326th Airlift Squadron begins new era, takes first flight

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Marnee A.C. Losurdo
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  It didn't take the Air Force Reserve's 326th Airlift Squadron long to get to work after Dover Air Force Base received its first C-17 Globemaster III June 4 during a delivery ceremony. 

The squadron began a new era of airlift, taking their first flight aboard the "Spirit of the Constitution" just one day after its arrival. 

The squadron's first flight was a local training mission for the crew to further their proficiency in tactical and instrument approach procedures as well as combat offloading and night vision goggle training. 

The aircraft, named in honor of Delaware's status as the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution, is the first of 13 C-17s the base will receive over the next two years. 

It will compliment the base's current inventory of 18 C-5s, which have been modernized with digital avionics and are scheduled to have their engines upgraded, said Lt. Col. Craig LaFave, chief of the 512th Airlift Wing Program Integration Office. 

Colonel LaFave and Lt. Col. Louis Patriquin, 512th Operations Group deputy commander, were on the squadron's first C-17 flight and were also on the squadron's last C-5 flight. 

"It's going to be fun, not only to introduce the plane to the squadron but also to the community," said Colonel LaFave. "I think Dover will be pleasantly surprised at how quiet this aircraft is." 

The C-17 is 174 feet long with a wingspan of 170 feet, making it approximately two thirds the size of the gigantic C-5. The C-17 can land on a 3,500-foot dirt runway, taxi backwards out of tight parking spots, and can combat offload its cargo under fire. It can fly at 300 feet at high speed, and with the assistance of night vision goggles, crews can land on blacked-out assault zones. Another mission unique to the aircraft is the transport of patients during aeromedical evacuations. 

Lt. Col. Rob Shepherd, 326th AS commander and part of the crew for the first flight, is a veteran C-5 pilot who recently graduated from C-17 school at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. He said the C-17 is fun to fly, because it's more of a sporty airplane compared to the C-5. 

"Imagine the difference between a Corvette and a Cadillac: small and sporty with a lot of awareness of the road compared with large and luxurious with a comfortable ride," he explained. 

The C-17 can haul almost everything the C-5 can, just less of it, said Colonel Shepherd. The Galaxy can haul 36 pallets and land at a forward base with longer runways. In contrast, the C-17 can carry up to 18 pallets, and like the C-5, can haul out-sized cargo. However, the C-17 has the ability to take its load to more austere and unimproved airfields. 

The arrival of the C-17 marks the first new plane to the base in 21 years. The C-5s first arrived at Dover 36 years ago. 

"It's a very exciting time for the squadron," said Colonel Patriquin. "It was great to go on board the aircraft and experience the new car smell. I've never experienced that in the Air Force until now."