an electronic propeller control system
(EPCS) and an in- ight propeller balancing
system (IPBS).
The unit has had an NP2000 eight-
bladed LC-130 on trial for two years. At
the time of writing, the rst example to
be re tted after the trial was undergoing
a four-week upgrade after a few minor
issues were encountered during the tests
in the Antarctic.
‘We do use ATO bottles if the snow is
sticky, we are heavy and we need to get a
few more knots of airspeed so we can get
the nose up’, said Jankord.
‘Getting the nose up gets that drag
o and puts all the weight on the mains
[main wheels]. If we get to what we have
calculated to be the take-o speed and
need the ATO we will shoot the ATO but
it’s only enough for a few extra knots,
nothing like you see with the Blue Angels’
C-130 — we are operating right on
the limits.’109th Aircraft
Maintenance Squadron
Working on an LC-130 provides some
headaches for the 109th Aircraft
Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) crews.Changing a tire can take six hours, as
SSgt Kayla Ludvig explained. ‘When we
work on a standard C-130 you can axle-
jack the aircraft like you do on a car. With
the skis you can’t do that because they
come down so far. When we do the full
retractions we have to fully jack up the
whole of the aircraft on the fuselage and
nose on 20-tonne jacks, and that takes
more time — two to three hours on anormal C-130, six to seven on an LC-130.
Even changing brakes takes six hours.’
The stress on aircraft landing on
ice and skis is considerable. SSgt
Trevor Hunter said, ‘The nose ski is
approximately 800lb and the mains
weigh 2,000lb each. Each of the skis
feature thick aluminum plating. At the
front is berglass but the part that takes
the most punishment is metal — it’s an
eighth of an inch thick. The underside
is coated with Te on; it’s a real strong
paint but over time with the friction it
wears out.
‘The nose gear gets overhauled very
four to ve years and the mains every
seven to eight years.
‘To make up for the loss of suspension
on the nose when ying a ski
landing, an air spring operates,
which gives you a
cushioned landing.’Flying the
LC-130
Landing distances
are dependent on
the weight of theAbove:
Preparing
a pallet for
loading at Raven
Camp.
Left: The
LC-130Hs will
soon begin
receiving
the NP2000
eight-bladed
propellers for
additional
thrust when
required.
Below: An
LC-130H reaches
rotation speed
as it thunders
down the
skiway.UNIT REPORT | 109TH AIRLIFT WING
http://www.combataircraft.net January 201868
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