Herc # 315 Makes Aviation History

[Bruce Monkhouse]

http://www.trentonian.ca/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=115065&catname=Local+News

Herc 315 honoured as world record holder
Ernst Kuglin
Local News - Friday, June 24, 2005 @ 10:00

It takes a special aircraft to log enough time in the air to fly the equivalent of 60 round trips to the moon.

CC-130 Hercules 315 has made world military aviation history as the first military Hercules to reach 45,000 flying hours, and 8 Wing/CFB Trenton is the proud home to the record setter.
Built in 1964 and delivered to the Canadian Air Force in 1965, number 315 reached the impressive milestone May 27, while deployed to 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alta. in support of Exercise Maple Flag, a multinational training exercise.

To put its length of service into perspective, most of the aircrews that fly Herc. 315 today are younger than the aircraft itself.
Thursday morning 8 Wing and aviation officials celebrated the military aviation benchmark with a tribute fitting a world-record holder.
Herc 315 was scheduled for a special fly past over Baker's Island where the tribute was held.

But the military had other, more important plans for the famous Herc. 
It was assigned to 426 Training Squadron for a drop exercise at CFB Mountainview. Crews are working up to replace aircrew deployed to Operation Athena.
And, yet again, the old reliable and steadfast Herc 315 was called upon to log even more hours.
But as much as yesterday's ceremony paid tribute to Herc 315, special attention was paid to the hundreds of air force and industry personnel who have spent thousands of hours keeping the aircraft flying â ” everyone from mechanics to logistical staff.

â Å“We're here to celebrate those people,'' said Lt. Col Bill Lewis, commanding officer of 8 Air Maintenance Squadron.

â Å“It takes a world-class team effort. We didn't reach this milestone without the dedication of many, many people.''
Herc 315 was purchased in May 1965 as part of a 20-aircraft purchase from Lockheed Aircraft in Marietta, Ga. After serving in squadrons in Edmonton and Ottawa, Herc. 315 was transferred to 8 Wing in 1973.
Over its lifetime, Herc 315 has undergone more than 600 modifications, including modern electronic warfare and countermeasures suite and armour plating to increase its serviceability in hostile environments.

As a pilot, 8 Wing Commanding Officer Col. Andre Deschamps has logged hundreds of hours on Herc 315, about 100 of those flying dangerous missions into Sarejevo.
Deschamps described the aircraft's serviceability as outstanding.
â Å“We never missed a single mission,'' said Deschamps following the ceremony. â Å“It's seat may be torn, it's paint a bit chipped, but it always got us back.''

While other countries had numerous aircraft in the theatre of operations, Canada had Herc 315. And while the serviceability of their aircraft was challenged, Herc. 315 kept on flying.
â Å“It was a real significant achievement,'' said Deschamps. â Å“We flew three very aggressive missions a day.''
Herc 315 has flown and landed thousands of times on mission around the globe â ” from the heat of the African desert, into the frigidness of Canada's arctic.

Base officials described the serviceability of Herc 315 as a unique achievement for both the Air Force and Lockheed Martin.
Lt. Col. Bruce Cooke said Herc 315 has its own personality. â Å“It has a distinct personality of reliability and steadfastness. It has flown around the world and participated in an incredible number of operations,'' said Cooke.
Cooke also paid tribute to the thousands of hours by personnel

â Å“This is a rich and wonderful history ... a world class team that generated 45,000 flying hours ... a team that has kept Herc. 315 safe and operationally fit. This is a true cause for celebration.''
Herc 315 has flown into over 50 countries around the world and has participated in hundreds of operations over its 40-year career, resulting in an accumulation of more than 20,816 landings.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

This is a true cause for celebration.

You have got to be kidding me.  Only in Canada would we proud of the fact that we have the high-time Herc in the world.  No offense to the guys who have probably moved heaven and earth to keep that aircraft serviceable, but this particular airframe should have been beer cans along time ago.

Did I mention that I start flying Sea Kings again this summer 

Cheers

 

[condor888000]

Pretty amazing though. 45000 hours. Thats the equivalent of 1875 days spent airborne. Thats a bit more than 5 years! Incredable, but I agree, that aircraft should be sitting on a taxiway somewhere, or better yet, in a museum. 5 years....

 

[1feral1]

Hats off to such a fine workhorse of an aircraft, but 45,000 hours to me personally is embarrassing, and being honest is downright dangerous! Thats my opinion anyways. Personally, I would be concerned to fly in it, and I do have confidence in the maintenance of the beast, and the crew, but age, metal fatigue, etc, thats what worries me, and that A/C, belongs in a museum, as its done its time. I hope she is retired with honours, but knowing the CF, she'll be around for some time yet.

