My Flight To Mosul

We were all given our final orders and approval to fly to our final bases. Due to the holidays most flights were packed but lucky me, I was passenger #5 on a plane that could hold 158. I was the one and only person on my team to roll to theater that night. Talk about butterflies! No turning back now.

While waiting in manifesting for my flight, I met an Israeli American. He was former special forces and now supports our military due to the fact he can speak 5 languages fluently. He was on my flight and spoke positively about Mosul. I had heard some pretty negative things about Mosul but he help me put them to rest.

We boarded our C-17 and we were now only 4 passengers. The crew on the C-17 were very cool and let me take some pictures in the aircraft. We had to wear full gear once we were in Iraq air space.

These pictures were just right after we took off from Ali Al Salem. The picture behind me shows the cargo door that opens to the tarmac and creates a ramp on to the aircraft. The picture towards the front of the aircraft shows a round glass circle. That is the cockpit and the pilots can check on us from that window. Look at all the wiring hanging on the fuselage. I think if most people saw all the wires between the fuselage and cabin the might get a little nervous while they fly. There are just thousand and thousand of wires/cables etc hanging.

The flight was uneventful and I landed safely in Mosul 1.5 hours later. It was about 4:30 AM and dark... real dark. Mosul is a lights off base for security. At night it is pitch black. The pitch darkness is going to play a role in a funny story that happen to me the very next night.

Mosul at night is great for star gazing not great to walk around. Too bad my night vision and Orion telescope are still in Tampa. Well, I hope all three of my telescopes are still in Tampa. You never know when Colleen might clean house. :-)

The above pictures are of what a C-17 looks like from outside.

C-17 GLOBEMASTER III

Mission

The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area. The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can also transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations when required. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.The ultimate measure of airlift effectiveness is the ability to rapidly project and sustain an effective combat force close to a potential battle area. Threats to U.S. interests have changed in recent years, and the size and weight of U.S.-mechanized firepower and equipment have grown in response to improved capabilities of potential adversaries. This trend has significantly increased air mobility requirements, particularly in the area of large or heavy outsize cargo. As a result, newer and more flexible airlift aircraft are needed to meet potential armed contingencies, peacekeeping or humanitarian missions worldwide. The C-17 is capable of meeting today's demanding airlift missions.

Features

Reliability and maintainability are two outstanding benefits of the C-17 system. Current operational requirements impose demanding reliability and maintainability. These requirements include an aircraft mission completion success probability rate of 92 percent, only 20 aircraft maintenance man-hours per flying hour, and full and partial mission availability rates of 74.7 and 82.5 percent, respectively. The Boeing warranty assures these figures will be met.The C-17 measures 174 feet long (53 meters) with a wingspan of 169 feet, 10 inches (51.75 meters). The aircraft is powered by four, fully reversible, Federal Aviation Administration-certified F117-PW-100 engines (the military designation for the commercial Pratt & Whitney PW2040), currently used on the Boeing 757. Each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust. The thrust reversers direct the flow of air upward and forward to avoid ingestion of dust and debris. Maximum use has been made of off-the-shelf and commercial equipment, including Air Force-standardized avionics.The aircraft is operated by a crew of three (pilot, copilot and loadmaster), reducing manpower requirements, risk exposure and long-term operating costs. Cargo is loaded onto the C-17 through a large aft door that accommodates military vehicles and palletized cargo. The C-17 can carry virtually all of the Army's air-transportable equipment.Maximum payload capacity of the C-17 is 170,900 pounds (77,519 kilograms), and its maximum gross takeoff weight is 585,000 pounds (265,352 kilograms). With a payload of 169,000 pounds (76,657 kilograms) and an initial cruise altitude of 28,000 feet (8,534 meters), the C-17 has an unrefueled range of approximately 2,400 nautical miles. Its cruise speed is approximately 450 knots (.76 Mach). The C-17 is designed to airdrop 102 paratroopers and equipment.The design of the aircraft allows it to operate through small, austere airfields. The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,500 feet (1,064 meters) and only 90 feet wide (27.4 meters). Even on such narrow runways, the C-17 can turn around using a three-point star turn and its backing capability.

Background

The C-17 made its maiden flight on Sept. 15, 1991, and the first production model was delivered to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., June 14, 1993. The first squadron of C-17s, the 17th Airlift Squadron, was declared operationally ready Jan. 17, 1995. The Air Force originally programmed to buy a total of 120 C-17s, with the last one being delivered in November 2004. Current budget plans involve purchasing 205 aircraft. The original 120 C-17s were based at Charleston AFB; McChord AFB, Wash., (first aircraft arrived in July 1999); Altus AFB, Okla.; and at an Air National Guard unit in Jackson, Miss. In August 2005, March Air Reserve Base, Calif., began basing the first of eight aircraft. In February 2006, Hickam AFB, Hawaii, received its first C-17.The C-17 is operated by the Air Mobility Command at the 60th Airlift Wing and the 349th Air Mobility Wing (Associate Reserve) at Travis AFB, Calif.; 436th AW and 512th AW (Associate Reserve) at Dover AFB, Del.; 62nd AW and 446th AW (Associate Reserve) at McChord AFB, Wash.; 437th Airlift Wing and 315th AW (Associate Reserve) at Charleston AFB, S.C.; the 305th AMW, McGuire AFB, N.J.; and the 172nd AW, Mississippi ANG. Additionally, Air Force Materiel Command operates two C-17s at Edwards AFB, Calif., and Pacific Air Forces operates eight aircraft each at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska and Hickam AFB, Hawaii (Associate Guard). The Air Force Reserve Command operates eight aircraft at March Air Reserve Base, Calif; and Air Education and Training Command has 12 aircraft at Altus AFB, Okla.

General Characteristics

Primary Function: Cargo and troop transport

Prime Contractor: Boeing Company

Power Plant: Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines

Thrust: 40,440 pounds, each engine

Wingspan: 169 feet 10 inches (to winglet tips) (51.75 meters)Length: 174 feet (53 meters)Height: 55 feet 1 inch (16.79 meters)

Cargo Compartment: length, 88 feet (26.82 meters); width, 18 feet (5.48 meters); height, 12 feet 4 inches (3.76 meters)

Speed: 450 knots at 28,000 feet (8,534 meters) (Mach .76)

Service Ceiling: 45,000 feet at cruising speed (13,716 meters)

Range: Global with in-flight refueling

Crew: Three (two pilots and one loadmaster)

Aeromedical Evacuation Crew: A basic crew of five (two flight nurses and three medical technicians) is added for aeromedical evacuation missions. Medical crew may be altered as required by the needs of patientsMaximum Peacetime

Takeoff Weight: 585,000 pounds (265,352 kilograms)

Load: 102 troops/paratroops; 36 litter and 54 ambulatory patients and attendants; 170,900 pounds (77,519 kilograms) of cargo (18 pallet positions)

Unit Cost: Unit Cost: $202.3 million (fiscal 1998 constant dollars)Date Deployed: June 1993

Inventory: Active duty, 158; Air National Guard, 8; Air Force Reserve,