Out of curiosity, what precisely, is the J so good at that a C17 (if it were allowed to) couldnt do? The yanks seem fairly certain of its capabilities.

BB

Don't believe all the hype about the C-17. A very capable aircraft that is excellent at most things but there are still problems with it in the airdrop role, some of which should be fixed others which may not be. Ther is still a role for the C-130/A-400 type ac, I notice the Americans, despite buying more C-17s, are not planning to retire the C-130??

Brown Bottle

I suppose the J is better at filling less of a Hind's gun sight.

BB,

Have put Albert into a few strips that would have taken a lot of work with a chainsaw before you could get a C-17 in besides which a Herk can do a bit of strimming itself if needs be!.

Satisfy my curiosity, providing it's not a Shtum type subject. Do you guys use ATO at all these days? Many moons ago when the 130s were two-tone brown and had perspex domes (that will tell you how many moons) we tried to get the powers that be to buy some bottles from the USAF, but nobody was interested.

Sorry to repeat my question guys, but I guess my last post was the last on the last page and the thread slid into obscurity!

I'd have started a new thread but it didn't seem worth it. So, can anyone tell me if you or the powers that be (PTB) have ever condidered using ATO for TAC missions. Does the J have the 'hooks' to take the bottles?

Maybe it's just not a considered requirement, and of course Boscombe would have to have one for a year to play with!
However, it can sure get you off the ground quickly. As I said in my earlier post, we asked for them in prehistoric days but were met by a deafening silence.

As I understand it, there aren't the mounting brackets on the J and given that there was certainly no higher level support for using them on the K, I doubt that any mod would be approved barring a major capability gap being identified and needing plugging urgently - similar in scale and urgency to the prompt that resulted in Herc tankers, I imagine.

Thanks opso. I'll go along with the no requirement envisaged

Just heard that the C130J has completed a successful airdrop of 90 troops (Sim 45), Wedge and door bundles. Surely this can't be true, its only a strat aircraft...!! Two pilots will never cope....

Red Flag how can you?

...no good can ever come from spreading this kind of ridiculous fantasy! :eek:

I seem to remember hearing some loadies talking about some sort of C of G issue with dropping above 64?? anyone clarify?

:confused:

I find the continual C130J vs C130K backstabbing somewhat sad. I have flown K and J aircraft tactically and at the current state of development, each has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages. Most importantly, both models are capable of conducting the tactical mission effectively.

When it comes to provision of military capability, the C130 is a tactical transport aircraft and both J and K models can carry roughly the same mass and size of cargo roughly the same distance in about the same time. As we are in an expeditionary air force and the effective provision of this capability is fairly critical, it would be nice to get a warm feeling that more energy is being expended working towards providing a coherent AT capability using both platforms and using the relative merits of each platform to complement each other.

Unfortunately, I guess that the v senior wheels who allegedly read what is written here get the impression that Lyneham is full of sad, inwards-looking back-stabbers who would rather bitch about each other than contribute towards the Main Effort.

I apologise in advance to those on both sides of the debate who are not small-minded and who are interested in moving forward.

bp.com

Providing coherent AT capability? It's the job.

Working together? Vital.

Not getting the odd prod in when the (very vocal) critics are proved wrong? Impossible!! :p

Redflag: Are there any online piccy's of the drop?

PAF

RedFlag,

thats excellent news, good to see the J coming online as a tactical aircraft so effectively. I wonder when the last time a sim45 was dropped by a Brit Herc - must have been some 10 years ago?? Was the sim 45 PW with DB dropped in South Africa?

PAF
Not sure about the piccies thing, I'll see what I can get hold of...

GM
South Africa it certainly was....

PAF,

there are no C of G issues when dropping more than 64 troops, in fact there are no C of G issues below 64 either (well, none more than usual on a PW mission).

I think that this is a great step forward....
I can stay at home this christmas/new year and let the now highly proven and more capable chaps northside go eastbound in the event of a callout!

Now, how does one obtain oceanic clearance again?........:D

Just as some common sense was becoming the norm we have white noise breaking through again:p

Some things I don't miss :D


all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

....hmmm, ABIW, there speaks the most frustrated of frustrated pilots.

Please, please sir, may I sit on your flight deck and push some of your switches and play with your knob..

It's lonely down the back here, I've only got myself to play with......

I don't fly with loadies, engs or AEOs, but I don't bleat on and on and on and on and on and on about them. I like to think that they all get on with the job as professionally as the navs I fly with.

How about a 2003 New Year resolution?!

Interesting stories bouncing around some crew rooms about the Lyneham dodgy video club....allegedly. I have no doubt that all your navigator chums are just breathing a sigh of relief it wasn't one of them!