The 'Lockheed C-5 Galaxy' is a military transport
aircraft designed to provide
strategic heavy airlift over intercontinental distances. It is the largest American military transport and one of the largest
military aircraft in the world, designed to carry
outsize and
oversize cargo. The C-5 was developed and produced by
Lockheed and is operated by the
United States Air Force. The C-5 Galaxy is one of the physically largest aircraft in the world with the ability to fly on a regular basis. The
Boeing 747-400ER has the highest gross weight of aircraft in regular service.
[2]
Development
In 1961, several aircraft companies began studying heavy jet transport designs that would replace the
C-133 transport and complement
C-141 Starlifters. The
US Army wanted a larger transport than the C-141. In 1962, the Army rejected the proposed CX-4 transport, because it was not viewed as a significant advance over the C-141. By late 1963, the CX-X conceptual design had a gross weight of 550,000
lb (250,000
kg), a maximum payload of 180,000 lb (82,000 kg) and a speed of Mach 0.75 (919 km/h). The cargo compartment was 17.2 ft (5.2 m) wide by 13.5 ft (4.1 m) high and 100 ft (30 m) long with front and rear access doors.
[C-5 history on GlobalSecurity.com]
Requests for Proposal (RFPs) for the Heavy Logistics System (CX-HLS) (previously CX-X) went for bid in 1964. The CX-HLS was equipped with four engines, instead of six engines in the earlier CX-4 concept. Later in 1964, proposals for aircraft were received from
Boeing,
Douglas,
General Dynamics,
Lockheed, and
Martin Marietta. Proposals for engines were received from
General Electric,
Curtiss-Wright Corporation, and
Pratt & Whitney. In 1965 Lockheed's aircraft design and General Electric's engine design were selected for the new transport.
The first C-5A Galaxy (number 66-8303) was "rolled out" of the manufacturing plant in
Marietta, Georgia on
March 2,
1968. On
June 30,
1968 Lockheed-Georgia Co. began flight testing its new Galaxy C-5A heavy transport with the aircraft's first flight taking to the air under the call-sign "eight-three O three heavy".
Upon completion of testing the first C-5A was transferred to the Transitional Training Unit at
Altus Air Force Base, OK, in December 1969. Lockheed then delivered the first operational Galaxy to the
437th Airlift Wing,
Charleston Air Force Base, SC, in June 1970.
In the early 1970s, the C-5 was considered for the role of
Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to transport the
Space Shuttle to
Kennedy Space Center by
NASA, but rejected in favor of the
Boeing 747 due in part to the 747's low-wing design. In contrast, the
Soviet Union chose to transport its shuttles using the high-winged
An-225, which is derived from the
An-124, which is very similar to the C-5 in terms of design and function.
In the mid-1970s, wing cracks were found throughout the fleet. Consequently, all C-5A aircraft were restricted to a maximum of 50,000 pounds (22,700 kg) of cargo each. To increase their lifting capability and service life, 77 C-5As underwent a re-winging program from 1981 to 1987. The final re-winged C-5A was delivered in July 1986.
The first C-5B incorporating significant improvements was delivered to Altus Air Force Base in January 1986. In April 1989, the last of 50 C-5B aircraft was added to the 77 C-5As in the Air Force's airlift force structure. The C-5B includes all C-5A improvements as well as more than 100 additional system modifications to improve reliability and maintainability.
In 1998, the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) began upgrading the C-5's avionics to include a glass cockpit, navigation equipment, and a new autopilot system.
[3] Another part of the C-5 modernization effort is the Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP). The program will mainly replace the engines with newer, more powerful ones. Three C-5s are to undergo RERP as a test with full production planned to begin in May 2008.
[4]
Design
The forward section of the C-5 Galaxy lifts open to allow loading of bulky items such as the
Super Scorpio robotic rescue vehicles.
The C-5 is a large high-wing cargo aircraft. It has a distinctive high
T-tail, 25 degree wing sweep, and four
TF39 turbofan engines mounted on
pylons beneath the wings. The C-5 is similar in appearance to its smaller sister transport, the
C-141 Starlifter. The C-5 has 12 internal wing tanks and is equipped for
aerial refueling. With aerial refueling, the Galaxy's range is limited only by crew endurance. It has both nose and aft doors for "drive-through" loading and unloading of cargo.
