Onboard the US C-17 military transport aircraft

HONOLULU – The United States C-17 military transport aircraft has participated in numerous military and disaster relief operations through the world. TODAY’s Albert Wai went onboard a C-17 in Hawaii’s Hickam Field Thursday morning (Feb 11) at the invitation of the US Pacific Command.

Here are five things you should know about the C-17:

1. At 53 metres long and with a wingspan of around 52 metres, the C-17 is the second largest American military transport aircraft in service. The largest is the C-5, at around 75 metres long with a wingspan of around 68 metres. The C-17 is said to be able to carry more than twice the load of the C-130, commonly used by the Republic of Singapore Air Force for international humanitarian and disaster relief operations.
2. The C-17 is a versatile transport aircraft. Among its uses include transporting supplies and vehicles, acting as a flying hospital as well as supporting parachuting operations. If deployed in a civilian airliner configuration, the C-17 can seat more than 200 people.
3. The C-17 has a flying time of around 10 hours. It has aerial refuelling capabilities, which means that it can operate for long distances at one go. Depending on the configuration, the C-17 can be readied for operations in around one hour.
4. The C-17 can land on short runways (around 1,000 metres), making them ideal for disaster relief operations when infrastructure may be destroyed. It can also make three-point turns on the ground, making it easier for quick landing and take-off.
5. More than 100 such aircraft are used by the American military around the world. The final C-17 was completed at the Long Beach, California plant and flown on 29 November 2015.