We use the J series here, but when I read the above article I thought of that Herc (an older one, retired to civvy service) which broke up in California, during a firefighting operation. The wings fell off (metal fatigue), and burst into flames before it hit the ground. Very traumatising footage as all the crew perished. I am sure many of you remember the footage of that.

An aircraft which is pressureised, flys at high altitude, experiences extreme temperature inversions, etc, repeatedly FOR OVER 40 YEARS of military use, flying still today carrying out most likely the same or more demanding use its ever had, is an accident, and yes a tragedy, waiting to happen.

My 2 cents,

Wes

 

[Zoomie]

Please remember that we are not a low-cost fire-fighting outfit that does the minimum maintenance required on its fleet.

Our CC-130's undergo routine NDT examinations, they have been taken down to the individual rivet and rebuilt again.  We rotate our Hercs through SPAR Aerospace in Edmonton, where their wings are removed, maintained, and then remounted.

J Model Hercs would not be a good replacement for our models, as the most current Hercules workhorse is a pale version of what we still use today.

45,000 hours is a tremendous feat - I applaud the work of 8 AMS.

 

[Gramps]

You know it's scary when the aircraft is older that those who fly them (especially when the pilot is not old enough to rent a car ;D). 45,000 hours is a testament to those who maintain the aircraft and its construction but, aren't many of the CC130's in the fleet restricted to certain Operational limitations due to age and fatigue?

I know we don't do things like LAPES (Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System) anymore for other reasons but, I mean things like TAL (Tactical Airlift), or SAR (Search and Rescue) missions and roles. I have flown on #305 a few times (not to mention a few other vintage tail numbers) and as far as I am concerned if the actual aircrew is comfortable than I have no reason to worry but, 45,000 hours and at the ripe old age of 40yrs it makes me wonder. Don't get me wrong, I would fly anywhere in a Herc but it would be nice to have some newer ones in the fleet.

 

[Slim]

Wow...That's quite a bit of time in the air...I am constantly amazed that the vehicles and aircraft we have are able to do this type of work for so long. (Incidently the first CF veh I ever served on, a Lynx, was built the same year I was born!)

The abilities of the groundcrews must be phenominal to be able to keep those things in the air!

Great for the aircraft too, but probably timje the us to go buy some new ones.

Incidentlyt what's wrong with the modern day Hercs? are they not as good as the first ones we bought?

Slim

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Zoomie,
I agree that our aircraft are well serviced, however, no matter how well my 1964 car has been looked after I would expect to have more breakdowns than I would in my 2005 automobile.
.......and my car just rolls to a stop.

 

[nULL]

Incidentlyt what's wrong with the modern day Hercs? are they not as good as the first ones we bought?

Slim

Computerized displays, lower maintanance requirements, and one fewer aircrew member in the cockpit, off the top of my head.

 

[Slim]

Computerized displays, lower maintanance requirements, and one fewer aircrew member in the cockpit, off the top of my head.

Not to nitpick but...Where are you getting your facts from?

 

[childs56]

this is from the Australian military web site

The Lockheed C-130J entered service with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1999, replacing the ageing C-30E fleet that had served since 1966. Operated by No.37 Squadron at RAAF Richmond, approximately 50kms north west of Sydney, the C-130J is the most comprehensive update of the Hercules aircraft with a new two crew flight compartment and turbo prop engines that drive six blade propellers.

The 'J' is highly automated and contains state-of-the-art avionics technology. The flightdeck features two head up displays (HUDs), four large multi function displays, five monochrome displays and fighter style controls on the control columns. This glass cockpit technology also includes an Automatic Flight Control System, autothrottle, Head Down Display, Traffic Collision Avoidance System, Ground Collision Avoidance System and a stick pusher to prevent inadvertent aircraft stall. Integrated Navigation equipment provides the pilots with an automatic navigation solution from Inertial Navigation System, Global Positioning System as well as regular ground based navigation aids.

All automation has multiple levels of redundancy for the tactical environment. The aircraft is Night Vision Goggle compatible and is fitted for, but not with, electronic countermeasure equipment.

This increase in automated control has allowed the minimum crew to be reduced from five in the C-130H, to just three (two pilots and a loadmaster), removing the requirement for a Flight Engineer and Navigator.

The C-130J is a tactical and multi role transport aircraft providing strategic air support to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) throughout the world, search and survivor assistance, aeromedical evacuation and aid to Australian and neighbouring civil communities.

The 'J' can seat 120 passengers, or 92 ground troops, or 64 paratroopers, or 74 stretcher patients and two medical attendants. It can also carry two extra cargo pallets â “ an increase of nearly 30% in cargo carrying capability. Compared to the earlier C-130E and H models, the 'stretch' C-130J can also carry two extra cargo pallets, allowing an increase of nearly 30% in cargo carrying capability. Chains and tie-downs for cargo, and passenger seating platforms are stowed integral to the cargo compartment to allow last minute changes to tasking and loads.

