One Oldtimer to Another

[oldtimer]

Who's Got The Oldest Hercules?

Canada Will See Your Aging Aircraft And Raise You Almost 50,000 Hours
by Aero-News Senior Correspondent Kevin R.C. "Hognose" O'Brien
The oldest, or at least the most worn, Lockheed Hercules in the world is
still flying in Canada at over 45,000 hours. That's enough flying time that,
at cruise speed, CC-130 number 315 could have gone to the moon and back -- sixty times.

When you think about it, it isn't surprising that the peaceful Canadians
would set such a military record, operating an airplane they first took
possession of in 1965 (they got earlier B models, which have since been
replaced, in 1960). They simply have no money for newer equipment, so they
tighten their belts and make do, relying on high-quality people to make up
for old equipment and low numbers.

The Canadian military continues to shrink. It has reached the point that
tiny Denmark periodically visits and plants its flag on Canadian-claimed
Hans Island between Greenland and Newfoundland, and Canada can't resist.
(Perhaps because there is no C-130 suitable landing zone on the bleak
island; the Danes revert to Viking type and come in small boats). The island
has no intrinsic value, but the 200-mile territorial zone around it is of
interest to both nations. And the emotional impact is great. Imagine if the
Japanese seized a couple of the Aleutians, or Argentines occupied the
Falklands -- er, never mind.

Even the hard-working Hercules community has suffered budget cuts -- 429
"Bison" Squadron was disbanded last month, and its personnel and equipment
transferred to 436 "Elephant" Squadron. But the Herc remains in demand,
regardless. Whether the tiny Canadian Forces are contributing an infantry
battalion to operations in Afghanistan, or peacekeeping under the blue flag
of the UN, or conducting that most routine and necessary military activity,
training, they must be supplied and transported.

To supply and transport them, the Canadians have little to work with but the
small fleet of elderly Hercs (20 airframes), and four ex-airline Airbuses,
called CC-150 Polarises by the Canadians. The Airbuses can't land on the
austere airfields that the CC-130 does, can't drop paratroops, and can't
handle cargo with the 130's aplomb.

The USAF has grounded Hercs of similar vintage (and many fewer hours), but
the Canadians retain confidence in their American plane. Indeed, when the
Canadians deploy forward, they often send just one Hercules -- perhaps 315
-- and expect it to perform with no down time. So far, 315 hasn't let them
down in the span of two normal 20-year military careers.

To put things further in perspective, 315 is older than the joint Canadian
Forces (it was acquired by the separate service, RCAF) and older than the
Maple Leaf flag (which replaced the Red Ensign in 1967). The Ford Mustang
was brand new, but the plane has flown so many hours that it's seen the
equivalent in use of a Mustang (or an Econoline van, maybe) that has covered
two million miles.

Lockheed Martin works closely with the Canadians, and together they have
made over 600 modifications during the 40-year life of 315.

Perhaps the best compliment to 315 came from 8 (Transport) Wing Commander
Andre Deschamps, who logged hundreds of hours in the plane, including combat
time in the Balkans in the nineties. "We never missed a single mission," the
Belleville Intelligencer quoted Deschamps as saying. "Its seat may be torn,
its paint a bit chipped, but it always got us back."

Forty-five thousand is an impressive number, that rolls off the tongue like
a judge's sentence; it ought to be intoned rather than just spoken. So, does
this mean that the Herc claims the world record? Nope. There's an airworthy
C-47 (DC-3) out there that's got 95,000 hours and all the logbooks to prove
it.

That gives 436 Squadron and Herc 315 something to aim for.

Hercules 315 by the numbers:

Countries Visited: 50
Flight Hours:Â Â Â Â Â 45,000 (and counting; like it says in Trade-a-Plane ads,
"the hours may change because we're still flying her daily.")
Landings:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 20,816 as of June (see above comment on hours).
Operations:Â Â Â Â "hundreds" (referring to named military operations)
Engines:Â Â Â Â Four Rolls-Royce (nee Allison) T56 turboprops, 4,300 shp each
Speed:Â Â Â Â About Mach 0.55 (about 340 kt)
Range:Â Â Â Â 2,056 nm with max payload; 4,522 nm empty.
Dimensions:Â Â Â Â 97'9" long x 132'7" wide x 38'3" high.
MTOW:Â Â Â Â 155,000 pounds

FMI: http://www.rcaf.com (private historical/informational site, maintained with
loving care)    http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca (official Canadian Forces site,
maintained with military efficiency)
aero-news.net

[LostinRotation]

We may not have alot, but apparently pride and excellect quality staff still count for something. Atta girl !


-=0=LIR=0=-

[monkeyspankmasterflex]

Says alot about military maintenance.

[chubbee]

Thumbs up!! DND maintainers! BOOYAAH!
The effort to achieve excellence is a far more rewarding experience than many AME's face struggling to maintain safe airplanes in environments that don't support excellence.

[. .]

wonder who's flying that C-47!

[twotter]

So, just wondering how many hours are on FirstAir's Herc???

[Mitch Cronin]

45,000 is a big deal for a herc?? I've seen many civilian transport aircraft with over 70,000 hrs.

I don't get it. ???

[oldtimer]

Most civilian airplanes are designed to"last forever" by being repairable. Military airplanes, especially in the 60's when the Herc was born, were disposable designs. The Herc has outlived it's "normal design life" if compared to other military types. What makes this feat so noteworthy is that it is a testament to both the the design and the expertise of the Canadian military that they have been able to keep it in the air. It has lasted so long because it has proven to be so durable. There is a thread about the AN 124 and I doubt that airplane will last for 30+ years. Except that maybe the Canadian military may be able to accomplish that feat. What usually condems most airplanes is hours, cycles and newer, more efficient types. Nobody has been able to better the Herc. The C17 is newer but more expensive.

[Blakey]

A nice little tip of the hat to old 315 but lacking a bit in the accuracy department. 315 passed 45,000 hours quite a while ago, the CAF has 32 Hercs and 5 Airbus A310s and 315 is the world's high time military C130. L100s and 382s that have to earn their keep with a commercial operation get a lot more use. Southern Air Transport had lots of them with a lot more than 50,000 hours and I don't believe they scrapped any of them when they went out of business; they're still out there somewhere!

[L382Medman]

Well true as far as military herc, for commercial however different story. At Transafrik I worked on S9-BOQ an L382G with 76000Hrs+ on the frame, S9-BAS and AJ around the same as I recall. These numbers should be pretty accurate the rest of their G fleet was about the same.

The 2 L382-20 S9-NAL and S9-BOR were past the 35000Hrs and are on contract in the Congo. This was 2 years ago when I quit and the average is 130Hrs a month per airplane in the Congo.

Transafrik sold 5 to SAFAIR. Some are on contracts in the Sudan and Congo and I believe one or two on C check. They are still flying inder their S9 registry untill the C check is done and then they will get a ZS registry.

PS: More money working on B1900 and Kingair than Hercs

[Expat]

Mitch,
The military use and abuse of C-130s is legendary. It cannot compare to civilian airliners. Ever flew at 140 Kts, 500 AGL in a gusty summer afternoon with 45 degree turns on SAR missions, or dropping bulldozers in LAPSE operations, or low speed parachute runs. In addition to the UN operations in the desert on gravel runways, or JATOs, or spiralling descents into Kabul airport. That Herc has seen it all!
Cheers,

[Mitch Cronin]

Ok, I'm beginning to get the picture.... so the 'For Sale' add might say "Lady driven" right?

Cheers.