Ken777 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7526 posts, RR: 5 Posted (4 years 11 months 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 3213 times:
This one is related to the ego's of the top brass.
A comfort capsule to ensure they are properly pampered. Might have been called a comfort station, but that term was used in WW II.
The AF program only costs $16.2 million, and they transferred only 331,000 from the war on terrorism for their personal comfort - so far.
Changing the color of the leather seats to AF blue was even cheaper - a mere $68,000 or so.
"Air Force officials say the program dates from a 2006 decision by Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb that existing seats on transport planes, including some that match those on commercial airliners, may be fine for airmen and troops but inadequate for the top brass."
CX747 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 4385 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 3090 times:
The USAF is in the uncomfortable position of updating the interiors of their travel pods for VIPs that travel to OEF/OIF. Many of these clients are not military personnel and are used to very plush civilian aircraft. These new pods can be used in more of the USAF's cargo aircraft and are necessary. When Senators & Congressman go to Iraq, I promise you it is not in the back of a standard C-130E with hydraulic fluid leaking from the roof.
"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or timid." D. Eisenhower
Ken777 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 7526 posts, RR: 5 Reply 2, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 3078 times:
I've sat next to a Congressman on a flight to ORD Both of us had been upgraded from cattle car and he seemed OK with First on AA.
As I recall, the AF has other planes that could do the job when VIPs are involved so that shouldn't be a problem. Otherwise it might be part of their fact finding mission to see how airmen and the troops are traveling. After all, they always get their photo op "meal with the troops".
DL767captain From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 2539 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 3066 times:
I think they should have some nicer seats than canvas benches, but do they really need to be super nice? Seems like just a normal airline first class seat would be fine, and pretty easy to come by.
BlackProjects From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2007, 756 posts, RR: 4 Reply 4, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 3045 times:
The travel pods go inside a transport aircraft and allow the vips to travel out of site .
Which flying inside a USAF Gulfstream does not allow the vips to do as a gulf stream or C-40 is like putting up a huge sign up saying shoot me on the side of it in a possible war zone.Iraq and Afghanistan comes to mind.
Flighty From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 7506 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 3026 times:
This is why I asked about unrefueled range of the C-17 in another recent thread here.
The AF brass must like bragging at the officer's club: "so my VIP C-17 $200 million quad-jet was hitting some turbulence the other day..."
It is quite funny considering they do have over 100 VIP executive transport aircraft in US military. Yet I guess they can't use them in combat locations? Whatever... this is small potatoes as long as it's done right.
RedFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 4181 posts, RR: 30 Reply 6, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3012 times:
Quoting CX747 (Reply 1): When Senators & Congressman go to Iraq, I promise you it is not in the back of a standard C-130E with hydraulic fluid leaking from the roof.
That's too bad our esteemed representatives think so highly of themselves. Seems to me they should travel to a war zone or other geography of interest in the same style as our hero war fighters do. That is the only way they will get a true flavor for the sacrifices that are being made by the men and women who do their bidding. And it's the only way to ensure they are really interested in seeing what the other half lives like and not making just another politically motivated trip. After all, let's see how many representatives really desire to make the 15 hour trek to Baghdad if they have to sit in a smelly, leaky, and noisy cargo bay. And the ones who do it repeatedly under those austere conditions will be the ones I will actually listen to the next time they put forth a bill or go before the cameras to make a case for their pet causes.
Curt22 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 335 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 2984 times:
Quoting Ken777 (Thread starter): A comfort capsule to ensure they are properly pampered. Might have been called a comfort station, but that term was used in WW II.
I recall something called a "Comfort Pallet" sitting in a hangar at Ramstien AB when assigned there back in the 80's and I'm sure the USAF had them prepositioned at other locations too...but I didn't know similar devices have been around since WW II. Since the one's I saw would be 30+ years old now...seems like the right time to think about replacing them.
