Aviation

C-17 vs C-130 A Comparison of two Legends Military cargo planes.

In this article, the C130j Hercules freight plane and the C17 Globemaster passenger aircraft will be compared.

C-17 Globemaster

Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). On 15 September 1991, the first C-17 performed its maiden flight and formally entered USAF service on 17 January 1995.

The size of the C-17 Globemaster III is measured to be 174 feet in length, 55 feet in height, and a wingspan of nearly 169 feet and 10 inches.

The C-17 is known for being the most adaptable cargo aircraft in the USAF’s service, and its main task is to strategically deliver both cargo and troops to all of the country’s operational sites.

For its tactical airlifting and airdropping duties, the aircraft is most known. Additionally, it has the capacity to carry numerous ambulatory patients during medical evacuation operations.

When compared to the C-5 Super Galaxy, the largest freight transport aircraft used by the US Army, neither the C-17 nor the C-130 can compete.

Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines, based on the Pratt & Whitney PW2040 commercial engine used to power the Boeing 757, are utilized to propel the C-17.

C- 130 Hercules

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft made in the United States by Lockheed Martin. In 1956, the C-130 was entered into service by the United States. The C-130E, C-130H, and C-130J are the current versions of the C-130 that are still in use.

With a length of 97 feet and 9 inches, a height of 38 feet and 10 inches, and a wingspan of over 132 feet and 7 inches, all of these variations are essentially the same in size.

Regarding the C-130, its tactical airlifting duty is its primary focus, and it can fly from a dirt runway to carry both supplies and troops into difficult terrain.

It performs several of the following additional mission functions as well, including airlift assistance, aeromedical missions, weather reconnaissance, aerial firefighting for the U.S. Forest Service, and natural disaster relief.

The C-130 is propelled by four Allison T56-A-11 or -9 turboprop engines, based on the same engines that were used in the C-130A, the first version of the aircraft.

The Rolls-Royce AE2100D3 turboprop engine, which was installed in the penultimate type C-130J, improved the aircraft’s overall performance in comparison to all earlier variations.

Aviation

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Worldwide Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing, one of the world’s largest aerospace manufacturers, is facing a severe crisis. The company announced on Friday that it will lay off 17,000 employees—roughly 10% of its workforce.

This decision comes amid a prolonged strike, production delays, and ongoing safety concerns with its aircraft. Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s CEO since August, delivered the news, stating, “Our business is in a difficult position, and it is hard to overstate the challenges we face together.

Beyond navigating our current environment, restoring our company requires tough decisions, and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term.”

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Boeing has been struggling financially, with the last reported profit in 2018. The company’s largest union, with 33,000 members, has been on strike for nearly a month after rejecting a labor deal. The ongoing walkout is reportedly costing Boeing around a billion dollars each month as negotiations remain at a standstill.

Compounding these issues, Boeing’s much-anticipated boeing 777x wide-body plane is now six years behind schedule, with deliveries postponed until 2026. This follows the discovery of structural damage during flight tests. Boeing also announced it will stop manufacturing its commercial 767 freighters after fulfilling its remaining orders by 2027.

Financially, the company expects to report a significant third-quarter loss—nearly $10 per share—and a total cash outflow of $1.3 billion. boeing new aircraft commercial airplane unit faces a $3 billion pretax charge, while its defense business will absorb an additional $2 billion hit.

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The strike has severely impacted production at key boeing facilities, particularly in Seattle, where half of the company’s nearly 150,000 employees work. Since 2019, Boeing has lost approximately $25 billion.

Ortberg was brought in over the summer to help the company regain public trust following safety concerns, especially surrounding the 737 Max line, which was involved in two deadly crashes. Earlier this year, a separate incident involving a panel popping off a 737 Max mid-flight reignited concerns. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation following the event found that Boeing had failed 33 out of 89 product audits.