 

[Gramps]

As a note, the CF has a few "Stretch Herc's" and eventhough they may have more room for cargo, the MPL (Maximum Payload) is not that much off from the "H" model. Yes you can put more pallets on them and they are easier to Load Plan but the MPL stays the same, the center of gravity will be slightly different though. This is true for our stretch Herc's, I don't know for sure about any of the newer ones that other Forces may use though.

 

[nULL]

Not to nitpick but...Where are you getting your facts from?

Guess CTD answered that for me That was, precisely, where I originally read it. Hey, have to know where I'll be applying in a few years, right?

 

[childs56]

You know what gets me is the fact that we make it a huge deal when the herc reached x #of hours and say it is an accomplishment and then we act like it is a big feat. Well it is a big feat. yet is it really one that we should be proud of. We have some of the highest hour aircraft around the world, and have a decent maintenance record. But the fact remains it is a ticking time bomb. If we have put as much work into the herc as stated above as spar has done to them why havent we done this to the remainder of the fleet for example the sea king, their are no banners waving or cheering for the sea king and its long service in the CF. Most of the crashes and accidents are usually related to human error, which then results in mechanicle error, then into one of various forms of emergencies. The fact that the herc has had a long life and many are on op restrictions is no great feet as i see it. To make a comment as we are not a rag tag firefighting out fit we do more in depth maintence then them. If i beleive correctly that firfighting herc was owned by the department of forestry(not a rag tag company if i say so myself) in the states and had just come out of all the proper testing to clear it to fly. what casued it to go down was wind shear from the updrafts from the fire (which may attain velocitys of up to 200km/hr), hitting the wings and the fact that it was at or exceeding its gross weight carrying a load of water. Kinda making you wonder what running over the hot flames of a fire can do to an aircraft.  pilots have reported seeing wings fold up on a airplanes as they hit the up drafts from fires.  I am willing to bet that if we were to go to spar and see the work they do we would find that our hercs are in just as good of shape as any other, that includes stress fractures, corrosion damage etc. We arnt special because we kept a herc in the air that long, we have been LUCKY. and that is it. It is time to up grade the whole fleet of aircraft, we have to and yet it will take years and years to do. By placing op restrictions on aircraftand then bragging about how great they are we are really not doing any justice in teh matter. What they should have said is that we have been lucky up till now. We have the highest hour herc in the world and it needs to be replaced, it has been amazing we havent had more accidents with this fleet. Yet for some reason it becomes an glorifyed feet. I hope that Lock Heed is going to anti up and trade us a new plane for this one, and then put it on display.  enough on this subject, yes it is a great feet, and something for the members who have maintained and flown this herc to be proud of. But this should be a case point in the CF to replace the fleet.

 

[beenthere]

People in the know about such matters report that a civilian Hercules owned by Transafrik passed the 94,000 hr mark this past summer. She works for money so she works hard.

 

[armyvern]

People in the know about such matters report that a civilian Hercules owned by Transafrik passed the 94,000 hr mark this past summer. She works for money so she works hard.

Guess that's why if you read the original post it quite clearly states that 130315 is being recognized as the "first military aircraft to accomplish the feat."

All civilian (ie Transafrik) birds work hard for their money. That's why recognition in the "Military Class" of non-paying birds is not comparable. She flies because of the men and women who work hard to keep her up there...not to line someone else's pockets.

 

[Armymedic]

BZ to the crews...

Next time I shuffle out to a Herc with my chute on, I'll take a peek to see what the tail number is.

 

[Sf2]

good one....9 months later :

 

[beenthere]

This thread came back from a nine month rest because I only recently became aware of this site.
I'm of the opinion that there's a lot more to the Hercules problem than just the age of the aircraft. The aircraft themselves have undergone continuous upgrades since they were first bought and in fact most of 315 and the rest of the fleet consists of parts that are a lot newer than the aircraft themselves.
The entire wing system has been replaced at least once over the life of the aircraft and just about everything else has been replaced over the years.
The fleet has a number of much newer airframes as well and they don't have the high hours that the older E models have yet the availability of aircraft for use has been dwindling at a great rate.
I don't have the numbers but I know that the aircraft maintenance squadrons have had drastic cuts in personnel which have resulted in losses of both the number and experience level of people who keep the aircraft flying.
It would be easy to use age as an excuse for the problem and I feel that this is indeed being done but there are other factors which are likely more relevant.

 

[Sf2]

um, not to mention that Transafrik isn't doing tactical approaches into Kabul, or flying around the TATEX at 250'....things like that tend to wear out and fatigue aircraft.