C-17 Globemaster takeoff

C-117 Globemaster takeoff, originally uploaded by hubristicexpat.

I haven't put anything on the ol' Blog in a while. So, here for your viewing pleasure, is a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster cargo plane taking off from runway 9 at Lakeland Linder airport during the Sun n Fun.

The Globemaster is a behemoth among airplanes, coming in at 173 feet long with a 100-foot wingspan. It stands 55 feet tall and is capable of carrying 170,000 pounds of cargo, including tanks and vehicles; it is frequently used to carry airborne soldiers. It is pushed by four jet engines capable of a whopping 40,000+ pounds of thrust each. They make a truly impressive noise and are equipped with thrust reversers that can be used on the ground to stop or maneuver the plane, or in the air for added drag on a quick descent.

This photo was taken during a short-field takeoff demonstration; the Globemaster, weighing in at about 320,000 pounds on this takeoff, got airborne in maybe 1,500 feet.

For some perspective: the Cessna 150 that I fly, which weighs maybe 2000 pounds and puts out an amazing 100hp, takes off in about 1000 feet.

The Globemaster did a remarkably sharp climbout, turning around and flying a tight traffic pattern to return to the field and land again. When the pilots fired up the thrust reversers, a visible vortex spilled from the front of the engines and the plane stopped on a dime.

All in all, the C-17 is a remarkable, capable airplane. I was pretty impressed by the demonstration, and I'd love to see one of these babies in action again sometime soon.