Canada Will See Your Aging Aircraft And Raise You Almost 50,000 Hours

by Aero-News Senior Correspondent Kevin R.C. "Hognose" O'Brien

The oldest, or at least the most worn, Lockheed Hercules in the world is still flying in Canada at over 45,000 hours. That's enough flying time that, at cruise speed, CC-130 number 315 could have gone to the moon and back -- sixty times.

When you think about it, it isn't surprising that the peaceful Canadians would set such a military record, operating an airplane they first took possession of in 1965 (they got earlier B models, which have since been replaced, in 1960). They simply have no money for newer equipment, so they tighten their belts and make do, relying on high-quality people to make up for old equipment and low numbers.

The Canadian military continues to shrink. It has reached the point that tiny Denmark periodically visits and plants its flag on Canadian-claimed Hans Island between Greenland and Newfoundland, and Canada can't resist. (Perhaps because there is no C-130 suitable landing zone on the bleak island; the Danes revert to Viking type and come in small boats). The island has no intrinsic value, but the 200-mile territorial zone around it is of interest to both nations. And the emotional impact is great. Imagine if the Japanese seized a couple of the Aleutians, or Argentines occupied the Falklands -- er, never mind.

Even the hard-working Hercules community has suffered budget cuts -- 429 "Bison" Squadron was disbanded last month, and its personnel and equipment transferred to 436 "Elephant" Squadron. But the Herc remains in demand, regardless. Whether the tiny Canadian Forces are contributing an infantry battalion to operations in Afghanistan, or peacekeeping under the blue flag of the UN, or conducting that most routine and necessary military activity, training, they must be supplied and transported.

To supply and transport them, the Canadians have little to work with but the small fleet of elderly Hercs (20 airframes), and four ex-airline Airbuses, called CC-150 Polarises by the Canadians. The Airbuses can't land on the austere airfields that the CC-130 does, can't drop paratroops, and can't handle cargo with the 130's aplomb.

The USAF has grounded Hercs of similar vintage (and many fewer hours), but the Canadians retain confidence in their American plane. Indeed, when the Canadians deploy forward, they often send just one Hercules -- perhaps 315 -- and expect it to perform with no down time. So far, 315 hasn't let them down in the span of two normal 20-year military careers.

To put things further in perspective, 315 is older than the joint Canadian Forces (it was acquired by the separate service, RCAF) and older than the Maple Leaf flag (which replaced the Red Ensign in 1967). The Ford Mustang was brand new, but the plane has flown so many hours that it's seen the equivalent in use of a Mustang (or an Econoline van, maybe) that has covered two million miles.

Lockheed Martin works closely with the Canadians, and together they have made over 600 modifications during the 40-year life of 315.

Perhaps the best compliment to 315 came from 8 (Transport) Wing Commander Andre Deschamps, who logged hundreds of hours in the plane, including combat time in the Balkans in the nineties. "We never missed a single mission," the Belleville Intelligencer quoted Deschamps as saying. "Its seat may be torn, its paint a bit chipped, but it always got us back."

Forty-five thousand is an impressive number, that rolls off the tongue like a judge's sentence; it ought to be intoned rather than just spoken. So, does this mean that the Herc claims the world record? Nope. There's an airworthy C-47 (DC-3) out there that's got 95,000 hours and all the logbooks to prove it.

That gives 436 Squadron and Herc 315 something to aim for.

Hercules 315 by the numbers:

Countries Visited: 50
Flight Hours:      45,000 (and counting; like it says in Trade-a-Plane ads, "the hours may change because we're still flying her daily.")
Landings:          20,816 as of June (see above comment on hours).
Operations:     "hundreds" (referring to named military operations)
Engines:     Four Rolls-Royce (nee Allison) T56 turboprops, 4,300 shp each
Speed:     About Mach 0.55 (about 340 kt)
Range:     2,056 nm with max payload; 4,522 nm empty.
Dimensions:     97'9" long x 132'7" wide x 38'3" high.
MTOW:     155,000 pounds

Note: the pictures are file photos of CC-130s, not of 315 herself.

FMI: www.rcaf.com (private historical/informational site, maintained with loving care)     www.airforce.forces.gc.ca  (official Canadian Forces site, maintained with military efficiency)