USAF C-5Ms validate upgrade

USAF C-5Ms (new engines and avionics) flew 34 sorties in the month of November (31 days), and delivered 38 million pounds of cargo to Incirlik AB Turkey. The average load was just over 100,000 pounds, and average flight distance was 46-4800nm. The flights were carried out without the benefit of refueling stops, or inflight refuelings. The missions demonstrated the ability to fly cargo from the US to Middle Eastern bases without needing support aircraft or bases to stop at.

(courtesy FlightGlobal)

[edit on 12/10/2009 by Zaphod58]

need a 100 more

new builds

Need 100 more for firefighting in the US.

100,000 pounds of firefighting agent per flight would make a big dent in any fires.
Plus they would be new aircraft and would have a lot less down time then the old aircraft they use now.

9/13/2009 - DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- A Dover aircrew flying a C-5M Super Galaxy, named The Spirit of Normandy, unofficially set 41 world records in a single flight, taking off from the base before dawn today.

The results are pending certification by the National Aeronautic Association and should be finalized in about a month, said Kristan Maynard, the NAA official observer who documented the world record attempt. The NAA is the record-keeper for U.S. aviation.


www.dover.af.mil...

The old girl still has some oomph in her

While I think the C-5M is a great way of keeping the C-5 fleet useful, it's not worth building new C-5's over. The better option would be to design a new strategic airlifter, one that incorporates some of the lessons learned. I know some of the crew chiefs on the C-5 side of things here who would have plenty of suggestions.

But until then I'm glad to hear that the C-5M model is working out, especially if it means quieter engines for the jets here at Travis. The C-17's, are practically silent when in flight, the KC-10's aren't too bad, but the C-5's are hardly helpful when trying to get to sleep during the day.