Posted on 06/21/2006 8:45:38 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative
MARIETTA, Ga., June 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The newly modernized Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News) C-5M Super Galaxy took to the skies for the first time today from Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. This modernized C-5M safeguards the U.S. government's capability to move massive amounts of cargo as the workhorse for the U.S. Air Force global reach mission and ensures the most cost effective, viable strategic airlift resource for America through the year 2040."This unique aircraft has provided the U.S. Air Force and our nation with an incredible capability since it first started supporting our country's strategic air mobility requirement to move massive amounts of cargo and troops," said George Shultz, Vice President, Lockheed Martin C-5 Modernization program. "Supporting our country's global reach mission has been a priority for Lockheed Martin since the C-5 program began. This new aircraft, unlike any other in the world, provides the United States with unmatched capability into the future and unmatched operational cost savings to enable the Air Force to divert operational savings to other high priority needs. It's great to be part of the team that ensures that the U.S. will have airlift capability that only the C-5 can provide well into this century."
The C-5M includes avionics modernization, along with reliability enhancement and re-engining. "This new technology provides the Air Force with more powerful fuel saving engines and higher aircraft availability than in the past and will mean unprecedented operational and maintenance savings. The Air Force prudently invested in this modernized aircraft and it's proving to be the most cost effective solution for the Air Force to maintain strategic airlift capability into the future," said Shultz.
"It's a big day for the Air Force, Air Mobility Command and the C-5 team. The C-5 will save over 20 billion dollars, it pays for itself and them some," said Col. Kevin Keck, C-5 Systems Group Commander. "It's a one of a kind aircraft in strategic airlift with the ability to carry twice as much cargo as other systems. It's a force multiplier."
The C-5 fleet with more than 2 million flight hours has been the backbone of strategic airlift in every military engagement from Vietnam through Operation Iraqi Freedom. It is the only aircraft capable of carrying 100 percent of certified air-transportable cargo, with a dedicated passenger compartment enabling commanders to have troops and their equipment arrive in an area of operation simultaneously.
The Avionics Modernization Program adds a new modern cockpit that includes a digital all-weather flight control system and autopilot, a new communications suite, flat panel displays, and enhanced navigation and safety equipment to ease crew workload and enhance situational awareness. An important component of the Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program is the new General Electric CF6-80C2 commercial engine. This engine delivers a 22 percent increase in thrust, a 30 percent shorter take-off roll, 58 percent faster climb rate and will allow significantly more cargo to be carried over longer distances.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2005 sales of $37.2 billion.
I'm one of those FReepers. I "cut my teeth" so to speak, as a jet engine mechanic on TF-39's. I worked on C-5 A/B's at Dover AFB, DE. for 4 1/2 years and yeah, it was always busy, but I learned how to be a true mechanic.
Those years created some great friendships and fond memories of performing post-ISO engine checkouts (4 engines at max. power at 2a.m.), sliding off spots in the winter because the spot wasn't deiced and many other acts of great buffoonery. ;-)
I, for one, will miss the distinctive sound, but will be happy for all the jet mech's who will get to slow down and work at a reasonable pace for a while.
Cheers,
SZ
A few years ago our home here in north GA was under the area where B-1s parcticed low level flights following the contours of the mountains and valleys. They would pop up over Watson's mountian about 1 mile north of my place and dip down into the valley and then rise up over the next ridge and out of sight. It was deafening, but I actually enjoyed having them come over like that.
I have had those planes come over my front yard so low I could see the seams in the fuselage, probably well under 500 feet above the surface. I could only get a couple of seconds to see it go over because of all the trees around my place. Of course they were going low and slow (relatively speaking) and not at full throttle, so the noise was not as bad as it could have been but still enough to rattle dishes and drown out everything else for about 10 seconds or so.
The AF moved those planes out of the area to another base several years ago. I wish they would bring them back, some of our neighbors complained about the noise but I enjoyed seeing them up close while in flight.
Great link! Thanks...
F-15/16 on final, as the air driven augmentor nozzle motor runs the nozzle to full open. There's a real brief, low key "Wheet" sound, lasts less than a quarter - maybe half second, while it runs the nozzle fully open. Always killed us, because when we had to do it by hand, it would take about five-ten minutes using a speedhandle to open or close the nozzle so we could trim it.
Aren't the a lot of those legacy systems being replaced during the RERP phase? I thought I read somewhere that the landing gears will be replaced along with the APU's and several other legacy systems. The AMP just replaces the avionics, but it must be performed prior to the re-engining phase due to the digital controls in the new engines. Anyway considering all that has changed on the C-5M, I would be concerned too about raising the landing gear on the first flight. Apparently they did later raise them, because there is a picture of it in one of the linked web pages on post #1.
Ahh...a jet engine mechanic on targets. :)
And yes - I say that smugly. I was a jet engine mechanic on the F-15 and F-16 at Nellis. And you're not kidding - it was an awesome job. We had an open test cell for the J-79 (yes, we had some antiques at Nellis) and we used to throw 12x12 inch ziplocs full of JP-4 into the exhaust path. Made a great fireball.
People who have never been a foot away from an engine at full power (whether it was your TF-39 or my F100-100/200/220/229) have no idea of power. Even the pilots don't get that close to the motors.
