The last C-17 Globemaster III military airlifter departed Boeing’s plant in Long Beach, California on Sunday, Nov. 29, marking the offic...
The last C-17 Globemaster III military airlifter departed Boeing’s plant in Long Beach, California on Sunday, Nov. 29, marking the official end of its production.
The 279th airlifter flew over a crowd and the facility before heading to the company’s San Antonio location, where it will remain until delivery to the Qatar Emiri Air Force early in 2016.
With the completion of C-17 production, Boeing will continue the Globemaster III legacy, providing support, maintenance and upgrades to the worldwide C-17 fleet under the C-17 Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP) Performance-Based Logistics agreement.
“This is truly the end of an era. It’s a sad day, but one that all of the Boeing employees and suppliers who have worked over the years building this great aircraft can be proud of,” said Nan Bouchard, vice president and C-17 program manager.
“Our team’s work and dedication and professionalism created one of the world’s leading airlifters, a plane that is at the forefront for providing humanitarian aid and has changed the way the U.S. Air Force and our international partners mobilize for operations and aeromedical support,” Bouchard said.
Boeing has delivered 223 to the U.S. Air Force, and the remaining to Australia, Canada, India, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations.
With a payload of 164,900 pounds (70 ton) the C-17 can take off from a 7000 foot airfield, fly 2400 nautical miles and land in a 3000 ft austere airfield.
The 22.5 ft (6.86 m) wide fuselage enable to carry military vehicles in side by side configuration including the U.S. Army M1 Abrams tank.
Four Pratt & Whitney PW2040 (military designation F117-PW-100) turbofan engines with 40,440 pounds thrust each powers the 265 tonne max weight strategic airlifter.
A unique feature of the aircraft is a flap system developed by a team of researchers at NASA Langley Research Center in the mid-1950s. The "externally blown flap" or "powered-lift system" enables the airplane to make slow, steep approaches with heavy cargo loads.
The steep approach helps pilots make precision landings with the aircraft, touching down precisely in the spot desired on limited runway surfaces. This was accomplished by diverting engine exhaust downward, giving the wing more lift. In the flap system, the engine exhaust from pod-mounted engines impinges directly on conventional slotted flaps and is deflected downward to augment the wing lift.
The engine thrust reverser can also be used to reverse the aircraft.
More pictures at flickr