Features of the C-5 include:
★ A cargo compartment 121
ft long, 13.5 ft high, and 19 ft wide (37 m by 4.1 m by 5.8 m), or just over 31,000 ft³ (880 m³). (Compartment is longer than the
Wright brothers' first flight (120 ft (37 m)) in 1903.)
★ An upper deck seating area for 73 passengers beyond the crew.
★ Able to take off fully loaded within 8,300 ft (2,530 m) and land within 4,900 ft (1,490 m).
★
Stall speed at maximum landing weight zero bank full flaps is approximately 114 knots (211 km/h).
★ High flotation
landing gear with 28 wheels sharing the weight.
★ The nose and aft doors open the full width and height of the cargo compartment to permit faster and easier loading.
★ A "kneeling" landing gear system that permits lowering of the parked aircraft so the cargo floor is at truck-bed height to facilitate vehicle loading and unloading.
★ Full width drive-on ramps at each end for loading double rows of vehicles.
★ The C-5's
rudder area is the same as the wing area on the
F-104G Starfighter.
★ The
volume of unusable space in a C-5's tail assembly (aft of the ramp) is larger than the available cargo space of a
C-130 Hercules.
★ The C-5 contains more than 103 miles (165 km) of
wire, 4 miles (6 km) of tubing, and 5 miles (8 km) of control
cables. The
paint alone weighs 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms).
★ Passengers sitting in the troop compartment face the rear of the aircraft, rather than forward.
★ MADAR (Malfunction Detection Analysis and Recording), a system that records and analyzes information and detects malfunctions in more than 800 test points. The C-5 requires an average of 16 hours of maintenance for each flight hour based on 1996 data.
[5]
The Galaxy is capable of carrying nearly all of the Army's combat equipment, including bulky items such as the 74 ton
armored vehicle launched bridge (AVLB), from the United States to any location on the globe.
Operational history
C-5s are stationed at
Altus AFB, OK;
Dover AFB, DE; and
Travis AFB, CA. AMC transferred some C-5s to the
Air Force Reserve components starting with
Kelly AFB, Texas, in 1985; followed by
Stewart Air National Guard Base, NY; and
Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts. Beginning in October 2005 squadrons were formed at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, the
Tennessee Air National Guard at Memphis International Airport, TN and Martinsburg WV (WV ANG) in December 2006. The Wright-Patterson C-5s replace the squadron's
C-141s, which were the last Starlifters to be retired. In December of 2006, the 167th Airlift Wing of the
West Virginia Air National Guard in
Martinsburg (WV) received the first of 10 C-5A aircraft slated for the base. 70-0459 was the first Aircraft to go to Martinsburg. Memphis received 70-0449 as their first aircraft in October 2003, while Wright Patterson received 70-0457 from Travis in October 05.
The C-5 is the largest aircraft to ever operate in the Antarctic.
Williams Field near
McMurdo Station is capable of handling C-5 aircraft and the first C-5 landed there in 1989.
[6]
Fourteen C-5As have been retired as of 2005. Aircraft number 69-0004 was the first, sent to the Warner-Robins ALC for tear down and inspection. Data from inspection will be used to evaluate structural integrity and estimate remaining fleet lifespan. Thirteen C-5As were sent to the Air Force's
Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) for inspection. At AMARC, 66-8306 underwent tear down and inspection similar to 69-0004 at WR-ALC. The remaining 12 will eventually be reclaimed as destructive inspection is performed on the airframes to test for corrosion and fatigue.
[7]
Variants
C-5A
Instrument panel of a C-5A.
The C-5A is the original version of the C-5. From 1969 to 1973, 81 C-5As were delivered to US Air Forces bases. Due to cracks found in the wings in the mid-1970s, the cargo weight was restricted. To restore the plane's full capability, the wing structure was redesigned. A program to install new strengthened wings on 77 C-5As was conducted from 1981 to 1987. The redesigned wing made use of a new
aluminum alloy that didn't exist during the original production.
C-5B
The C-5B is an improved version of the C-5A. It incorporated all modifications and improvements made to the C-5A with improved wings, upgraded TF-39-GE-1C turbofan engines and updated avionics. From 1986 to 1989, 50 of the new variant were delivered to the US Air Force.
C-5C
The C-5C is a specially modified variant for transporting large cargo. Two C-5s (68-0213 and 68-0216) were modified to have a larger internal cargo capacity, such as the removal of the troop compartment, to accommodate large payloads, such as satellites for use by
NASA. A number of other modifications were made, including adding a second inlet for ground power which can then be used to feed any power-dependent equipment which may form part of the cargo. The two C-5Cs are operated by US Air Force crews on the behalf of NASA, and are stationed at Travis AFB, CA. 68-0216 completed the Avionics Modernization Program in January 2007.
