C-17 MARKS 2 MILLIONTH FLIGHT HOUR

Published March 3, 2011
By 1st Lt. Kathleen Ferrero

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) -- A C-17 Globemaster III drops pallets of water and food over Mirebalais, Haiti, Jan. 21, 2010, to be distributed by members of the United Nations. In December, the C-17 celebrated its 2 millionth flight hour during an airdrop mission out of Bagram Airfield, Aghanistan. As a testament to the C-17 mission tempo, reliability and outstanding safety record, the aircraft passed its 2 millionth flight hour just four years after passing its first million-hour mark, and the first million hours took 16 years to reach. One reason for the C-17's success is its versatility in both strategic and tactical airlift operations, Air Mobility Command officials said. The C-17 has broken airdrop records monthly during the past year, keeping an estimated 970 trucks off of hazardous roads per month. It also plays an integral role in airlift and the 98 percent survivability rate in aeromedical evacuation operations.