Via Facebook.
Another story from same RCAF FE. Right gear oleos don't fail me now!
You don't realize how interesting your life is until you look back at what you have done. What was routine then now seems extraordinary. Last posting I described a CP-140 Aurora event from my time with 407 Sqn in Comox. Here is an interesting CC-130 Hercules event from my time with 435 Sqn in Winnipeg.
Almost 20 years ago I did a trash hauling (cargo transport) trip to Europe. Our routing was Winnipeg-Trenton-Bagotville-Greenwood-Lyneham-Sigonella-Zagreb-Lyneham-Prestwick-St. John's-Trenton-Winnipeg over the course of 8 days.
On the way home we landed in St. John's (Newfoundland) just before a big snow storm hit. As we taxied in we debated about putting the Hercules into the small almost full hangar. The AC (Aircraft Commander) was hesitant because it cost $1000 per night. When compared with de-icing in the morning, which cost $26,000 then putting the aircraft into the hangar was a good idea. Getting the aircraft in the hangar was a challenge and I was hoping the right oleos would not drop with that small aircraft under the right wing air refuelling pod.
The next morning it was snowing when we arrived at the airport and there were 6 USAF Hercs on the flight line and one of them was running. The gauntlet had now been dropped. The AC went to flight plan and asked for the aircraft to be towed out of the hangar. I told him I would tow it out when I see the USAF Herc take-off. The USAF Herc de-iced ($26,000) and taxied for the runway. I could hear it but I could not see it through the snow. It returned to the ramp and de-iced again ($52,000) and taxied out for the runway again. Fifteen minutes later it returned to the ramp and shutdown.
We left our Herc in the hangar for another night and left the next morning having only paid $2000. (My photos)
