Post by oldhippy on Dec 25, 2019 6:59:00 GMT
substitute the old-fashioned C-130
By Ron Wagner, USAF pilot in Presidential Wing at Andrews, airline pilot, aero engineer
Pilots love jets and the U.S. services would love nothing better than to replace that 60-year-old fat, ugly turboprop with something jet-powered and sleek.
And they’ve spent millions trying.
In the 1970s, when the Herc was approaching the quarter-century mark in age, the USAF had a competition for a replacement. Two were proposed:
And they’ve spent millions trying.
In the 1970s, when the Herc was approaching the quarter-century mark in age, the USAF had a competition for a replacement. Two were proposed:
One was the YC-14.
One was the YC-15.
I had the good fortune to fly one test hop in the YC-15.
Both look much cooler than the C-130, and USAF pilots were excited about the idea of dumping that clunky old turboprop.
But a funny thing happened during the test program. Neither one could perform the required mission anywhere nearly as well as the C-130.
And now, another 40 years later, brand new C-130s are still rolling off the production line because mission matters more than looks.
WHAT ABOUT THE A400?
Have you read the Wiki article about the A400?
I had the good fortune to fly one test hop in the YC-15.
Both look much cooler than the C-130, and USAF pilots were excited about the idea of dumping that clunky old turboprop.
But a funny thing happened during the test program. Neither one could perform the required mission anywhere nearly as well as the C-130.
And now, another 40 years later, brand new C-130s are still rolling off the production line because mission matters more than looks.
WHAT ABOUT THE A400?
Have you read the Wiki article about the A400?
OMG!!!! Airbus A400M Atlas - Wikipedia
In the 10 years since it’s first flight, a total of 81 have been delivered.
And this is probably all you need to know to figure out how good it is:
All but eight of those aircraft were delivered to countries that are Airbus partners that invested billions in the development program before getting one to fly.
They would have looked ridiculous after spending all that money to not at least take delivery of some A400s.
But even so, after nearly a decade of cost overruns, accidents, and delays even France—one of the leading A400 partners—placed an order for some C-130Js. In the end, they needed airlift missions flown, not the promise of airlift missions flown.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE C-130 TODAY?
The A400s cost about US $235 million each. A C-130J costs about US $50 million each. That’s less than a top of the line business jet, which illustrates what happens when the design work has been amortized over 65 years.
The C-130J is still rolling off the production lines and the Air Force is planning to try again to build a replacement—after the failed attempt in the 1970s—and they are hoping for operational service of the replacement in the late 2030s to 2040.
In the 10 years since it’s first flight, a total of 81 have been delivered.
And this is probably all you need to know to figure out how good it is:
All but eight of those aircraft were delivered to countries that are Airbus partners that invested billions in the development program before getting one to fly.
They would have looked ridiculous after spending all that money to not at least take delivery of some A400s.
But even so, after nearly a decade of cost overruns, accidents, and delays even France—one of the leading A400 partners—placed an order for some C-130Js. In the end, they needed airlift missions flown, not the promise of airlift missions flown.
AND WHAT ABOUT THE C-130 TODAY?
The A400s cost about US $235 million each. A C-130J costs about US $50 million each. That’s less than a top of the line business jet, which illustrates what happens when the design work has been amortized over 65 years.
The C-130J is still rolling off the production lines and the Air Force is planning to try again to build a replacement—after the failed attempt in the 1970s—and they are hoping for operational service of the replacement in the late 2030s to 2040.
