The Aircraft of MDT: C-17

Welcome to the thirteenth regular installment of The Aircraft of MDT. In this series we are taking a look at some of the aircraft that you may spot flying to and from Harrisburg International Airport.

If you look east from the terminal, you may sometimes see a C-17 Globemaster III parked on the tarmac, here in support of the operations of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.  The C-17 is a large transport aircraft used by the United States Air Force and several international militaries to carry cargo, vehicles, and troops.

A C-17 takes off from MDT.

The McDonnell Douglas YC-15, the prototype that would eventually be developed into the C-17, was originally conceived as a replacement for the C-130 Hercules. The design competition that the YC-15 had been built for was closed down, but the U.S. Air Force soon began a new program to replace the C-141 Starlifter. McDonnell Douglas again submitted the YC-15, and the prototype was selected as the winner. The production model proved able to not only replace the aging fleet of C-141s, but also to supplement the job of the C-5 Galaxy, the U.S. Air Force’s largest aircraft.

The YC-15 prototype was built in the 1970s, and development of the C-17 proper began in the 80s. Although the first flight of the new aircraft was planned for 1990, cost overruns and design shortfalls slowed development. The first C-17 was delivered in July 1993, and the 17^th Airlift Squadron, the first C-17 squadron, became operational in January 1995. To date, more than 230 C-17s have been built, and production continues at a pace of roughly 10 per year.

The cargo deck of the C-17 is 88 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 12 feet 4 inches high. It is capable of carrying tanks, helicopters, and other military vehicles. Maximum payload for the C-17 is 170,900 pounds of cargo, or 134 troops. The cargo deck can also be outfitted to serve as a medical facility. When the president travels, the presidential limousine and other motorcade vehicles are transported aboard a C-17.

A C-17 on the tarmac.

In addition to the United States Air Force, some foreign militaries also operate the C-17 (though in much smaller numbers than the U.S.). The Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Qatar Emiri Air Force each operate fewer than 10 C-17s. There are also three C-17s in the international NATO Strategic Airlift Capability Program. As of 2010, Boeing (which acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997) had orders from several other countries including India, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. Shortly after it began deliveries to the U.S. Air Force, McDonnell Douglas marketed a commercial version of the C-17. After the acquisition, Boeing continued to try to introduce the C-17 to the civilian market, but there was little interest, and no orders were ever placed, so the C-17 has remained strictly a military aircraft.