C-141vsC-17compare&contrast

Developed in 1991 and operational since 1995, the C-17 Globemaster III is in every way superior to the aging C-141B. With its four engines each producing 40,500 pounds of thrust, the C-17 is capable of a maximum speed of 515 mph and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet. Its powerful engines allow the C-17 to use a runway only 3,000 feet long. By comparison, the C-141B’s four engines produce only 20,250 pounds of thrust. This limits the aircraft to a maximum speed of 475 mph and a service ceiling of 41

,000 feet. The C-141B requires a runway of at least 6,000 feet, which makes it impractical for many of the world’s runways.

A big advantage of the C-17 is its minimal crew requirements. A crew of three is all it takes to fly this aircraft. A pilot and a co-pilot handle flying duties, while only one loadmaster is responsible for the cargo bay, cargo, and passengers. The C-141B, however, requires as many as six crewmembers to operate. A pilot, co-pilot, engineer, and scanner are necessary to fly the plane, and 2-3 loadmasters are required to manage the cargo and passengers. Of course, this also means twice as many crew need to be trained, and the training per person is generally more expensive, as well.

The Air Force has been long overdue in replacing the C-141B Starlifter cargo jet. Over 39 years of service have taken a great toll on these planes. Maintenance of the Starlifter has now become a major issue. Originally designed for a limit of 30,000 flight hours, most of the C-141B’s have logged 41,000 to 45,000 flight hours. Maintenance crews require extensive training and undergo an apprenticeship-type period in which they work with a trainer until their skills are deemed sufficient. Troubleshooting to find a problem on a Starlifter can take as long as 4 or 5 hours even for a skilled mechanic. As the plane has long been out of production, at

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