An article in the New York Times recently suggested that that the C-130J's problems are so bad that it cannot perform the missions it was designed for. Comments? Ideas? Any first-person experiences with the Hercules are greatly appreciated.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/24/business/24plane.html
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RE: C-130J Problems?
The airplane went thru some serious teething troubles and gave the British and the US some issues about sending them into combat zones.
These have mostly been worked thru and the USAF is now talking the airplane up. The Italians have been flying theirs into Iraq for a while.
We need these airplanes to replace the older C-130s in the fleet throughout the world.
These have mostly been worked thru and the USAF is now talking the airplane up. The Italians have been flying theirs into Iraq for a while.
We need these airplanes to replace the older C-130s in the fleet throughout the world.
Is my Pan Am ticket to the moon still good?
RE: C-130J Problems?
I've worked both military and commercial aviation and here's what I have learned. Even when you read a story like this from a reputable source you have to remind yourself that the person writing the story probably knows very little about aviation. In addition they quite often will only tell part of the story.
Never take financial advice from co-workers.
RE: C-130J Problems?
My experience with a C-130J is of course second hand . . .
I have had the opportunity to watch it do take offs/landings at HSV several years ago. Amazingly fast take off and landing . . . shorts starts and stops.
But the real deal was listening to my former spouse who is a C-130 driver in "real life" . . .
One of the biggest issues they were attempting to overcome was the lack of a Navigator on drops . . . be it troops or gear. Now this info is a few years old, in that I haven't been married for that long . . . but it was a loud point of contention in her unit back then.
Dropping gear and troops at Bragg was a serious challenge without a Navigator to call the shots. Missed drops and troops going the wrong places was the order of the day. Did they get those issues worked out?
Another example of downsizing not necessarily meaning rightsizing.
I have had the opportunity to watch it do take offs/landings at HSV several years ago. Amazingly fast take off and landing . . . shorts starts and stops.
But the real deal was listening to my former spouse who is a C-130 driver in "real life" . . .
One of the biggest issues they were attempting to overcome was the lack of a Navigator on drops . . . be it troops or gear. Now this info is a few years old, in that I haven't been married for that long . . . but it was a loud point of contention in her unit back then.
Dropping gear and troops at Bragg was a serious challenge without a Navigator to call the shots. Missed drops and troops going the wrong places was the order of the day. Did they get those issues worked out?
Another example of downsizing not necessarily meaning rightsizing.
FOR THOSE THAT FOUGHT FOR IT, FREEDOM HAS A FLAVOR THE PROTECTED WILL NEVER KNOW OR UNDERSTAND
RE: C-130J Problems?
ANCFlyer,
I work the line at Pope, we put all the planes in the air for the Bragg troop drops, although I work the C-17's doing this, and only a handfull of the 130's, that being said, why would the C-130J's need the navigator, when the C-17 do the bulk of the troop drops here without a navigator? I flew one such mission on a C-17, and they had oral cammands from the computer telling them 10 mins to drop, 5 minutes to drop etc.. until they were over the zone.
Can this not easily be adapted to the 130J's as well?
Also, I have heard ALOT of complaits about the 6 bladed composite propeller not being able to hold up very well in combat op's on unimproved runways being a big problem.
Brian
I work the line at Pope, we put all the planes in the air for the Bragg troop drops, although I work the C-17's doing this, and only a handfull of the 130's, that being said, why would the C-130J's need the navigator, when the C-17 do the bulk of the troop drops here without a navigator? I flew one such mission on a C-17, and they had oral cammands from the computer telling them 10 mins to drop, 5 minutes to drop etc.. until they were over the zone.
Can this not easily be adapted to the 130J's as well?
Also, I have heard ALOT of complaits about the 6 bladed composite propeller not being able to hold up very well in combat op's on unimproved runways being a big problem.
Brian
At Pope, where not happy, until you're not happy!
RE: C-130J Problems?
The AE2100 engine is not as reliable as the old T-56. Most operators are not happy. The Australians never went for their second batch, the RAF were looking at 50, but backed off and stayed at 25. Even the USAF has mixed feelings. All this after they dealt with the software issues in the FBW controls.