C-5M
New instrument panel for C-5 as part of AMP program.
Based on a recent study showing 80% of the C-5 airframe service life remaining, AMC began an aggressive program to modernize all remaining C-5Bs and C-5Cs and many of the C-5As. The C-5 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) began in 1998 and includes upgrading avionics to
Global Air Traffic Management compliance, improving communications, new flat panel displays, improving navigation and safety equipment, and installing a new autopilot system. First flight of the C-5 AMP occurred on
December 21,
2002.
[8]
Another part of the plan is a comprehensive Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP), which includes new
General Electric CF6-80C2 engines, pylons and auxiliary power units, with upgrades to aircraft skin and frame, landing gear, cockpit and the pressurization system. The CF6 engine produces 22% more thrust (for a total of 54,000 lb (240 kN) from each engine) than existing C-5 engines which will result in a 30% shorter take-off roll, a 38% higher climb rate to initial altitude, a significantly increased cargo load, and a longer range between refueling.
4 The C-5s that complete these upgrades are designated 'C-5M Super Galaxy'.
[9]
The C-5 AMP and RERP modernization programs plan to raise mission-capable rate to a minimum goal of 75%.
4 Over the next 40 years, the U.S. Air Force estimates the C-5M will save over US$20 billion.
[C-5 still going strong] The first of 111 planned C-5M conversions was completed on
May 16,
2006, and performed its first flight on
June 19 2006.
's
436th Airlift Wing will have only one 18 C-5M squadron, on Reserve duty with the 326th Airlift Squadron. On March 14, 2007 the last C-5 of the
3rd Airlift Squadron took-off, as the Squadron will fly the new
C-17 Globemaster III. Twelve new C-17s will be received by end of 2008. The 436th was the Air Force's only all-Galaxy base from 1973 to 2007. C-5Ms have been in flight testing out of
Dobbins Air Reserve Base since June 2006. Two of the three aircraft may be identified by the distinctive red nose boom used to acquire test data.
3
Incidents and accidents
There have been five C-5 Galaxy crashes in the history of the plane along with two class-A losses resulting from ground fires and one loss resulting from damage sustained on the ground.
Emergency responders at the scene of a C-5B crash at
Dover AFB,
Del., April 2006.
The flight deck from the C-5B crash at
Dover AFB in April 2006 being loaded into a C-5.
★ Aircraft 67-0172 (C-5A) was destroyed during a ground fire at
Palmdale, California on
May 25,
1970 after an ATM (Air Turbine Motor) started backwards and quickly overheated, setting the hydraulic system on fire and quickly consuming the aircraft. The engines were not running at the time of the fire and no one was injured.
[10]
★ Aircraft 66-8303 (C-5A) was destroyed during a ground fire at
Marietta, Georgia on
October 17,
1970. The fire started during maintenance in one of the aircraft's 12 huge fuel cells. One worker was killed and another injured. This was the first C-5 aircraft produced.
★ Aircraft 68-0227 (C-5A) was the first operational loss (crash) of a C-5 Galaxy. On
September 27,
1974 the aircraft crashed after over-running the runway at
Clinton, Oklahoma Municipal Airport during an emergency landing following a serious landing gear fire. The crew mistakenly aligned the aircraft for the visual approach into the wrong airport, landing at Clinton Municipal which has a 4,400 ft (1340 m) runway, instead of Clinton-Sherman airfield which has a 13,500 ft (4115 m) runway.
★ Aircraft 68-0218 (C-5A) was involved in the best-known C-5 accident to this date. On
April 4,
1975, the aircraft crashed while carrying orphans out of
Vietnam (
Operation Baby Lift). The crash occurred while trying to make an emergency landing at
Tan Son Nhut Air Base Saigon, following a door lock failure in flight. 144 adults and children (including 76 babies) were killed out of the 305 aboard (243 children, 44 escorts, 16 crewmen and 2 flight nurses).
