C-17 production program coming to a close

[bdk]

C-17 production in Long Beach will be ending in the 4th quarter of 2015 at fuselage #282. 223 of those aircraft were delivered to the USAF, plus one test aircraft now on display at the USAF Museum.

[dinghao]

Yawn.....

[VCS1]

A great plane made in the last operating aircraft plant in Southern California. The last link to the awesome manufacturing force that helped this country win World War II.

The doesn't make me yawn, maybe you should try a knitting group.

[APG85]

Fantastic plane. Thanks for the update...!

[JohnB]

It's nice that foreign sales have kept the line open for an extra few years. With the cost of new aircraft development and purchase...and the fact air forces are only going to get smaller, it may be the last American airlifter. I predict that eventually, the US and Europe will collaborate in military aircraft design. There will be one "Western" design, one Russian (USSR Mk II? ) and perhaps one Chinese or non-aligned.

[jdvoss]

Although the last C-17 to the USAF has been delivered the Boeing website states that they still have 22 more aircraft to build. I know that India ordered 10 of which 2 have been delivered. So how are the remaining 20 aircraft allocated?

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2013-09-18- ... II-in-2015

[bdk]

I know that India ordered 10 of which 2 have been delivered. So how are the remaining 20 aircraft allocated?

The aircraft are being built as whitetails, i.e. no customer yet identified, but they do have an idea of who will be buying them. The contracts just aren't signed yet. Other countries have budgetary rules they have to follow just like we do to fund these things.

[bdk]

Yawn.....

Thank you for your interest. I'll be sure to rain on your parade in the future. I'm betting the hundreds of people that will be losing their careers won't be yawning over this.

[andyman64]

maybe they will sell more to canada i see them every day!!!

[APG85]

Yawn.....

Thank you for your interest. I'll be sure to rain on your parade in the future. I'm betting the hundreds of people that will be losing their careers won't be yawning over this.

I was a little confused by the "Yawn" remark myself. Anyone who has deployed on this remarkable aircraft has been impressed by its performance. I'm a proud Herc guy but the C-17 is a remarkable aircraft deserving a lot more than a "Yawn"...

[whistlingdeath77]

I'd give it a standing ovation for being a hell of an airplane

[jdvoss]

Re: Yawn

I have to side with VCS, bdk et.al. as the closure of the C-17 line is highly symbolic as the final aircraft to roll out the door most probably represents the LAST major airframe to be produced in Southern California. The GREAT aircraft firms of Southern California will be gone:

Lockheed Burbank: Demolished
Vega Burbank: Demolished
Douglas Santa Monica: Demolished
Douglas El Segundo: Demolished
Douglas Long Beach (original site): demolished
NAA Inglewood: Demolished
Vultee- Downey: Converted to other uses. Runway gone
Northrop Hawthorne: Still there producing UAV's
Consolidated-Vultee San Diego: Demolished
Timm Van Nuys: Demolished
Ryan San Diego: Demolished
Interstate El Segundo: Demolished

During WWII these factories were producing 300 aircraft per DAY!!

Sadly an end to a wonderful era. The final C-17 will deserve an applause.

[Mark Allen M]

I've known one of the chief engineers on that airplane for a long time and I remember way back in the early days of development on the C-17 just how difficult it was to complete a prototype. Many hours of no sleep for that poor fellow. He and his partners did a wonderful job in correcting and eliminating all the early bugs, of which I would assume were many. The C-17 is/has been a wonderful achievement and a very good workhorse of an airplane.

The only yawning has been from the poor guys who suffered from a lack of sleep in those early days of development. Great airplane! and a fine looking one as well.

[whistlingdeath77]

Kudos c-17

[zorro9]

C-17 Folks:

Good day1

For all those dedicated C-17 crews & their fine flying machine! Just in fm FB aviation folks in Europe! Prob taken somewhere in the US great Midwest c. 2013!




p.s it landed at one time at famous Toncontin in less than 3000 feet!!