700 hours and counting...
RE: C-130J Problems?
| Quoting B747 (Reply 4): why would the C-130J's need the navigator, when the C-17 do the bulk of the troop drops here without a navigator? |
Neither one of those aircraft use navigators. They have two man cockpits and have done away with the position as they use inertial and GPS nav systems.
| Quoting Tnsaf (Reply 5): The AE2100 engine is not as reliable as the old T-56. Most operators are not happy. The Australians never went for their second batch, |
Those problems seem to have been teething problems that have been set aside.
The RAF replaced their older C-130s with the J models, and will replace their newer ones (still currently serving) with the A-400 as has always been planned.
The Aussies did not definitely plan on taking more C-130s as they really need a smaller airplane to replace the Caribous.
Is my Pan Am ticket to the moon still good?
RE: C-130J Problems?
Problems with Aussie J's centred on prop vibrations from the new 6 bladed unit. The two things I've heard about the C-130J in RAAF service is that Lockheed drove a very hard bargain- the cost of fixing the vibration problem was borne by the customers, not so much the company. Secondly, due to the airconditioning required to cool the J's EFIS, the J cockpit is actually noisier than the E model it replaced.
At some stage, the RAAF's C-130H's will have to be replaced. It will be interesting to see which way the Air Force goes. Bring on the FLA!
At some stage, the RAAF's C-130H's will have to be replaced. It will be interesting to see which way the Air Force goes. Bring on the FLA!
RE: C-130J Problems?
| Quoting DL021 (Reply 6): The RAF replaced their older C-130s with the J models, and will replace their newer ones (still currently serving) with the A-400 as has always been planned. |
The original plan for the RAF was not to take the A400 as it was not even on the drawing board when the original C-130 replacement plans were created. Calling the issues with the airplane teething problems is an understatement. The RAF refused to take delivery of the airplane at one point.
The whole program has not been managed well by Lockheed.
700 hours and counting...
RE: C-130J Problems?
Actually that has been the plan since even before the 1997 White Paper which identified the need for the C-17s in the interim while the A-400's were coming.
The British have always wanted their share of the buildout on the aircraft and the way to get that is to order the thing. 25 is by no means the big order for this bird, but it is probably what the British need.
Teething problems can cover alot of issues. In this case it appeared that an infection set in, but they have pretty much all been dealt with and the aircraft is currently meeting expectations.
The British have always wanted their share of the buildout on the aircraft and the way to get that is to order the thing. 25 is by no means the big order for this bird, but it is probably what the British need.
Teething problems can cover alot of issues. In this case it appeared that an infection set in, but they have pretty much all been dealt with and the aircraft is currently meeting expectations.
Is my Pan Am ticket to the moon still good?
RE: C-130J Problems?
Originally, it was expected that the RAF was to order 30 C-130J's, they ordered 25.To replace the most aging of the C-130K fleet.
The UK was a player in the early 80's for a future European large aircraft, but withdrew (in disgust maybe?) in 1989.
But BAe pushed the then FLA from 1994 heavily, when it really should have started as a full programme.
Now the programme is actually going ahead, the ultimate RAF requirement is for 45 A400M's, for now they have ordered 25, the final number was always going to be decided by what happens to the C-17's, as the RAF will add a 5th C-17 and are to buy them all when the lease expires, I would not expect for the RAF to eventually get 45 A400M's, a top order maybe a decade or so from now perhaps, 5-10 more.
The UK was a player in the early 80's for a future European large aircraft, but withdrew (in disgust maybe?) in 1989.
But BAe pushed the then FLA from 1994 heavily, when it really should have started as a full programme.
Now the programme is actually going ahead, the ultimate RAF requirement is for 45 A400M's, for now they have ordered 25, the final number was always going to be decided by what happens to the C-17's, as the RAF will add a 5th C-17 and are to buy them all when the lease expires, I would not expect for the RAF to eventually get 45 A400M's, a top order maybe a decade or so from now perhaps, 5-10 more.
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