★ Aircraft 68-0228 (C-5A) crashed following an engine failure shortly after take-off. On
August 29 1990, the aircraft took off from
Ramstein Air Base in
Germany in support of
Desert Shield. It was flown by a 9-member reserve crew (who had all volunteered to fly the mission) from the
68th Airlift Squadron, 433rd Airlift Wing based at
Kelly AFB,
Texas. As the aircraft started to climb off the runway, one of the
thrust reversers suddenly deployed. This resulted in loss of control of the aircraft and the subsequent crash. Of the 17 people on board, only 4 survived the crash. All four were in the rear troop compartment. The sole crewman to survive, Staff Sgt
Lorenzo Galvan Jr, was awarded the
Airman's Medal for his actions in evacuating the survivors from the wreckage.
★ Aircraft 84-0059 (C-5B) crashed following an in-flight emergency again involving an indication that a thrust reverser was not locked. On
April 3 2006 at 1045
UTC, the aircraft, assigned to the
436th Airlift Wing and flown by a reserve crew from the
326th Airlift Squadron, 512th Airlift Wing crashed about 2000 ft (610 m) short of RWY 32, while attempting a heavyweight emergency landing at
Dover Air Force Base in
Delaware. The airplane, carrying 17 people, had taken off from Dover about 21 minutes earlier and reported an in-flight emergency (number 2 engine thrust reverser not locked indication) 10 minutes into the flight. The crash occurred 11 minutes later. The aircraft broke into three sections and the #1 engine separated from the wing pylon with thousands of gallons of fuel spilled out, but there was no fire, and all 17 aboard survived with no life-threatening injuries. The Air Force's accident investigation concluded the crash was a result of human error, most notably the determination that the crew kept one of the functioning engines in flight idle while manipulating the throttle of the (dead) Number 2 engine as if it was still running, an error that was further amplified by the crew's decision to use a high flap setting that increased drag beyond normal 2 engine performance capabilities.
[11] The forward fuselage will be converted into a C-5 AMP avionics test bed, and the rest of the airframe has been scrapped.
[12]
Operators
Unlike its Soviet (Ukrainian) counterpart, the civilian- and military-operated
Antonov An-124 Ruslan or
An-225 Mriya, use of the C-5 is confined entirely to the military sector.
★
60th Air Mobility Wing,
Travis Air Force Base,
California
★
97th Air Mobility Wing,
Altus Air Force Base,
Oklahoma
★
105th Airlift Wing (
ANG),
Stewart ANGB,
New York
★ 164th Airlift Wing,
Memphis International Airport,
Tennessee [13]
★
167th Airlift Wing,
Martinsburg, West Virginia
★
349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, California
★
433d Airlift Wing,
Lackland Air Force Base,
Texas
★
436th Airlift Wing,
Dover Air Force Base,
Delaware
★
439th Airlift Wing,
Westover Air Reserve Base,
Massachusetts
★
445th Airlift Wing,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,
Ohio
★
512th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware
Specifications (C-5B)
People line up to enter the 445th Airlift Wing's first C-5A Galaxy.
C-5 on display
There is one known Galaxy on display:
★ C-5A 68-0217 -
Air Mobility Command Museum,
Dover AFB,
Delaware[14]
References
1. Equipment - 2007 USAF Almanac, , Tamar A., Assoc. Editor, Mehuron, AIR FORCE MAGAZINE, Journal of the Air Force Association,
2. Largest (weight) Plane in the World
3. Life with the C-5, , Marc V., Assoc. Editor, Schanz, AIR FORCE MAGAZINE, Journal of the Air Force Association,
4. Saving the Galaxy
5. Global Security -- C-5 Service Life
6.
7. AMARC C-5 Galaxy page
8. "First Flight For AMP C-5", Code One Magazine, April 2003.
9. "Second C-5M Super Galaxy takes flight." ''Air Force Print News''. November 20, 2006.
10. Dover AFB crash plus the other 5
11. C-5 accident investigation board complete
12. "Gone with the wings: C-5 removal process in full swing." Langley, N. ''Air Force News''. January 19, 2007.
13. TennANG 164th Airlift Wing
14. AeroWeb's C-5 Galaxy On Display
External links
★
C-5 Galaxy U.S. Air Force fact sheet
★
C-5 Galaxy on LockheedMartin.com
★
"C-5 Galaxy". Pike, J.
GlobalSecurity.org
★
C-5 Galaxy U.S. Air Force history page
★
C-5 Galaxy and Starlifter page
★
"C-5 Galaxy" on Air-Attack.com
★
"USAF banks on Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy as workhorse until 2040", ''
Jane's International Defence Review'', July 2006.
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