11bee Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Flight Global has an interesting article about Lockheed pondering whether to offer refurbished C-5A's on the civilian market once the USAF retires them. Upgraded to C-5M standard, they would be priced well below a Boeing 747 and would compete with some of the Russian outfits that are flying An-124's for hauling of large cargo. Not sure if this is viable or not but I'd love to see a few C-5's in civilian colors, rather than rusting away at AMARC. Link is here is anyone wants more info: http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2011/09/lockheed-pitches-retired-c-5as.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alvis 3.1 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 (edited) Quick! Let Jennings know so he can generate some awesome civil schemes! I vote for "Ryder Rentals"! Alvis 3.1 Edited September 29, 2011 by Alvis 3.1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Phantom726 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Someone please give U-Haul a ping!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JasonW Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Someone please give U-Haul a ping!! I have this vision of a U-Haul marked C-5 doing a LAPES of a pallet loaded with someone's entire house full of furniture and household belongings...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Two Mikes Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I bet UPS, Fed Ex and DHL would love a few!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Someone please give U-Haul a ping!! Nah, if it's U-haul it'll break down and leave you stranded on the side of the runway for hours while you try to get them to send someone out to fix it. UPS could come up with a cool scheme based on some of their truck schemes. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RiderFan Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Someone please give U-Haul a ping!! I could see the bumper sticker on the back... How's my Flying? If I'm being reckless, please call 1-800-u-haul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
drhornii Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 (edited) Maybe the USPS service can get some and do a CDS drop in neighborhoods and we can pilfer through the mail pile....actually I read an article years ago about GPS guided cargo loads...just recycle the old chutes. On a side note, let me know when a new tool C-5 gets released Edited September 29, 2011 by drhornii Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spike7451 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I saw a photo of a Middle Eastern airline (Qatar I think) that already use the C-5 in their livery,I think the airline is Government owned & the C-5 still belongs to the military tho,but in Civ Div markings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Neo Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Nah, if it's U-haul it'll break down and leave you stranded on the side of the runway for hours while you try to get them to send someone out to fix it. i imagine anyone flying around in a rent a cargo plane.. UPS could come up with a cool scheme based on some of their truck schemes. sure now its really going to look like a HUGE brown...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Neo Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I saw a photo of a Middle Eastern airline (Qatar I think) that already use the C-5 in their livery,I think the airline is Government owned & the C-5 still belongs to the military tho,but in Civ Div markings. Thats a great ruse to drop a couple of armored platoons at your enemy's airport without knowing its coming!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
2qwik4u Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 (edited) I have this vision of a U-Haul marked C-5 doing a LAPES of a pallet loaded with someone's entire house full of furniture and household belongings...... With a C-5 you could almost LAPES the whole house... That would be a great commercial. Dad is sitting in the easy chair reading the paper, kids are running around the house screaming "Are we there yet". Cut to a shot of a bare foundation, then a shot of the C-5 coming down, the house pops out and slides right up onto the foundation. Jim Carrey leans out the window of the C-5 ala Ace Ventura "Like a glove". Edited September 29, 2011 by 2qwik4u Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Two Mikes Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I saw a photo of a Middle Eastern airline (Qatar I think) that already use the C-5 in their livery,I think the airline is Government owned & the C-5 still belongs to the military tho,but in Civ Div markings. That is a C-17 and Jennings drew decals for the Revell kit. HTH Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hawkeye's Hobbies Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 The DoD has a real issue with civilians acquiring and using retired military aircraft. You must understand that military aircraft do not meet the same safety requirements imposed on civilian aircraft in use. I don't think any civilian agency wants to find themselves in a situation where they refurbished a "retired" C-5A to C-5M standards only to have the gov't come calling saying the demand it back for national interests. The civilians would also have to acquire not only the aircraft, but crews, spares, facilities etc to even be able to field and fly them. That adds to the price tag. Yes there are some companies, just a couple using the big Antonov's but they spend as much time if not more just sitting waiting for a contract haul than they do actually