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A Dover Air Force Base, Del., aircrew flying a C-5M Super Galaxy, similiar to this one, set 41 records in a single flight that included various altitude, payload and time-to-climb records. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jason Minto)
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Airmen fly C-5M into U.S. record books
Posted 11/13/2009 Updated 11/13/2009
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11/13/2009 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) -- An attempted record-setting flight by a C-5M Galaxy that took place Sept. 13 is now in the official record books after being certified Oct. 30 by officials of the U.S. National Aeronautic Association.
The Dover Air Force Base, Del., aircrew flying the C-5M, named The Spirit of Normandy, consisted of eight 512th Airlift Wing reservists and four 436th Airlift Wing active-duty members. They set 41 records during the flight that included various altitude, payload and time-to-climb records.
"I am pleased to announce that all 41 of the records claimed in the C-5M on Sept. 13 have been approved as U.S. records," said Art Greenfield, NAA director of contest and records, in an e-mail to officials at Air Mobility Command and Lockheed Martin.
"We are very proud of this accomplishment; and, it displayed the capability of the C-5M, Air Mobility Command's newest airlifter," said Maj. Cory Bulris, the aircraft commander for the record flight and 436th Operations Group Program Integration Office chief for the C-5M.
One of the records, altitude attained in horizontal flight, was previously held by the Russians, who set it in 1989 with a Tupolev Tu-160 aircraft. The C-5M crew broke seven records previously held by the C-17 Globemaster III, including the record for the greatest mass carried to 2,000 meters, set by a C-17 in 1993.
The C-5M used for the record-breaking flight is a C-5 that has received a modernized glass cockpit and avionics upgrade as part of the avionics modernization program and new engines through the reliability enhancement and re-engining program. The upgraded aircraft entered operational test and evaluation in October.
"This aircraft is capable of significantly shorter take-offs than the previous C-5 aircraft," said Lt. Col. Mike Semo, a 709th Airlift Squadron pilot and the C-5M Program Office chief. "We are able to take more cargo farther distances with greater reliability. They've also vastly improved the aircraft with a glass cockpit, which results in greater situational awareness for the pilots. There are upgrades to navigation, safety equipment, communications and a new autopilot system. This really is a modern aircraft for a modern Air Force."
The U.S. records have been submitted to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, a Swiss-based world air-sports organization with more than 100 member countries, for consideration for approval as world records. |
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