Post by

Danny Rowland

I had the honor to fly with the 315^th Air Lift Wing here in Charleston aboard a C-17 Globe Master last month.  Approximately 30 business leaders in South Carolina were invited to fly with our United States Air Force Reserve to Niagara Air Station in New York to have an inspection and tour of our joint reserve facilities located at Niagara.  The trip was an eye opener, reminding me how important our active and inactive reserves are in support of our regular services.  For example, on the way back to Charleston, I had the privilege to ride in the jump seat of a C-17 Globe Master.  The pilot and co-pilot were young men, both of whom were employed as pilots at U. S. Airlines.  One week out of every month they take their U. S. Airlines corporate jackets off and put on Air Force Reserve flight suits and fly the C-17 back and forth to Iraq, delivering much needed supplies and equipment to our troops.

If you have a reservist working for you, please thank him or her for their support.

For your information, some characteristics of the C-17 Globe Master:

The C-17 measures 174 feet long with a wingspan of 169 feet, 10 inches.  The aircraft is powered by 4 fully reversible Federal Aviation Administration certified Pratt Whitney 100 engines.  Each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust and can carry a maximum payload capacity of 170,900 pounds.  The plane can land and take off on runways as short as 3,500 feet and cruise at an altitude of 28,000 feet. 

Please visit the link below to the 315^th Air Wing Command here in Charleston and support your reserve units.

Click here: Reserve employers experience military life