Canada Will See Your Aging Aircraft And Raise You Almost 50,000
Hours
by Aero-News Senior Correspondent Kevin R.C. "Hognose"
O'Brien
The oldest, or at least the most worn, Lockheed Hercules in the
world is still flying in Canada at over 45,000 hours. That's enough
flying time that, at cruise speed, CC-130 number 315 could have
gone to the moon and back -- sixty times.
When you think about it, it isn't surprising that the peaceful
Canadians would set such a military record, operating an airplane
they first took possession of in 1965 (they got earlier B models,
which have since been replaced, in 1960). They simply have no money
for newer equipment, so they tighten their belts and make do,
relying on high-quality people to make up for old equipment and low
numbers.
The Canadian military continues to shrink. It has reached the
point that tiny Denmark periodically visits and plants its flag on
Canadian-claimed Hans Island between Greenland and Newfoundland,
and Canada can't resist. (Perhaps because there is no C-130
suitable landing zone on the bleak island; the Danes revert to
Viking type and come in small boats). The island has no intrinsic
value, but the 200-mile territorial zone around it is of interest
to both nations. And the emotional impact is great. Imagine if the
Japanese seized a couple of the Aleutians, or Argentines occupied
the Falklands -- er, never mind.
Even the hard-working Hercules community has suffered budget
cuts -- 429 "Bison" Squadron was disbanded last month, and its
personnel and equipment transferred to 436 "Elephant" Squadron. But
the Herc remains in demand, regardless. Whether the tiny Canadian
Forces are contributing an infantry battalion to operations in
Afghanistan, or peacekeeping under the blue flag of the UN, or
conducting that most routine and necessary military activity,
training, they must be supplied and transported.
To supply and transport them, the Canadians have little to work
with but the small fleet of elderly Hercs (20 airframes), and four
ex-airline Airbuses, called CC-150 Polarises by the Canadians. The
Airbuses can't land on the austere airfields that the CC-130 does,
can't drop paratroops, and can't handle cargo with the 130's
aplomb.
The USAF has grounded Hercs of similar vintage (and many fewer
hours), but the Canadians retain confidence in their American
plane. Indeed, when the Canadians deploy forward, they often send
just one Hercules -- perhaps 315 -- and expect it to perform with
no down time. So far, 315 hasn't let them down in the span of two
normal 20-year military careers.
To put things further in perspective, 315 is older than the
joint Canadian Forces (it was acquired by the separate service,
RCAF) and older than the Maple Leaf flag (which replaced the Red
Ensign in 1967). The Ford Mustang was brand new, but the plane has
flown so many hours that it's seen the equivalent in use of a
Mustang (or an Econoline van, maybe) that has covered two million
miles.
Lockheed Martin works closely with the Canadians, and together
they have made over 600 modifications during the 40-year life of
315.
Perhaps the best compliment to 315 came from 8 (Transport) Wing
Commander Andre Deschamps, who logged hundreds of hours in the
plane, including combat time in the Balkans in the nineties. "We
never missed a single mission," the Belleville Intelligencer quoted
Deschamps as saying. "Its seat may be torn, its paint a bit
chipped, but it always got us back."
Forty-five thousand is an impressive number, that rolls off the
tongue like a judge's sentence; it ought to be intoned rather than
just spoken. So, does this mean that the Herc claims the world
record? Nope. There's an airworthy C-47 (DC-3) out there that's got
95,000 hours and all the logbooks to prove it.
That gives 436 Squadron and Herc 315 something to aim for.
Hercules 315 by the numbers:
Countries Visited: 50
Flight Hours: 45,000 (and counting;
like it says in Trade-a-Plane ads, "the hours may change because
we're still flying her daily.")
Landings:
20,816 as of June (see above comment on hours).
Operations: "hundreds" (referring to named
military operations)
Engines: Four Rolls-Royce (nee Allison) T56
turboprops, 4,300 shp each
Speed: About Mach 0.55 (about 340 kt)
Range: 2,056 nm with max payload; 4,522 nm
empty.
Dimensions: 97'9" long x 132'7" wide x
38'3" high.
MTOW: 155,000 pounds
Note: the pictures are file photos of CC-130s, not of 315
herself.
FMI: www.rcaf.com (private
historical/informational site, maintained with loving
care) www.airforce.forces.gc.ca
(official Canadian Forces site, maintained with military
efficiency)