177701 - Inaugural Flight

[midget-boyd91]

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.

You can see on the flare in the center that the smoke/steam trail begins beside the fuselage of the aircraft. They sure weren't fired from the ground.

 

[observor 69]

You can see on the flare in the center that the smoke/steam trail begins beside the fuselage of the aircraft. They sure weren't fired from the ground.

I think as per Globesmasher's earlier comment this topic is too close to opsec and should not be commented on.

Mods?

 

[aesop081]

I think as per Globesmasher's earlier comment this topic is too close to opsec and should not be commented on.

Mods?

all i see is people speculating about stuff they know nothing about.......

 

[Zoomie]

I personally believe that the flare was ejected out of the sono-tube.  CDNAVIATOR the AESOP was the one who actually fired it off.

Not much in the way of OPSEC when it comes to a flare - the mechanism leading up to its ejection is another matter...

 

[Good2Golf]

all i see is people speculating about stuff they know nothing about.......

Folks without an EW background can get open-source info about counter-measures here.  Anything beyond what that site contains won't have any comment on it from responsible folks.

G2G

 

[tomahawk6]

177701 touched down at Kanadahar today.Evidently it made quite a stir. Must have been fun coming in without lights.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070829/c17_afghanistan_070829/20070829?hub=TopStories

The pilots landed the giant carrier with its lights extinguished, guided solely by night-vision goggles.

"We took a tactical approach with the night-vision goggles, with the airplane lights turned off, with the engines idling,'' said Maj. Jean Maisonneuve, chief check pilot at 429 Transport Squadron, 8 Wing, in Trenton, Ont

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Absolutly excellent news!

Just sent this in to CTV, wonder if they will print it?

This is outstanding, not only is this aircraft the fastest procurement program since WWII, it’s also the fastest to go from build to delivery and into operation. It took the Liberals a decade to decide how many of their friends would profit from the SAR helicopter debacle. Thanks to Harper and O’Conner for having the guts to make some real decisions! Although I will give Bill Graham some credit for starting the military out of the decades of darkness.

 

[Bandit1]

Some more from Trenton...

 

[GAP]

Uhhh....Barney was purple, does that mean........

 

[Bandit1]

Fred is the C-5...Barney is his smaller pal...

 

[eurowing]

I was just aboard "Steve" and am really impressed with this ac.  One of the techs on board is an old friend and invited me for a tour. The thought put into this ac's cargo management system is far and above anything I have seen before.  If I was a Loadmaster I would be in heaven. The TO's are available as soft copies on laptops and actually user friendly.  Nice from a maintainers POV not to need to lug volumes of books around. 

All I can say is right from stepping aboard there were pleasant surprises of things I only dreamed of in the Herc world and light years from the venerable Buffalo.  Brightly lit, even in places you wouldn't expect such as wheel wells, decent PAX seating, even the new car smell! The hydraulic tail steady system was mildly interesting, but my motorhome has that.  ;D  The speed of the ramp system will expedite loading and unloading in a tactical environment.  I could drool on, but I must go watch it launch. 

I guess all I really want to say is.   WOW. Today, as usual, I love my job!