C-17 marks 18-year milestone

Published June 21, 2011
By Airman 1st Class Jared Trimarchi
Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- June 14, 2011 marked the 18th anniversary of the first C-17 Globemaster III being delivered to Charleston Air Force Base and the U.S. Air Force.

'The Spirit of Charleston,' tail number 89-1192, landed at CAFB at approximately 10:45 a.m. June 14, 1993, and was piloted by Gen. Merril McPeak, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force at the time. Approximately 2,000 people witnessed the historical event, including South Carolina's senators, congressmen, service members and local residents.

The aircraft was delivered to the first C-17 squadron, the 17th Airlift Squadron. The squadron was declared operationally ready Jan. 17, 1995.

"Today JB CHS has 58 C-17s which have revolutionized the way cargo and passengers are transported throughout the world," said Stanley Gohl, 437th Airlift Wing historian. "The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic deliveries to main operating bases or directly to forward operating bases in the area of responsibility."

"The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can also transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations," he said.

The C-17s replaced the older C-141s which operated from 1966 to 2000.

"Due to U.S. threats in recent years, the size and weight of U.S.-mechanized firepower and equipment have grown in response to the improved capabilities of potential adversaries," Mr. Gohl said. "This trend has increased air mobility requirements and the C-17 meets the Air Force's needs."

Before C-17s, C-141s carried cargo, supplies or troops, but the aircraft needed to land in a structured air field with a long runway, usually far away from hostile environments. The C-17 was designed to land in austere airfields and can take off and land on runways as short as 3,500 feet long and 90 feet wide.

"The C-17's capability to land on dirt runways in hostile locations has cut out an extra step in transporting equipment and personnel," Mr. Gohl said. "C-17s save the Air Force man-hours and expenses by cutting out the cost of unloading and loading supplies multiple times."

The first flight for the C-17 occurred Sept. 15, 1991, almost two years before the delivery of the first operational aircraft to the Air Force.

"Since then, the C-17 has participated in almost every American contingency and humanitarian operation," Mr. Gohl said.

According to Boeing's website, the C-17 has broken 33 world records including payload altitude, time to climb and short takeoff and landing marks.

"During the past 18 years, the men and women who fly and maintain C-17s have amassed an impressive list of accomplishments," Mr. Gohl said. "In 2006, while the 17 AS was deployed as the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, they set four world records; number of drop zones, airdrops, sorties in a month and number of time definite delivery of passengers."

"On March 20, 2006, the C-17 airframe achieved its one-millionth flying hour during an evacuation mission in Iraq. On Dec. 21, 2006, members of CAFB flew a world record setting the largest formation flight from a single base; 20 C-17s in a single formation."

The maximum payload capacity of the C-17 is 170,900 pounds and it has an approximate cruise speed of 450 knots. The C-17 measures 174 feet long with a wingspan of 169 feet, 10 inches.

"The aircraft is operated by a crew of three; pilot, copilot and loadmaster reducing manpower requirements, risk exposure and long-term operating cost," Mr. Gohl said.

The base received its last C-17 a few months back, and 'The Spirit of Charleston' is still assigned here.

"Even though the C-17 is 18 years old, we will continue to see them in the air for many years to come," Mr. Gohl concluded.