flying. Some have been impounded by foreign governments for not paying their ramp fees and fuel bills. Some sat for months while their crews lived inside the aircraft because the company which "owned" the aircraft couldn't afford to pay them or to fly the aircraft home. I've been in one of these and let me tell you the stench was gross. But when you are not permitted to leave the aircraft because you don't have a visa to leave the airport...remember the Tom Hanks movie? The best option is to allow the military to haul civilian cargo at a competitive price point. This keeps the aircraft operational and the crews proficient. The air bridge is just as weak as those in this country that carry vehicles. Over time they are over loaded and over used. As the number of C-5s dwindle and the tempo for the C-17 increases we're finding some serious holes in our airlift capacities. Wars are won through logistics...lose the supply link and those on the front lines are in serious trouble. Heck, it took a C-17 to bring home a B-1B with navigation issues...seems the crew didn't know how to read a map and forgot what dead reckoning was. LOL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kenlilly106 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I have this vision of a U-Haul marked C-5 doing a LAPES of a pallet loaded with someone's entire house full of furniture and household belongings...... Considering the horror stories I've heard about some moving companies, this plan would probably be easier on the items. Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kevan Vogler Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Firekiller Galaxy, anyone? Can you image the swath of retardant one of those babies could lay down out the backdoor? :blink: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spike7451 Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 That is a C-17 and Jennings drew decals for the Revell kit. HTH Mike Thanks,I knew it was big beast,not sure which one tho... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
T0M4ever Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Can you imagine a bright yellow DHL C-5? Would be awesome. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IrishGreek Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Can you imagine a bright yellow DHL C-5? Would be awesome. Yea, with those big red 'racing' stripes! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I'm with Hawkeye as I don't see it happening either. Plus, some of those older C-5As had some internal wiring issues, so they would practically have to be stripped out and gutted for conversion and while the drawing board cost of converting the airframes to C-5M status is for a certain amount, the final dollar total is likely to be a bit higher than that. Then there is the cost of refurbishing some to come out of AMARC in the first place. A-4 Skyhawks and F-16s are one thing, a C-5 (let alone several) is something else entirely. How do you get crews proficient on these things for the intial training? The USAF has all the flying birds already and the simulators. I really don't see it happening, certainly not in this economy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zerosystem Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 oh great, its bad enough when ups (oops) kicks your package out of the truck...now they'll just toss it out of the back at 20,000k Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andrew.deboer Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 The guys from Google should get one to replace their 767. That way they could bring their cars, helicopters, RVs, etc. with them on trips. Chicks may dig guys who have their own plane and the means to take crazy expensive vacations, but they would REALLY dig dudes who can drive right off the plane in their Aston Martins and Ferraris. "No, baby, we don't need to transfer our luggage from the car to the plane. We're taking the whole car." And imagine what the top deck would look like once they redesigned it... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Neo Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 And imagine what the top deck would look like once they redesigned it... Yeah it could look like the Austin Powers shagjet!! Yeah baby yeah Quote Link to post Share on other sites
11bee Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 The guys from Google should get one to replace their 767. That way they could bring their cars, helicopters, RVs, etc. with them on trips. Chicks may dig guys who have their own plane and the means to take crazy expensive vacations, but they would REALLY dig dudes who can drive right off the plane in their Aston Martins and Ferraris. "No, baby, we don't need to transfer our luggage from the car to the plane. We're taking the whole car." And imagine what the top deck would look like once they redesigned it... Or they could go with the multi-billionare Saudi sheik trim package including indoor handball court, marble covered cargo deck, gold plated bidets, servants quarters, a stall for his riding horses and his personal helo could be squeezed in the back. The possibilities are endless... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kg4kpg Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 As an escapee and former manager of a U-Haul, please dont go that way. The stories I could tell. Crap, I would have to move. Charleston approach brings planes in over my house. It would be nice seeing them carry the MRAPS out of here on C-5's instead of the An-124's they contract from Russia. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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