Either way, nothing really wrong with the USAF having pods to drop into otherwise nondescript cargo acft to permit a measure of comfort and convenience for government and civilian leadership travelling to places where the pretty white aircraft may not be so welcomed.
ZANL188 From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 3258 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 2974 times:
Quoting Curt22 (Reply 7): I recall something called a "Comfort Pallet" sitting in a hangar at Ramstien AB when assigned there back in the 80's and I'm sure the USAF had them prepositioned at other locations too...but I didn't know similar devices have been around since WW II. Since the one's I saw would be 30 years old now...seems like the right time to think about replacing them.
"Comfort Pallets" added airline style galleys and lavs to cargo aircraft, usually C-141s but the C-17s use them now that the 141s have gone to the desert. Comfort pallets were used on aircraft hauling troops - usually with airline style seats on pallets.
F4wso From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 974 posts, RR: 13 Reply 9, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2921 times:
Quoting CX747 (Reply 1): When Senators & Congressman go to Iraq, I promise you it is not in the back of a standard C-130E with hydraulic fluid leaking from the roof.
I disagree. Not sure from what experience you are speaking from, buit those that flew on the Herks I crewed had no special accomodations. That includes government, USO touring celebrities, and military VIPs including the Army Chief of Staff. I can't speak to their transportation to where we picked them up; only first hand knowledge of those we transported..
You may be thinking about active duty E models leaking. Our reserve Herk were mostly devoid of leaks and maintenance problems.
Gary
Cottage Grove, MN, USA
Seeking an honest week's pay for an honest day's work
Flighty From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 7506 posts, RR: 2 Reply 10, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 2875 times:
Quoting F4wso (Reply 9): Gary
Cottage Grove, MN, USA
Have you had any C-17s visiting you recently? Or were my eyes fooling me..
F4wso From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 974 posts, RR: 13 Reply 11, posted (4 years 11 months 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 2860 times:
Quoting Flighty (Reply 10): Have you had any C-17s visiting you recently? Or were my eyes fooling me..
Not that I've noticed. I retired from the reserves last March and have been out of town. I would expect to see some in conjunction with the presidential campaign season and the Republican Convention in town this September.
There is occaisionally a RAF Globemaster III transient through here.
Gary
Cottage Grove, MN, USA
Seeking an honest week's pay for an honest day's work
LifelinerOne From Netherlands, joined Nov 2003, 1881 posts, RR: 8 Reply 12, posted (4 years 11 months 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 2528 times:
Didn't the CIA parked a camper or trailer or something in the back of a USAF C-141? In that way the DCI or other brass could travel in style, but rather unnoticed. Thought I read that somewhere.
Anyone ever heard more about this? As if a green or gray C-141 doesn't stand out at a civil airport...
BlackProjects From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2007, 756 posts, RR: 4 Reply 13, posted (4 years 11 months 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 2475 times:
Yes it did happen a special trailer was placen inside a Normal USAF C-141 and was able to carry the CIA Big brass to meetings away from home with out rearly beeing noticed.
If you read above you will see now the Star Lizards are in the Bone yard the C-17s are pulling Spy travel duties for the most part.
A Big grey C-17 just dosent excite people much especialy when it arrives at an airbase that has several more C-17s already on the ramp.
While a Gulfstream or C-40 would get every ones attention for all the wrong reasons although some Low viz Gulfstreams have been used by the Spooks in the past along with Normal looking BBJs.
I say in the past as they were untill spotters opend there mouths and the word got out to the Press and Media about the machines beeing used for Rendition flights which opend a Can of worms that still isnt fully closed yet.
So it was back to low viz C-17s and instantly out of site out of mind.
Gsosbee From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 825 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (4 years 11 months 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 2384 times:
The entire line of questioning yesterday on this issue was ridiculous. The Air Force guys should be given some credit for not saying what we all know - this was done after Congress complaint after complaint for having to ride in the back of a cargo airplane.
As stated well in the replies, if you use one of the "normal" VIP airplanes in a war zone, you might as well paint a target on them.
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