Air Force asked to fly an elephant on a C-17

[unhappycamper]

The Alaska Zoo in Anchorage needs to move Maggie, an 8000-pound African elephant to new digs in California, and has requested help from the Air Force.


Air Force asked to fly an elephant on a C-17
By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 24, 2007 18:00:13 EDT

Here’s a flight the loadmasters will tell their children about.

The Air Force is looking at a request to fly an elephant aboard a C-17 Globemaster from Alaska to California.

The Alaska Zoo in Anchorage needs to move Maggie, an 8,000-pound pachyderm from the zoo to Northern California where Maggie will take up residence at an animal sanctuary.

The zoo has asked if the Air Force would fly the mission. As of Tuesday, the request was still under consideration, an Air Force spokesman said.

Elmendorf Air Force Base near Anchorage is home to the 3rd Wing and a C-17 squadron.

During the journey, Maggie would be packed inside a cagelike crate measuring 12 feet long, 6 feet wide and by 9½ feet tall, small enough to fit inside a C-17.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/10/airforce_elephant_c17_071024w/

[bluerum]

1. WTF - are there no commercial shipping/transport companies anymore -

You would think that our military is hiring itself out for a buck now.

Oh.

Wait...

[Captain Hilts]

4. Pilots need to get their reserve flight hours in. It doesn't matter what's inside.

That's what most of those flyovers over sporting events are too.

They just need their hours. Might as well carry an elephant.

[NYVet]

2. Operation Dumbo Drop 2 (NT)

[applegrove]

3. Maggie is very cute.

[bluerum]

5. Yes - as elephants go she is a doll!