USAF C17 at Farnborough this Morning (29th Sept)

[Warmtoast]

Visiting the Screwfix Trade Show at the Farnborough Exhibition site on the south side of the airfield this morning I was intrigued to see on the on the northern side of the airfield a USAF C17 parked up. Front crew door was open and there was activity around the aircraft, so wonder what it was doing there?

[chevvron]

Better not tell the locals; it's well above the max weight limit.

[Chris Kebab]

Maybe the USAF have a very, very big stand in the Screwfix Trade Show?

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by Warmtoast

Visiting the Screwfix Trade Show at the Farnborough Exhibition site on the south side of the airfield this morning I was intrigued to see on the on the northern side of the airfield a USAF C17 parked up. Front crew door was open and there was activity around the aircraft, so wonder what it was doing there?

They transport presidential limos in C17s nowadays. Maybe Mrs Trump is coming over for Christmas shopping.
(Farnborough was used in the past during Clinton's time and Hilary made at least two visits solo with her limos being transported in C141s which have now been replaced by C17s.)

[PDR1]

It was there on the apron when I flew into Farnborough on Thursday evening.

PDR

[pr00ne]

Transport aircraft that is designed to transport things from and to airfields seen at airfield shock!

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by pr00ne

Transport aircraft that is designed to transport things from and to airfields seen at airfield shock!

TAG (the owners/FBO operators at Farnborough) are normally very strict when a request is made to accept an aircraft which is over the weight limit allowed by local planning conditions so it's very unusual to see such a type at Farnborough outside the air show period, normally the weight limit only allows aircraft up to the same MTOW as a '737-800 ie about half the weight of a C17.

[pr00ne]

So, not THAT strict then it would seem?

[BEagle]

Hardly surprising that a C-17 was at Farnborough, given that the Boeing C-17 International Training Centre is located within the FSI facility there....

http://www.boeing.co.uk/products-ser.../training.page

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by pr00ne

So, not THAT strict then it would seem?

Let's just say they are very good at finding 'loopholes' in the planning conditions document.
F'rinstance, they could argue that as it wasn't a civil business aircraft, it wasn't bound by the planning conditions, however when Roman Abramovitch wanted to base his 767 (replacement for his 737) there he was refused point blank.

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by BEagle

Hardly surprising that a C-17 was at Farnborough, given that the Boeing C-17 International Training Centre is located within the FSI facility there....

Boeing: Boeing UK - Training

Reading that reminded me that there was a Chinook sim at Farnborough in RAE/DRA times; we often got one in for a few hours whilst the crew flew the sim.

[Warmtoast]

BEagle



Thanks.

Rushmoor Borough Council in their "Key Facts About Farnborough Airport" document here:
http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/CHttpHand...x?id=14688&p=0
states:

Aircraft are limited to those types with a manufacturer's maximum take-off weight below 50 tonnes.
This limit allows the operation of inter-continental business aircraft such as the Gulfstream V and Global Express. An exception is made for up to 1,500 movements per annum by purpose designed business aircraft up to 80 tonnes to accommodate the Boeing Business Jet and Airbus Corporate
Jet.

Given a C17's weight (128,100 kg), it would seem it's well outside Rushmoor BC's weight limit, although I expect a special dispensation was given if it was for a support visit to Boeings new facility I assume.

[David Thompson]

Originally Posted by Warmtoast

Visiting the Screwfix Trade Show at the Farnborough Exhibition northern side of the airfield a USAF C17 parked , so wonder what it was doing there?

77181 C-17 USAF/AMC/437thAW arrived on the 27th and no , I don't know why it was there either !

[c52]

I can exclusively reveal it was bringing an X-77A hypersonic in-flight refuelling aircraft to carry out top secret flights at an airfield in Southern England.

[bobward]

I'm pretty sure that C17's have appeared at various Farnborough air shows over the years.

[PhilipG]

Wrong Airfield?

I am assuming that the C17 meant to land at Farnborough?

Thinking of the one that landed at the wrong airfield in Florida.

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by bobward

I'm pretty sure that C17's have appeared at various Farnborough air shows over the years.

Local plannng conditions take a back seat during the 2 weeks of the airshow hence the regular appearance of the A380 too.
Not only the C17 though, the Farnborough airshow in 1976 featured the visually similar but much smaller YC15 from which the C17 was developed.

[OvertHawk]

The planning restrictions do not apply to "Government flights".