177701 - Inaugural Flight

[krustyrl]

Well, it's 1 pm here at 8Wing during the height of the big show of the c17 and I am watching ctvnewsnet and the whole airplane thing didn't make the "hours top stories" but funny, the passing of Merv Griffin did.!! I guess by now it's "just another airplane".?

 

[Globesmasher]

I did hear Globesmasher use the word "paradigm."
To bad the media hadn't allowed the Major to speak about the plane and what it can do!

BG:

Funny you should mention that.
"paradigm" ..... that's my new word for the day!!  ;D

I damned near talked myself hoarse with all the interviews I did with the MSM at Abbotsford.  I've got a sore throat.  And, after all that, approx 3 seconds of a sound bite makes it on National news?  After all the questions on the aircraft's capability and what it represents to Canadians and Canada ......... 3 seconds?

Too funny.
Never mind.
They're not important to me.

What was important was the fact that we managed to get the aircraft out on display to the Canadian public ... the taxpayer, and that is what I took great pride in on Saturday. It was a pleasure and an honor showing the new aircraft to the general public - those were the people I tried to focus my efforts at during the airshow.

My apologies to one and all that we could not open the interior of the aircraft to public touring, but since it was just a whirlwind stopover for 4 hours followed by another flight, we just didn't have time to open it up and then prep it for flight again.  Perhaps next year.

MSM? ....... Ah, who cares about them ........ I just hope Joe Canuck Public enjoyed himself.
They are what airshows are all about.
I met some really nice people on Saturday who stopped by to come and see the jet.

And, thanks to all those who came out to see and meet the new aircraft. 
The aircraft belongs to you - the taxpayer. 
Don't let the MSM and hidden political agendas sully the importance of what your new aircraft represents in the big scheme of things for our Nation.

 

[Bandit1]

Got in a bit ago, here are some of the pictures from the ceremony and some from the inflight...I'd love to share more but I have to give some of the better ones to publications like Canadian Defence Review...once those have been decided I'll be sure to post some more ASAP.  FYI, these are from Sunday at 8 Wing.

 

[C1Dirty]

Wow, I'm still in awe of how quickly this all came together.  Well done to all those who helped to make it happen.

As an aside...from the previous page:

The growing threat posed by improvised explosive devices planted along road supply routes has also prompted calls for Canada to switch to air-drop resupply missions, but the military lacks the equipment to do so.

I sincerely hope that this was a poor assumption by the press.

 

[Armymedic]

Okayyyyyyy...,  just watched CTV noon time news with reporting by David Atkin from the ramp in Trenton with the CC-177 in the background. Now this is what an informed reporter sounds like. Keep watching CTV news and I am sure they will replay the clip. David will also be doing a tour of the aircraft and I believe he said the media were getting a short hope in the aircraft this afternoon.

Kudos to David Akin...I saw his reporting as well.

 

[WannaBeFlyer]

I wish I could have been there. Any chance of 701 replacing the C-17 demo from the Mississippi Air National Guard at CIAS (http://www.cias.org/lineup.html) in September?  

 

[Bandit1]

There's always a chance...time will tell though and I'm sure there'd be an announcement if it was arranged...

 

[WannaBeFlyer]

There's always a chance...time will tell though and I'm sure there'd be an announcement if it was arranged...

Thanks Bandit and thanks for sharing the pictures. If she doesn't make it to CIAS, hopefully I can catch a glimpse of her through the fences at 8 wing (I usually stop in for a double double on the way by).

 

[DavidAkin]

Just some general observations on the media coverage of the C-17 --
I get the sense that it was MND and political people handling media coverage for the C-17 in Abbotsford  -- hence the lack of coverage -- but it was Air Force and CFB Trenton Public Affairs helping us out on Sunday. That made a huge difference. It was a pretty packed media house. Both national networks (us and CBC were there) as well lots of other reporters.

For the record (for those complaining about our lack of coverage)
- I did a "live hit" at noon which was replayed at least once.
- We had a "live shot" of 701 as it took off (with us aboard) at 1430
- I did a "live hit" at 1630
- I did a "live hit" for CTV Toronto's 6 pm newscasts
- I did a "package" which aired on our National Newscast at 11.

