C17 Globe Master "First Ride"

[XUSNORDIE]

Well my youngest Son currently assigned to the USNCG had his first military flying experience. At 0300 this morning he and selected members of Bravo Platoon (Casket Bearers) mustered at a hanger at Andrews AFB. They had been on standby since Carters passing. He said it was freezing and couldn't wait to get on the plane and warm up. I asked him what were they flying out on...he didn't know but said there were a lot of normal looking air liners parked outside. He was disappointed thinking he was getting on them instead of a "Big military type plane" Later he said they were now getting on a bus to be taken to the plane. Uh oh I said to myself you may get what you wish for.....later in a text he said he had just walked up the rear ramp of a C17. Yup that's what I thought was going to happen when he said they were being bused to the plane. "So much for warming up it's freezing in this thing he said".....I told him that's the least of your worries....wait until you are seated, especially if along the side. He had to go, but then texted me a short time ago after landing. I asked him about the flight....."I'm freezing and my a** hurts" .......he was seated on the side in the rear near the ramp......and if you know you know! I asked him if he had "Waffle A**".....he said no the "seat" was a thin small narrow strap like our dove chairs. Back in my day they were netted type seats and a few hours in one was like sitting on a waffle iron.

His rate is CM and when finished at USNCG in AUG he will be off to finish his Seabee training at A-School, ECS and then right into FTX with NMCB 133.....all I can say is.....get used to that seat Kiddo because in the future you will be in it a lot longer than a flight from DC to Georgia!

 

[Chief]

“If you know, you know”. I know!

 

[XUSNORDIE]

"If you know, you know". I know!

Yes you do! You never forget those rides........

 

[Chief]

Actually the the C-17 isn’t the worst, the old C-130 is not too much fun on a long flight. My coolest trip was aboard an old C-121. The four
R3350s make a magical sound!

 

[wwb]

My experience is the Hercules (C130) and the Caribou (C7). You guys forgot to mention the wonderful acoustics in those military transports..... when they issue earplugs, you know it's going to be bad.

 

[Jeepnik]

C-130 from Dover to Torrejon, Spain. And C-141 from George to NKP. But but we did stop at Clark and got to walk on the ramp while they fixed a hydraulic problem and took on fuel.

But neither of those was my worst flight. That was from Atlanta to Los Angeles on Delta. Completely full stuck between two huge guys and half the passengers already sick.

My best military flight was a C-140 from Torrejon to Ramstein.

 

[Chief]

My best flight was in one of those World Airways government charters. Philadelphia to Madrid. Boeing 707, Great crew, food and booze if you wanted. Philadelphia Airport was the worst part.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

I will still take my worst flight in a C17, C130, C141, even the comfy DC9 which we thought was heaven but damn near killed us flying from Miramar to Fallon for gunnery det.....I will take them all over that damn CH46...no "WHIRLY BIRDS" for me...

 

[RC44Mag]

Flew on a C-5 from Gitmo to Norfolk. Not pleasant but got there

We fly down to Charleston at least once a year. At the airport in S.
C. They have a USAF reserve base with at least 20 C-17 lined up just off the runway next to the Boeing plant. They share the runway with the Civies
Awesome beasts to see all lined up.

 

[Jeepnik]

My best flight was in one of those World Airways government charters. Philadelphia to Madrid. Boeing 707, Great crew, food and booze if you wanted. Philadelphia Airport was the worst part.

Took one of those from Torrejon to Rota and then to Philly. Their were only three USAF on the plane until Rota. We picked up the crew of a sub. Apparently they took them by bus from the boat to the plane. Two things to note. No alcohol is allowed on those charters. The crew never had a chance to stop for booze. By the time we were airborne most of us were on our way to an epic drunk The stewardess' abandoned the passenger compartment shortly after take off and weren't seen again the until we were landing.

Of interesting note the only officers on board were a female USAF Captain I knew and a lone LTJG from the sub. The JG took a bit before he loosened up. The Captain put some of the sailors to shame with her drinking.

Upon arrival at Philly the sub crew stumbled off and was pretty much just passed through customs. I got a bit of a look as I was transporting firearms I had bought in Spain. Mostly customs just wanted us gone.

 

[jimbo1096]

My worst flight was on a C-130 from Long Beach to Dallas. I didn’t know it would be cold. I was going home and using military hops. We sat in the troop webbing along the side. I asked if they had anything to drink, one of the crew indicated soft drinks on the ramp at the back. I leaned over to get one out of the case and I put my other hand done on the metal of the ramp. It was like putting your tongue on the proverbial flag pole in the middle of winter, I jerked my hand back and lost a piece of skin. Those cokes sure were cold.
We used a commercial charter to fly out on TAD to San Clemente Is. using a DC-3. I loved those things.

 

[el caminero]

In another life, i was the security shift lead, unofficial site supervisor, walking a just-returned born-again civilian thru site training and orientation. I noted he was one of the few who scanned higher than the kerb, and thats how i found out he was fresh back from the mid-east.
Didja enjoy the flight? I asked.
20-some hours in a c-17? You kidding?
Well, i have been told by a few, that was the highlight of their tour.
He blinked a coupla times, half-grinned, yeah, it sure was!

 

[Jim Walsh]

The C17 is powered by four P&W F117 engines.
(I retired after 38+ years from Pratt & Whitney.)

 

[sceva]

I held more than a few parts for the first C-17's in my hands. QA Engineer for McDonnell Douglas.

 

[Fox Mike]

Across the Atlantic, to Great Britain, in a Douglas C-54 Skymaster back in 1954, sitting backwards. DC (actually started at Bolling AFB) to Newfoundland, then the Azores and on to London.

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

My first trip to SEA, I flew a C-130 all the way. Took off at Travis AFB and stopped at Hickam Field in Hawaii - stayed in the 130 and ate a hot sandwich and warm milk (miserable memory). The C-130 was then loaded with tank tread and other stuff, all soaked in cosmoline for its trip to Viet Nam. [The combination of hot air, warm milk, cosmoline and a bumpy flight made for stomach thrills.] Rode in that bird to Midway, Wake, Guam and finally got off at Clark AFB (PI). Flew from Clark to Mindanao on a C-47 (500 miles), which was by far the least comfortable aircraft, but also the most fun. The Gooney landed in a pineapple field, where I was picked up by my detachment mates. Trip home was on a commercial charter - Clark AFB to Yokota, Japan to Alaska to San Francisco Int'l Airport [where I was spit on when I left the terminal toting my duffle bag - a true "hero's welcome home" from the Kali Kommis.]

Next trip to SEA, I rode in a C130 from West Coast to Bangkok with stops at Hickam, Midway Wake, Guam, Clark, and then a very brief stop-n-go at a Marine fire base in Viet Nam (to offload supplies, Budweiser, etc. - the Marines were MORE than happy to help unload us in a hurry). The trip home was in a C141 - Bangkok to Clark AFB to Yokota (Japan), then to Anchorage, Alaska and finally Travis AFB.

When my son was a Chinook maintainer the 160th SOAR, he routinely packed and loaded Chinook "field maintenance" packages (tools, supplies, repair parts, etc.) and Ch-47s into C-5s, and later C-17s. He preferred the C-5s, but they required a long runway - too long for most Iraq 160th FOBs - so C-17s became the aircraft of best fit. He did 4 of these deployments to Iraq and 1 more in Afghanistan.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

Well, i have been told by a few, that was the highlight of their tour.

The highlight was not about the tour....it was because the flight was going home