Civilian C-5 Galaxy?

The last time I rode on a 747 was JFK-LAX on a red eye, my brother and and I decided disrobing and running around was a reasonable way to pass the time. Of course that was 40 years ago. Our babysitter for that flight was Candice Bergren, she wasn't pleased, but it all worked out in the end.
 
A Life Aloft said:
Never went into production though.......not that fuel efficient, the high operational costs and the advent of the 747. The maintenance costs are supposed to be rather high also. The carriers just didn't have any interest when push came to shove.

There is supposed to be a civilian version of the Herk J model in the works, but I don't think it will be operational until 2018. I was actually reading about that the other day because I am trying to learn something about the differences between the J and H models.

Here's a rendering from Lockheed:

getasset.aspx
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I don't think that's going to happen. When Lockheed approached the 2 remaining L-100 operators and told them the price, they were not interested.
 
z987k said:
I don't think that's going to happen. When Lockheed approached the 2 remaining L-100 operators and told them the price, they were not interested.
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Really? I haven't heard/read that yet. That's disappointing news though. I think they are terrific planes.
 
A Life Aloft said:
Really? I haven't heard/read that yet. That's disappointing news though. I think they are terrific planes.
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That's what the Lynden guys told me. Something about the new model costing more than all of the existing civilian L-100s combined.
 
z987k said:
That's what the Lynden guys told me. Something about the new model costing more than all of the existing civilian L-100s combined.
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I believe the -J model is about double the price of the -H ($60mln vs $30mln), but that's the mil version, so the L-100 is probably cheaper without all the toys.

That being said, I'm not sure there's a role for the Herk in the civilian world. Africa/Asia, maybe. "I need to go into a rough airstrip, pick up an SUV as well as carry 20 passengers (not comfortably), and transport them approximately 500nm." Anything outside those parameters, and there's a better (cheaper) method already out there.

You wouldn't believe how frequently we fly a single dude 1,000nm...that's an expensive ticket ($30k/hr in fuel costs alone). Mil designs just don't fill much of a need outside our use.
 
NewYorkophile said:
You wouldn't believe how frequently we fly a single dude 1,000nm...that's an expensive ticket ($30k/hr in fuel costs alone). Mil designs just don't fill much of a need outside our use.
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I believe it, as I was one. On the Iraq rotator going from Kirkuk with stops ending up at Seeb. Just myself, one small mailbag looking thing, and a couple pieces of old gym equipment.

Why the USAF didn't just leave the C-27J alone and allow the Army to do its own intra-theatre airlift point-to-point as it wished, is beyond me.
 
Guess that's better than the C-130 that flew in bales of sand from the U.S. to Al Jaber air base Kuwait to use for a sand volleyball court, because the Kuwaiti sand wasn't of the correct consistency for volleyball court use.
 
MikeD said:
Guess that's better than the C-130 that flew in bales of sand from the U.S. to Al Jaber air base Kuwait to use for a sand volleyball court, because the Kuwaiti sand wasn't of the correct consistency for volleyball court use.
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Ya know I've heard that tale too. But the sand out here does suck, American sand is way better.

MikeD said:
Why the USAF didn't just leave the C-27J alone and allow the Army to do its own intra-theatre airlift point-to-point as it wished, is beyond me.
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I have a feeling that is related to the bigger aspect of controlling air movement unilaterally by the USAF, but that's a whole 'nother topic.
 
NewYorkophile said:
I believe the -J model is about double the price of the -H ($60mln vs $30mln), but that's the mil version, so the L-100 is probably cheaper without all the toys.

That being said, I'm not sure there's a role for the Herk in the civilian world. Africa/Asia, maybe. "I need to go into a rough airstrip, pick up an SUV as well as carry 20 passengers (not comfortably), and transport them approximately 500nm." Anything outside those parameters, and there's a better (cheaper) method already out there.

