Aircraft / Boeing BC-17
Aircraft / Boeing BC-17
The Boeing BC-17 is a civilian variant of the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, a large four-engine military strategic transport jet aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) in the 1980s and early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas.
In its military role the C-17 performs tactical and strategic airlift missions, transporting troops and cargo throughout the world, as well as medical evacuation and airdrop duties. The aircraft is in service with the USAF along with military air services of India, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and the Europe-based multilateral organization Heavy Airlift Wing.
Boeing ended production of the C-17 in October 2014, after building 279 examples. It’s heaviest production activity occurred between 1998 and 2013. Because C-17s are heavily customized based on their mission requirements, the final C-17 was not delivered to its customer until 2019.
The BC-17X (originally known as the MD-17 before the McDonnell Douglas merger with Boeing in 1997) was a civilian variant planned for US airlines participating in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, a contractual arrangement between the US Department of Defense and select US air carriers to enhance or extend the military’s airlift requirements during a national emergency event. It was to be similar to the military C-17 airlifter but not equipped for aerial refueling and without an on-board inert gas generator, among other changes.
In real life the airlines never adopted the BC-17X, although plans to build them are still on hand for future reference.
Source: Wikipedia.
Stats
Stats displayed are for the initial Boeing C-17A Globmaster III quad-engine airlifter.
Name: Boeing BC-17
Final Assembly Site: Long Beach, California USA
Role: Quad Engine Strategic Airlifter
First Introduction: 17 January 1995
Status: Out of Production; In Service
Cockpit Crew: Three including 1 Loadmaster
Capacity: 170,900 lb (77,519 kg) cargo or a mix of palletized cargo and vehicles; alternatively up to 102 paratroopers or 134 regular troops, or 36-54 medevac patients with medical attendants
Engines: 4 × Pratt & Whitney PW2000
Cruise Speed: 450 knots (830 km/h; 520 mph)
Range: 2420 nmi (4480 km; 2780 miles) with 157,000 lb (71,214 kg) payload