Giant Plane Delivers Flight Simulator

[unhappycamper]

Giant Plane Delivers Flight Simulator
May 22, 2008
Marine Corps News|by LCpl Daniel A. Flynn

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, OKINAWA, Japan - The Russian-built Antonov An-124, a colossal cargo Aircraft, landed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma May 19, delivering a KC-130J simulator for Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152.

With the addition of the simulator, Marine Corps KC-130J pilots on Okinawa will no longer have to travel to the states for simulator training.

"This simulator will increase the unit's overall readiness," said Capt. Damian Duhon, aircrew training officer for VMGR-152. "The training simulator significantly reduces the man hours required on the airplane."

Duhon said that the simulator can be adjusted to enhance training for pilots by preparing them for a wide variety of flight conditions and environmental factors such as weather, lighting and geography.

Once pilots become proficient in the simulator, they will log anywhere between 20 and 30 hours of simulator time per month. Duhon said he anticipates the simulator will be assembled and ready for use by August.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/marine-corps-news/giant-plane-delivers-flight-simulator.html



uhc comment: The AN-124



Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California

According to wikipedia:

The An-124 was manufactured in parallel by two plants: the Russian company Aviastar-SP (ex. Ulyanovsk Aviation Industrial Complex) and by the Kyiv Aviation Plant AVIANT, in Ukraine. Series production ceased with the break up of the Soviet Union. The last five unfinished airframes left from the Soviet times were completed in 2001 (1), 2002 (1), and 2004 (3). While currently no An-124 are being produced, Russia and Ukraine have agreed to resume the production in the Q3 2008.<4>

Physically, the An-124 is similar to the American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but it has a 25% larger payload. An-124s have been used to carry locomotives, yachts, aircraft fuselages, and a variety of other oversized cargoes. The An-124 is able to kneel to allow easier front loading. Up to 150 tonnes of cargo can be carried in a military An-124: it can also carry 88 passengers in an upper deck behind the wing centre section. However, due to limited pressurization in the main cargo compartment (3.57 PSI) <5>, it seldom carries paratroopers.<6>

Since the type was initially designed for only occasional military use, original An-124s were built with a projected service life of 7,500 flight hours with possibility for extension. However many airframes have flown more than 15,000 flight hours. In response to complaints by commercial users, that aircraft built after 2000 (the An-124-100) have an improved service life of 24,000 hours, older airframes are being upgraded to this standard. The works on its extension up to 40,000 flight hours are being performed. The Kyiv Aviation Plant AVIANT offers upgrades to the АN-124-100М-150 version.