than 90 seconds. The test subjects did it in 48 seconds.
http://www.dtic.mil/armylink/news/Oct2002/r20021021transcrip101502.html
Question: General, or COL Simmons. [inaudible]. Talk a little bit about the significance of the waiver required to move the vehicle on a C-130. How timely [inaudible] from an operational standpoint on a routine basis for 130 operations. Address that general point.
Col. Simmons, USAF: First of all, it's not very significant. We've begun training programs already to reduce the impact of the new size variance inside the cargo department of the C-130. The personnel on board conducted some drills last night. In fact, 15 individuals were on-board [a C-130 aircraft] with the Stryker on it. It took them 48 seconds to get off using the emergency escape hatch on board. Our target is 90 seconds.
The waiver process we use in the Air Force is essentially to raise awareness that we're doing something a little bit different than the way we normally do. The regulations, in the last 46 years or so, the C-130s have been deployed in a lot of arenas [inaudible]. In fact we have 153, give or take, different types of vehicles that have permanent waivers in effect so we can carry them on the C-130 for various reasons -- size, weight, whatever. It appears the Stryker will join that family of vehicles.