C-17 Globemaster III

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I sound like a broken record, but saw the C-17 at the local McChord AFB doing a short takeoff and landing demonstration. I can't impress upon you how amazing the performance of this aircraft is. It almost looks like it defies physics.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYxcZZmBN08

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2awzBWwr3Y

The airplane is deceiving. The fuselage is so big, that the airplane looks small. As if it has little stubby wings. We are talking 53m length and 52m wingspan. And she weighs about 280,000lbs empty! No puny airplane here.
 
They fly that big sucker with a stick ? I expected the typical column/wheel
routine. Hmmmm pilot flies left handed... that ought to be different !
It still an impressive aircraft.....

Charles
 
I've always wondered that Mr. C. Airbus A320/330/340/350/380 aircraft are all stick driven. #1 position is on the left side. #2 is on the right. Now cockpit pilot/co-pilot allows for both to exchange 'pilot-in-command' during a given flight. And this is not uncommon.

Boeing aircraft have control columns. This affords either pilot a common airplane human-machine interface (HMI).

As part of Operator training curriculum it is common for pilots to develop skills in the right seat in preparation for assuming left seat responsibilities. With HMI controls reversed depending upon pilot/co-pilot position, I have always wondered how that affected training, crew resource management, and pilot skill.

I know that I am MUCH less skillful in hand-eye coordination with my left hand.

I can't imagine being a copilot operating flight control surfaces with my right hand and throttles with my left... and then having to transition to the pilot position and operating the flight control surfaces with my left hand and the throttles with my right.

Training is key. But righties and lefties will always retain an inherent difference in human factors. And personally, I believe this to be statistically dangerous.
 
This aircraft defies your eyes when you see it fly. I love how it would be able to land in a clearing, back up, unload and take off in a matter of a minute from a very small area.
 
how small an area? like a 5,000 foot runway? cos I don't think it could take off like that. the airport near me has only one runway, and it's 5,000 X 150
 
Boeing claims that "With a payload of 160,000 pounds, the Boeing C-17 can take-off from a 7,600 foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles, and land on a small austere field of 3000 feet or less"

It claims to be able to land in 914 meters, although at what weight, and under which landing definition of landing distance that number corresponds to is a mystery.

I also read somewhere that it has a "tactical landing distance" of 1066 meters. Again, I don't know at what weight and what that term means exactly.
 

Boeing: Integrated Defense Systems - C-17 Globemaster III - C-17 Globemaster III Home
 
what do you mean, matt? the airport Manager at the Chehalis/Centralia airport told me that the runway's length is exactly 5,000 X 150
 
Hi Charles,

>Hmmmm pilot flies left handed... that ought to be different !

Actually, his stick grip is of the HOTAS type that can't really be flown with the left hand because you'd have a big button right beneath your palm.

Coupled with the observation that the visible throttles are on the far right side of the centreline pillar, I'd say the pilot flies right-handed too and has another set of throttles on his left just out of view behind the seatback in the cockpit shot.

There are other, sidestick-controlled types however where the pilot definitely flies left-handed, so it seems it's not considered a serious obstacle. Personally I think one's 'strong' hand offers a lot more precision normally - however, it's also true that training can do amazing things for you ...

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)
 
Hi Adler,

>Will someone ask Ho Hun if that picture he posted with the Ju 52 and the C-17 is from the ILA in Berlin.

Yes, it is - taken in 2002.

I was actually looking for some nice shots of a C-47 taxying in front of a C-17 at an earlier ILA, but those rolls haven't been digitized so I didn't find them yet. Guess it must have been 2000 or even earlier.

While searching, the shot with the Ju 52 caught my eye, and I liked it well enough to post it here. I'm glad you appreciate it despite the small apparent size of the Ju 52!

>I think he still has me on ignore...

No longer, my friend!

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)
 

Very nice pic. I love the Ju 52 flying behind the C-17.
 
Hi again,

>>Hmmmm pilot flies left handed... that ought to be different !

>Actually, his stick grip is of the HOTAS type that can't really be flown with the left hand because you'd have a big button right beneath your palm.

Wait - I screwed up there, I was looking at the bottom picture and not at the top picture that has the exact mirror image of the big button and would obviously require the pilot to fly left-handed just as you say!

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)
 
Trebor said:
what do you mean, matt? the airport Manager at the Chehalis/Centralia airport told me that the runway's length is exactly 5,000 X 150
Click to expand...

Sorry Trebor. I thought you were asking if 5000ft is enough for the C17. The C17 STOL capability only requires 3500ft. That's what I meant. Now keep in mind that is not the amount of pavement that is required. That would quite a bit less. Rather that is the amount of run required to clear a vertical obstacle at the end of the run. The height of the vertical obstacle, I can't recall.

FlyboyJ might know.
 
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