PRELIMINARY FINDINGS from the vital 30-day US Air Force evaluation of the McDonnell Douglas C-17 transport suggest that the aircraft performed better than expected, achieving launch-reliability rates of 99.4%.
Twelve C-17s logged 2,252h in the Reliability, Maintainability and Availability Evaluation (RM&AE), transporting 5,000t of cargo. Out of 513 sorties, 510 were classed as "on-time" departures, including the last consecutive 307. During the two-day wartime surge phase, the hourly utilisation rate (one of the major parameters of the test) was 16.6h/day on day one and 17.1/day on day two. Target utilisation was 15.2h/day for both days.
Similarly, the rate for the war time sustained period was 12.7, against a target of ten. The peacetime rate was 4.75, against a target of 3.2. Another key parameter, the fully mission-capable rate, was 84%, compared to the target of 72.9%.
During the RM&AE, C-17s transported 5,500t of USAF and Army equipment and air dropped 31,800kg, including two Sheridan tanks and more than 3,000 paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division.
Source: Flight International
