C-17 in Antartica

[tomahawk6]

Didnt know they could land on the ice.

A C-17 Globemaster III taxis to its parking spot Nov. 27 on the ice runway at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, during Operation Deep Freeze.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Found a couple of vids on youtube.

C-17 Taking off in Antarctica
C-17 Ice Runway Landing

EDITED

Also found a good one, didn't know they could "reverse" ;D
WOW (added a new link of a different vid but still showing it reversing)


EDITED AGAIN

So here is a vid of our first C-17 landing in Trenton
C-17 Coming home to Trenton

 

[Globesmasher]

Yup.

They've been doing "Op Iceshelf" every year now for quite a while.
They stage out of New Zealand and fly into Antarctica routinely.

They can land on ice - the same as landing on an ice-covered concrete runway really.
The ice must meet a certain thickness before they can ladn on it.

Yes, we can reverse the engines - both in-flight and on the ground.
On an ICAO standard day we can reverse a 585,000 lb (full) aircraft up a 2% slope (at sea level).

In flight we can reverse the engines for a "tactical" descent.
Typically we'll achieve about 320 Knots, a 30 degree deck angle pitched down and a rate of decsent around 16,000-20,000 feet per minute.
No, there are not too many zeroes in that.

It's a very capable aircraft. 

 

[Roy Harding]

...

In flight we can reverse the engines for a "tactical" descent.
Typically we'll achieve about 320 Knots, a 30 degree deck angle pitched down and a rate of decsent around 16,000-20,000 feet per minute.
No, there are not too many zeroes in that.

It's a very capable aircraft. 

Holy Crap!!  Hope the cabin crew have passed out the barf bags BEFORE you pull that stunt!

 

[Zoomie]

Just hope that the pressurization system keeps up - cuz there is no way your ears could.

 

[Bane]

Wow. I remember doing autos, 2,000 fpm was pretty typical. That's one fast decent for one big bird.

 

[Roy Harding]

Just hope that the pressurization system keeps up - cuz there is no way your ears could.

See there - that's why YOU'RE the Zoomie, and I'm the one in the back with the barf bag - I hadn't even thought of that.

 

[cameron]

S@#$! thanks Nfld Sapper, you just made my morning with some good aero porn ;D

 

[Strike]

In flight we can reverse the engines for a "tactical" descent.
Typically we'll achieve about 320 Knots, a 30 degree deck angle pitched down and a rate of decsent around 16,000-20,000 feet per minute.
No, there are not too many zeroes in that.

It's a very capable aircraft.   

Woohoo!  Would LOVE to be in the back for that!  Better than a roller coaster!

Certainly wouldn't want to be in the front.  Seeing the dials scroll down that quick would freak me out!

 

[geo]

Woohoo!  Would LOVE to be in the back for that!  Better than a roller coaster!

Certainly wouldn't want to be in the front.  Seeing the dials scroll down that quick would freak me out!

Admit it, you'd love to be in the cockpit...

Betcha you've never seen a big accident up close before

 

[belka]

Typically we'll achieve about 320 Knots, a 30 degree deck angle pitched down and a rate of decsent around 16,000-20,000 feet per minute.

Something tells me that I don't want to be sitting sideways in the cargo hold during a decent like that.  :-X

Although, the C-17 would make for a nice zero-G aircraft.  ;D

 

[Globesmasher]

Certainly wouldn't want to be in the front. 
Seeing the dials scroll down that quick would freak me out!

Here you go Strike - hope this freaks you out.
This was going into Bagram back in late 2001.
It's an old picture.

332 knots in the descent (or 0.66 Mach if you like).
19 degree deck angle down (with a 23 degree flight path vector) - very little blue left in the PFD.
Passing through 15,420' MSL heading for 6,000'.
With a descent rate of 15,960 feet per minute.

35 seconds to start levelling out and stowing the reversers before we all die.

 

[Kirkhill]

Here you go Strike - hope this freaks you out.
This was going into Bagram back in late 2001.
It's an old picture.

332 knots in the descent (or 0.66 Mach if you like).
19 degree deck angle down (with a 23 degree flight path vector) - very little blue left in the PFD.
Passing through 15,420' MSL heading for 6,000'.
With a descent rate of 15,960 feet per minute.

35 seconds to start levelling out and stowing the reversers before we all die.

And somebody's got their flaming camera clicking????

 

[GAP]

And somebody's got their flaming camera clicking????

Well, what else was he gonna do? it's too confined to kiss various and sundry part goodbye 

 

[maniac779]

Globesmasher,

I love your posts.

I normally lurk unless I have something meaningful to say...

But that picture is bananas... so cool.

 

[Bane]

+ Many. Awesome, thanks.

 

[loadie]

Globesmasher,

I've flown with you a couple of times on the Herc.  Us "Loadies" in the back trust you!
People don't realize just how technical these approaches are, not just a "controled crash".
Your post on this site are great.  Keep it up.
Maybe I'll choose the CC-177 for my next tour!  Right now, I'm flying SAR and loving it!

Cheers

 

[observor 69]

Globesmasher,

I've flown with you a couple of times on the Herc.  Us "Loadies" in the back trust you!
People don't realize just how technical these approaches are, not just a "controled crash".
Your post on this site are great.  Keep it up.
Maybe I'll choose the CC-177 for my next tour!  Right now, I'm flying SAR and loving it!

Cheers

Ya  if I was in a 16000 fpm descent I would want/hope/pray that things in the back were securely lashed down.  ;D
Thank you Mr.loadie!
In a 30 degree attack on the ground with a sliding brick. 

 

[Haletown]

I showed that picture to a visiting friend who is 777 right seater . . .  he was "gob smacked".  Said his  passengers get freaked  at 5 degrees nose down

he had a question  - will the display always show a patch of blue at the top regardless of the increased nose down angle, sort of a "yes it is still working"  verification ??

 

[Globesmasher]

will the display always show a patch of blue at the top regardless of the increased nose down angle, sort of a "yes it is still working"  verification ??

Nope .............  ;D
What you see is what you get ......