177701 - Inaugural Flight

[Globesmasher]

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

Doesn't matter really .... you get used to whatever it is that you're flying with.
On the bright side, having the stick reduces the obstructions to your visions when you're trying to look down at your Nav display right in front of you.  The yoke on the C130 tended to get in the way a bit when you tried to cross check your nav display (or EHSI).  The stick reduces the amount of hardware in your way.

Once up at cruise it matters not - the autopilot is on so yoke or stick ...................... makes no difference really.
So now instead of having to move my head around to peer around my yoke to see the nav display, I can now simply glance down and immediately see my nav display with just the stick.

It's all good.

 

[Genetk44]

Thanks Globesmasher...was just curious.

 

[Globesmasher]

Here's a shot of the aircraft last week ................

 

[COBRA-6]

that kicks ass!

 

[Bandit1]

Choice man, choice!

 

[observor 69]

What exactly are we looking at in the  photo GM ? I assume they are anti missile flares but the path they are taking looks odd.
Or are they something else entirely?

 

[Globesmasher]

I assume they are anti missile flares ...

BG:

Yes you are correct.
That's about all I can say here.

 

[geo]

Anti missle flares.... to deflect the negative MsM

 

[Haletown]

Wish it was possible to load up the new bird with relief supplies and a ROWPU or two and do a mission to help the victims of the Peru earthquake.

It would be a tremendous PR coup for the Air Force.

Even Steffi, Layton and Coderre would have to concede the C17's are a great acquisition.

 

[geo]

Opposition parties are that .... against pert much everything.
Either you shoulda done this OR shoulda done it a lot sooner.

 

[TCBF]

Very nice. 

Last time I was on a C-17, it flew my Coyote and I from Ramstein to Kandahar.

Nice flight.

The highlight was the box lunch, as we slept through the air-to-air refueling.

;D

 

[Bandit1]

Going down south for an aid mission.  Read here.

 

[Blakey]

Been on a C-5 before, sure would be nice to disembark from one of these in Feb of next year.

 

[IN HOC SIGNO]

Going down south for an aid mission.  Read here.

So how come this item isn't hitting the MSM? They are focused of Duceppe and Dion decrying the AFghan mission and are totally missing the stuff they say we're not doing...humanitarian relief....jeesh.

 

[geo]

IHS,
Relief flight reference is in this morning's paper.
They show red cross parcels on a pallet being pushed around inside the "strategic lifter".  No specific reference to the new "Canadian C17"

 

[Globesmasher]

CTV News - Global TV out of Toronto gave the mission very good coverage on the news.

A reporter and cameraman actually came along on the flight ("embedded" reporting so to speak!!!  ;D).
So, the evening news TV coverage for those who live in the Toronto area was actually very good last night (Friday).
They didn't drag any hidden agenda or bias into the report .... it simply explained what it is that we did for the people affected by Hurricane Dean down in Jamaica.

Here is some more of their coverage on the web ... (not very much though).
We actually lifted closer to 40 tons.

New military aircraft leaves on aid mission
Updated Fri. Aug. 24 2007 9:51 AM ET
Canadian Press
TRENTON, Ont. -- Canada's newest military aircraft has left CFB Trenton in eastern Ontario to deliver humanitarian aid to Jamaica.

The C-17 Globemaster, a super-sized cargo plane, left Thursday with 29 tonnes of supplies to help people affected by hurricane Dean.

The supplies are in addition to Canada's $2 million in financial aid for the Caribbean nation.

The Globemaster aircraft, manufactured by Boeing, arrived at the Trenton base on Aug. 12.

A second C-17 is scheduled to arrive in October and the final two are expected to be delivered next year.

A couple of things missed here was the fact that we can carry enough fuel to make the flight down and back in one go - no stops for refuelling.  5.2 hours down and 5.5 hours back home.  There's a lot to be said for not having to stop somewhere for fuel.

Also ..... it only took 11 days from delivery of the aircraft to the very first actual operational mission.
Not very many aircraft, or new pieces of equipment that we have introduced to the inventory that can do that.  From formal acceptance ceremonies at Trenton on Sunday 12th Aug to first actual "mission" (i.e. not a training flight) on Thursday 23rd Aug.

That's quite a feat in and of itself, and a testament to the type of aircraft we have acquired.
It's only going to get better as the fleet expands and settles in and the infrastructure evolves appropriately.

 

[observor 69]

GB I am real tired of saying this : ;D

Congratulations to the whole team working on the C-17 project, Excellent Excellent work!

God after go many years of dry spell it is so great to see us doing good stuff in a "modern" professional manner.

Best regards to all involved.   

 

[TCBF]

As far as "fleet expanding" goes, I think we should have two dozen C-17s and 72 or so J model Hercs.

And I'm a soldier, so go figure.

I'd also go for a handfull of "Ro-Ro" ships while we're at it.  Fly the immediates - ship the sustainment.

 

[danchapps]

I'm just curious, but would it not make sense to fly out of North Bay for the duration that they are making upgrades at Trenton. I'm no expert, but the strip up here can certainly take the size of aircraft without any worries. I guess I just miss seeing the planes up her is all.

 

[C1302C17 TECH]

Here's a shot of the aircraft last week ................

With that flare shot, I have seen a single flare picture on an American C-17 - is that an acutally dispensed flare, or some sort of test flare fired from ground.  The posistion looks a little strange.