Air Force Flyover honors front line COVID-19 workers

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs from the 62nd Airlift Wing stationed at McChord Air Field conducted a flyover at 30 health facilities and areas of interest in the Puget Sound region on Friday May 8, 2020.

This is to say thank you to all of the American heroes at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19.

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

The helicopters arrived about four minutes before the C-17s over Shoreline on Friday.

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

According to an Air Force fact sheet:

The C-17 Globemaster III is the most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area. The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

From the fact sheet:

The C-17 measures 174 feet long (53 meters) with a wingspan of 169 feet, 10 inches (51.75 meters). The aircraft is powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines, which are based on the commercial Pratt and Whitney PW2040 used on the Boeing 757. Each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust and includes thrust reversers that direct the flow of air upward and forward to avoid ingestion of dust and debris. Additionally, thrust reversers provide enough thrust to reverse the aircraft while taxiing backwards and create in-flight drag for maximum rate descents. The design characteristics give it the capability to operate into and out of short runways and austere airfields carrying large payloads. Maximum use has been made of commercial off-the-shelf equipment, including Air Force-standardized avionics.

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

From the fact sheet:

The aircraft is operated by a crew of three (pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster), reducing manpower requirements, risk exposure and long-term operating costs. Cargo is loaded onto the C-17 through a large aft ramp and door system that accommodates virtually all of the Army’s air-transportable equipment such as a 69-ton M1 Abrams main battle tank, armored vehicles, trucks and trailers.

Additionally, the cargo floor has rollers that can be flipped from a flat floor to accommodate wheeled or tracked vehicles to rollerized conveyors to accommodate palletized cargo. The C-17 is designed to airdrop 102 paratroopers with their accompanying equipment.

Fact Sheet