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Air Force Reserve C-130 makes historic flight

  • Published
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  A C-130 H2 aircraft assigned to the 908th Airlift Wing here completed its first flight Sept. 20 after going through the Avionics Modernization Program.

The Air Force Reserve Command aircraft took off and returned to Lackland AFB, Texas. The flight was successful, lasting about three hours, according to officials from Boeing, the defense contractor for the conversion.

Aircraft 99101, now dubbed AMP aircraft H2, is the first of about 350 C-130s slated for conversion. The 908th AW, an Air Force Reserve unit, is programmed to be the first wing equipped with the new variant.

Col. Michael J. Underkofler, 908th AW commander and a veteran pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours in multiple versions of the C-130, including the newest, the J model, said the conversion will offer many tangible benefits.

"Based on my experience flying the C-130J equipped with heads up displays and the APN 241 color weather radar, installing this technology on our aircraft as a part of the Avionics Modernization Program will reduce pilot fatigue while improving situational awareness, safety and combat capability," the colonel said.

The aircraft left Maxwell AFB in January 2005 to enter the AMP program. Six digital displays and the flight management system Boeing developed for its newest version of the 737 commercial airliner replace the analog instrumentation familiar to generations of pilots.

Currently, the Air Force has 14 variants of five different models of the C-130 - E, H1, H2, H3 and J models. When the AMP program is completed, there will only be two major models - the AMP modified aircraft and the J models.

The AMP conversion holds promise to make life easier for both fliers and maintainers.

"Currently, when we deploy, we often find ourselves in a mix of different models of the aircraft," said Col. John Jones, 908th Operations Group commander. "This creates a real nightmare for operators who try to build a flying schedule several days in advance. If I've got an H1 lined up to fly and it breaks, the spare may be an E model. So now I've got to send the H1 crew home and call in an E crew. The effects of one change can disrupt the plans for several days of flying.

"When this conversion is complete, it will make scheduling and operations in a deployed environment much easier," Colonel Jones said.

Training will also be simplified, Colonel Jones said, since there will be two schoolhouses - one for the AMP model and another for the J.

When pilots complete training and go to a squadron, they won't need additional training to qualify on a cockpit significantly different from the one they flew at the schoolhouse.

The conversion will also offer benefits for those who maintain the aircraft.

"There will only be two types of C-130 parts to maintain, instead of the present five. The AMP parts will also be shared with those with the newest 737, so there will be a bigger pipeline and inventory of parts," said Col. Kerry Kohler, 908th Maintenance Group commander.

Aircraft 99101 will remain with Boeing for operational test and evaluation for the next two to three years. (AFRC News Service)