Also: I can't say enough good things about how the public affairs personnel at CFB Trenton helped us out. They went above and beyond the call and were tremendously helpful with all  of our requests. Pluse we got a 45-minute ride in the plane -- and I even got time up in the cockpit in flight. Very cool.

And, as I said yesterday, it was nice to be at Trenton for a celebration. The last few trips I've made to the base have been a little more sombre...

Anyhow: I'm putting up pics I took with my little insta-cam at:
http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2007/8/13/3155511.html

Major Jean Maisonneuve in flight:
http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2007/8/13/3155501.html

Making a PW2040 look beautiful:
http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/Broll/_archives/2007/8/13/3155498.html

A party for a plane:
http://davidakin.blogware.com/blog/Broll/_archives/2007/8/13/3155495.html

 

[Strike]

Hey Dave,

I saw your clip last night and was really impressed with it.

To everyone else,
I suspect that coverage in Abbotsford was a little more subdued so as not to take away from the official ceremonies in Trenton.

I've said it once and I'll say it again -- that is one keen aircraft.  Yes, a rotorhead likes a plank-winged aircraft.  What is the world coming to?

 

[Haletown]

Hey David,

What the hell is "an Andropov"  . .  you know those Ruski planes we used to rent ??

And the planes unit price is about $300million .  . .  don't know where the $400m comes from  . .  . what source do you have ??  Are you including the LAIRCM ?

 

[DavidAkin]

Ok, ok, ok -- so I'm a Leafs fan and said Antropov instead of Antonov -- a slip-of-the-tongue on live TV. It happens. (And I do know an Antonov when I see one -- I was there when one picked up the DART in early 2005. Now, that was a big plane ...)

As for the $400 million -- that comes from DND -- a representative with the C-17 project management office that was on the ground at the event and is the quoted "purchase price".  And I would have generally reported that the overall project budget for the acquisition of four planes plus a 20-year service contract is around $2.5-billion ...

 

[Bandit1]

Cockpit shot...

 

[Haletown]

David,

Since you actually admit, in public, to being a Leaf's fan, you are forgiven.  We all have our crosses to bear and  some crosses are much bigger than others 

thnx for the source on your $400 unit price . . . .  something odd about it but I'll have to research it.  Even at that price the 4 x  CC177 will still be better value than the 16 Jercs that we will not now need.  The trade off in equipment procurement would be an excellent story angle

Let's give some credit here to the tall foreheads in the Brick Brain sur  Rideau.  When this procurement phase is over the CF will have an outstanding, modern  lift capability with the 4 high speed, heavy load 17's providing Strategic Lift, the new 130J's doing some Strategic but lotsa tactical and the new C47's providing the final part of and end-to-end supply chain delivery system.

Thank you Steve, Gordon & Rick.

 

[Bandit1]

Recognize anyone....??

 

[geo]

Bandit,
As an admittedly green guy, what are the 5 sand coloured tiles under the "Canada"?
It just looks odd & out of place.  Almost like temp patches.  Are they the 1st "ding" on daddy's new car?

 

[Bandit1]

Geo, no worries.

They are located all around the aircraft and are called formation lights.  They are there so that it can be seen when flying at night.  You'll also see them on the tail and on the winglet as shown in this photo.  The lights are commonplace on most fixed wing aircraft of the Forces.

 

[Genetk44]

The other night on the news there was a very quick shot of the cockpit, same one as above, and I thought I was hallucinating when I thought I saw a joystick instead of a yoke. Now it appears from the still above that I wasn't hallucinateing but I do have a question for pilots.....do pilots have a preference? joystick or yoke? especially on long flights? Just curious.
Cheers
Gene

 

[geo]

Geh.... is ti just me? if you're close enough to see the stripes, aren't you too darned close?

 

[Bandit1]

Geh.... is ti just me? if you're close enough to see the stripes, aren't you too darned close?

Our planes do formation flying at night sometimes and the stripes are positioned on edges of the aircraft so that when the planes approach each other they can be secure knowing that they are close but not in danger. 

If you go to this link - http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/site/equip/cf18/vrtour_e.asp - and click on Video #7 you'll see a Canadian Hornet with formation lights on during a night exercise.