You wouldn't believe how frequently we fly a single dude 1,000nm...that's an expensive ticket ($30k/hr in fuel costs alone). Mil designs just don't fill much of a need outside our use.
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You'd be surprised how much they do get used. We have a lot of 4000ft gravel strips with LPV approaches. What else can haul construction equipment or enough materials to put up buildings? Need a backhoe in a mine strip? Good luck with a 747. I'm surprised we don't have Casa 235s as well. I know they're hauling stuff around for mining in PNG, random crap to Greenland and over to the desert. It has a unique capability that is very much needed. Just not enough for it to be in widespread use.
 
Dad told me that at one point in the C-5 program as costs began to overrun significantly, Boeing offered a 747 with the hump extended much further back. Boeing promised they could deliver an aircraft with 80%, 50% of the cost, and a fraction of the maintenance over the C-5, but the Air Force balked because Lockheed would have gone under at the time.
 
knot4u said:
I walked up to a C-5 and started looking at the main gear once, after about 10 minutes of scrutiny I decided that the level of engineering required to retract it was beyond my feeble mind. I walked away confused and ashamed.
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hence why we have gear problems....
 
RDoug said:
Dad told me that at one point in the C-5 program as costs began to overrun significantly, Boeing offered a 747 with the hump extended much further back. Boeing promised they could deliver an aircraft with 80%, 50% of the cost, and a fraction of the maintenance over the C-5, but the Air Force balked because Lockheed would have gone under at the time.
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that sucks....would have been nice to have a 747 type....
 
ian said:
hence why we have gear problems....
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I always found it interesting seeing ground maintenance working on one of the main gear bogies and doing retraction/extension of it, but the C-5 isn't on jacks; instead it appears the other main gear bogies are lifted/extended as if the aircraft can jack/lift itself?
 
What does it mean when you go to an AFB and you see two C-5s sitting on the ramp and one is on jacks?
The base only has one set of C-5 jacks.

What is the service ceiling of the C-5?
The height of the tail plus the height of the jacks.
 
I like putting an aircraft up on jacks. Once it's up no one can move it and no one can put it back down until I say so. I put Lears on jacks for an A check, have to service the struts right?
 
knot4u said:
I walked up to a C-5 and started looking at the main gear once, after about 10 minutes of scrutiny I decided that the level of engineering required to retract it was beyond my feeble mind. I walked away confused and ashamed.
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@knot4u This will give you a headache when you have time to peruse it:

http://www.baseops.net/c5/gouge/Section1.pdf

They are amazing though and have three kneeling modes.

 
A Life Aloft said:
@knot4u This will give you a headache when you have time to peruse it:

http://www.baseops.net/c5/gouge/Section1.pdf

They are amazing though and have three kneeling modes.

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I started to look at that training manual and realized I'm 43 yrs old, I've never worked on a C-5 and I have better things to do. Much respect to those that maintain them, that seems like the proverbial monkey fornicating with a football, but it works day after day after day all over the world. I'm trying to not do any heavy lifting anymore, I'd like to use my head more than my shoulders these days.
 


Here's a good video of how the gear extends. It also demonstrates how I grease it on every time. Except for that one time in Cuba.

The C-5 is a great jet. The AF just sucks at supporting it. No parts, very limited maintenance expertise in the system, and often times that maintenance capability is incompetent. Our logistics and parts tracking systems are criminally incompetent.


Story time: @ian
Day Zero:
Windshield cracks in flight, land as scheduled in Spain- non event. Let the AF do its thing and order the replacement windshield.
Day Three: Replacement windshield arrives. Maintenance begins work on replacing windshield.
Day Three and a half: Maintenance realizes they don't have the proper tools to install the windshield. lolz
Day Five: Tools arrive. Work begins on windshield
Day Five and a half: Protective film removed from new windshield. It is discovered that windshield is cracked. lolz
Day Eight: New windshield Arrives
Day Eight and a half. It is discovered that the Tech Order sealant is not on station. Could not have checked on this prior to this moment. lolz
Day Nine: Airplane finally released and we flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

Air Power.
 
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