Holy Formation Batman!

[ClearedHot]

Charleston breaks record with largest C-17 formation (17-Aircraft, to date.

[Hacker]

I'm not sure I see a 'formation' there, so much as a 'gaggle'.

[C17Driver]

It looks like 1 - 8 are in formation but I can't tell what the hell 9 - 17 are doing. Probably still trying to rejoin into position from the initial takeoff.

[BFM this]

AFTTP definition of C-17 formation: Same Way Same Day.

[Guest Upstater]

17 C-17's.....?

Conspiracy!!!

[Guest Kawen]

such an awesome photo. I can't believe I didn't hear a thing this morning at the time they said it happened - I work about 2 miles from the bridge and the pattern goes right over the top of the building.

[ 20. December 2005, 18:49: Message edited by: Kawen ]

[Ram]

Originally posted by Hacker:

I'm not sure I see a 'formation' there, so much as a 'gaggle'.

2

[Guest Hoser]

What is the 11-2C-17 Vol 3 lost wingman procedure for number 13?

Hoser

[war007afa]

I think you turn TCAS on and let the AP do the rejoin for you hahaha...I'm so jealous of technology <sigh>

[C17Driver]

war007afa,

I wish it were that easy. Almost though...

[Guest Hoser]

war007afa,

Shouldn't your signature line be "That's how I ROLL" or am I missing something?

Hoser

[war007afa]

That's what it is...not quite sure what it is you're asking...

[Ram]

Originally posted by war007afa:

That's what it is...not quite sure what it is you're asking...

you're using the wrong form of "ROLL."

Webster > You

[war007afa]

Ahhhh...so I see. Now that would seem to make sense.

[C17Driver]

Hoser,

Lost wingman procedures (actually called inadvertant weather penetration) would be based on position in the element and whether or not SKE was in use. (They probably had 6 elements in that picture)

[war007afa]

The state-of-the-art C-17 still has a SKE scope? Please tell me it isn't that POS that are in the E slicks...

[C17Driver]

No independent SKE scope. The SKE display can be pulled up on any of the 4 primary displays. But most of us prefer the modified jets that have SKE-TCAS overlay.

[Guest CBStud]

I was flying out here at Shaw as they used the range by us for their air drop. GCI pointed out the traffic for us... "Beast 1, traffic BRA 120 12, 17 groups range."

[Guest thebronze]

Why are there 17 C-17 available to fly a DAP mission?

I guess probably the same reason every time I go to Chucktown, the ramp is practically full...

[Guest f16wolf]

It just makes me wonder if some guys were needin' some OPR bullets or good ammo for promotion.

[Guest Hoser]

Originally posted by '2':

I was flying out here at Shaw as they used the range by us for their air drop. GCI pointed out the traffic for us... "Beast 1, traffic BRA 120 12, 17 groups range."

Apparently GCI doesn't know the standard group definitions

Hoser

[Clayton Bigsby]

Supposedly multi-ship formations like that 'exercise our surge capability' or some other crap like that. It's also a fair bit of reminiscing the good 'ol days, such as the overnight invasion of Northern Iraq out of Aviano...as a maintainer, I never bit into much of this crap, since it was a real b1tch to get that many planes airborne all at once with the limited manpower resources of just one shift.

This game of one-upmanship on who can throw the most airplanes in the air at once is getting pretty I mean, so CHS throws two more birds in the air than TCM - who really cares?

[DC]

So you're living in some third world country minding your own business and you don't know shit about shit except some other idiot that lives in the same country as you shot his mouth off and made some henchmen do bad things in that rich country over the horizon. Later that month you look up and see this. You lean over to your buddy and say, "I sure hope its food they're dropping."

[Hacker]

Originally posted by C17Driver:

Hoser,

Lost wingman procedures (actually called inadvertant weather penetration)

And here I was thinking that the *reason* to fly airplanes close together was to be able to penetrate weather.

<whacks self on foreskull>

[Login Name]

Charleston AFB breaks C-17 flying record

BY: Unattributed, 437th airlift Wing Public Affairs Office

12/21/2005

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. – The largest formation of C-17s from a single base took off this morning from Charleston Air Force Base in a demonstration of the strategic airdrop capability of the Air Force.

Seventeen C-17s took off at approximately 10:20 a.m. Previously, the largest C-17 formation consisting of aircraft and aircrew from a single base was 15 aircraft from McChord Air Force Base, Wash.

The C-17 formation conducted low-level training in the Charleston area before taking part in a massive airdrop at North Auxiliary Air Field, S.C.

Flying in the formation is Col. Glen Joerger, the 437th Airlift Wing commander, as the Team Charleston aircrews are conducting this training to remain proficient. Charleston aircrews fly daily missions around the world supporting the Global War on Terrorism.

The C-17s also flew over the Ravenel Bridge at approximately 11 a.m. on their way to the airdrop at North Field.

On average, Charleston’s C-17s move more than 295 tons of cargo every day. Approximately 45 percent of all air cargo bound for American warfighters in Iraq and Afghanistan originates at Charleston AFB.