The ‘wow’ factor

***image1***Ten aircraft representing the U.S. Air Force participated in the 2008 Berlin Air Show May 27 through June 1. Since 1909, the show has offered the U.S. a venue to display its capabilities and foster relationships with international military aviators.

This year, bombers, fighters and cargo aircraft represented U.S. air power at the show.

While the B-1 bombers are certainly impressive and the massive C-5 always draws a crowd with its visor lifted, some people may not know what to make of the C-130J at first sight. From the outside, the aircraft appears pretty straightforward. It has no unique external features, like the refueling boom of the KC-135 or the rising visor of the massive C-5 Galaxy, and it has no visible external weapons like the F-15 and F-16.

What the C-130J does have may not be immediately visible to the average air show attendee. Unlike the bombers and fighters at Berlin this year, the C-130J is the best aircraft with the versatility to take off and land in the most austere locations, making it the premier aircraft for conducting missions where the “sexier” aircraft can’t always make it.

In places such as Afghanistan, where there are many locations that have limited runway space and hot climates, the C-130J is the military’s aircraft of choice to bring troops and supplies in and out of the forward operating area. The C-130J has advanced propellers that create additional airflow, so when the weather is hot (minimizing lift) or the runway is short, the C-130J will still be able to perform while other aircraft may have to think twice.

To people at the Berlin Air Show this year, such capability isn’t apparent. But to the people in remote locations who need the materials and personnel the C-130J provides, the benefit is crystal clear.

Staff Sgt. Charles Campbell knows first-hand about the capability of the C-130J. Originally from St. Louis, Sergeant Campbell is a loadmaster with the 463rd Airlift group from Little Rock, Ark. He has flown to deliver food, water and supplies to support multinational forces in Iraq and he swears by the aircraft for getting in and out of tight spots quickly.

“They [troops in Iraq] were running low on the basics – water, eggs and other supplies,” said Sergeant Campbell. “They couldn’t use convoys because it would take too long and it was too dangerous, and limited runway spaces prohibited the C-5 from coming in. They chose us because we could get it there faster … and there’s nothin’ like seeing the face of a Soldier who’s watching his food being unloaded off the back of the plane. It just motivates me to load up again and go get some more.”
 
Still, for air show attendees looking for the “wow” factor, the C-130J may not be the immediate choice.

Capt. John David Lax, the C-130J aircraft commander, isn’t fazed by the amount of attention the B-1 and the C-5 received at Berlin this year. He knows that it’s not how a plane looks that makes it great.

“People are drawn to the bombers and fighters because of their looks,” said Captain Lax. “But when I tell people about the versatility of the C-130J and what it can do, I think they gain a new appreciation for the craft.”

Judging by the long lines of people waiting to get a tour of the C-130J at the show this year, he’s probably right.