I tell people that it was the best job I ever had - and I say that with no embellishment. The people I worked with, the equipment I worked with, the job satisfaction - none of it can be beaten.
Actually a jet mech on targets, fighters and "bombers"(F117).
The sense of accomplishment you get from taking a sputtering or inop. engine and making it roar again is the best job in the world!
I tell folks that I would rather be under an engine at mil. power than anywhere else on the flightline. I found that it's usually alot safer!
I had to learn how to service LOX while over in Saudi in '90-'91 and hated it. Highly compressed gas that wants to blow up damn near anything it touches, screw that noise.
I had my first experience with AB's at Shaw working on Blk 40/42/50's. What a rush that was! I was working on a Blk 42 on an open trim pad and the first time I felt the jet kick into burner, I knew that I was in for something special.
Did you ever run a jet in a test cell with the doors closed in full AB? You're looking at the doors about fifteen feet in front of you and you know that if the restraint lets go you're hosed.
Could regale FR all day with acts of accomplishment and buffoonery, but I do have a job to do today, so must keep it short.
Take care!
Cheers,
SZ
They'll be more like Maytag repairmen. The new engines are guranteed to stay on the wing at least 10,000 hours between overhauls. The will be derated to about 53,000 pounds, but were designed to go all the way up to 63,000 pounds on a 747-400. By derating them, the Air Force should be able to extend their lives and reduce required maintenance. The most popular 757 engine is the RB211-535E4B which is a derated engine based on the Rolls Royce engines used in 747's and L1011's. Supposedly there are some of those engines that have gone over 15,000 hours on a wing without an overhaul.
Laying between the rails, trimming the beast with that little flexible driver with the hex-head on it? Yeah :)
Also had one come apart on me too, right after I'd closed the doors behind me.
Same here about the job - I'll write more later. Good to find another jet engine mechanic. RedBloodedAmerican on here actually worked for Pratt, the dog.
Ah the memories...how about sticking a wild raccoon in Weird Wayne's lunch bucket (it was an igloo cooler) while down at A area (swamp country). Those were the days. Never seen a 300lb man scramble backwards as fast as when it was lunchtime :)
The thing about the TF39 was the fact due to the front fan design, the engine had a very distinct "growl" when flying towards you and an equally distinct "whine" when flying away from you. With the switch to what amounts to 747-400 engines, the C-5M will now sound like a 747 with its much lower-volume whine of the newer-design front fan system.
Does the adoption of the new engine mean that, if C-5 loses an engine overseas, the Air Force could buy a replacement from a commercial airline?
Maybe in a war time emergency. Unlike the original purchase of C-5's and engines, the Air Force is buying plenty of spare engines. Supposedly there will be 500 engines bought from GE. There were to have been 112 planes going through the AMP and RERP, but one of the C-5B's crashed in April, so there will only be 111. That means there will be 444 new engines put on C-5M's and 56 spares. The spares will account for about 11.2% of the engines acquired or about a 1:8 ratio of spares to installed engines. There will be one spare engine available for every two aircraft.
From Aerospaceweb.org
In summary, aircraft sizes are typically compared by weight rather than length or wingspan. The largest plane in the world at the current time is therefore the An-225, though the A380 will likely overtake it in the near future. The largest wingspan, however, still belongs to the Spruce Goose at nearly 320 feet. By this measure, the An-225 would be a distant second place at 290 ft, and the A380 falls short at 262 ft.
- answer by Molly Swanson, 8 August 2004
Additional Rankings:
Since this article was posted, we have received several messages from readers who believe the C-5 Galaxy transport operated by the US Air Force ranks second or third place and should be included. The C-5 was the world's largest plane when it was introduced in the late 1960s, but it has since been overtaken by the jet-powered aircraft discussed above.
The C-5 remained the world's largest plane until the introduction of the An-124, and the C-5 has since been surpassed by the An-225, enlarged models of the 747, and the new A380 as well. The current ranking of the world's largest aircraft by maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is shown in the following table.
| Rank | Aircraft | MTOW [lb] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | An-225 Mriya | 1,300,000 | - |
| 2. | Airbus A380 | 1,230,000 | - |
| 3. | Boeing 747-400ER | 910,000 | the 747-8 under development will reach 960,000 lb |
| 4. | An-124 Ruslan | 892,870 | - |
| 5. | C-5 Galaxy | 840,000 | wartime max load, peacetime load is limited to 769,000 lb |
| 6. | Airbus A340-600 HGW | 837,755 | high-gross weight variant |
With a wingspan of 223 ft, the C-5 currently ranks sixth after the Spruce Goose (320 ft), An-225 (290 ft), A380 (262 ft), An-124 (240 ft), and a tie between the Brabazon and B-36 (230 ft). The C-5 has a larger span than the 747-400 (211 ft) but will soon be narrowly beaten by the new 747-8 variant with a wingspan of nearly 225 ft.
- answer by Greg Alexander, 11 November 2005
I glady accept your correction!
Who's going to tell it that it can't? Hmm? :)
Thats Russian/Soviet practice. I think the Lockheed dudes have been talking to the Energia folks a bit too much. :) I've not seen that done in US service.
You got a point there...Ha!!!
Agreed, I would have named it the C-5D...but I can live with the M designation.
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