316 Rozdział 2009-03-24
Lockheed Martin C-130 E Hercules
Poland
History
The first two years of operation of the Lockheed C-130 E in the Polish Army.
History. 2009.
The first weeks of staying in the Commonwealth C-130 nb 1501 were spent on training of flying and ground personnel.
On 2009-05-26, flights C-130 nb 1501 began. The crew in the composition ascended first; I pilot at the same time commander 14. ELTr Lt. Col. Pilot Mieczysław Gaudyn, II pilot (instructor) capt Pete Hughens (American), navigator Capt. Łukasz Maniak, loading technician (loadmaster), Cyprian Waśniewski, flight technician Sergeant Andrzej Kozera. Pilots trained for 3 hours and 10 minutes landing and a quick rise again, so-called Conveyor.
In 2009, in the following weeks, training of 14. ELTr personnel in the field of operation and procedures related to the use of C-130 Herkules aircraft continued. To this end, on June 16-14, 2009, a group of 40 soldiers from the 182nd Illinois National Air Transport Wing stayed in Powidz, who came to Poland on board the American C-130 J Hercules aircraft.
During the Air Show 2009 in Radom, the C-130 nb 1501 aircraft was shown to the public for the first time, both in the air and at a static exhibition.
Next C-130 nb 1506. 2009.
In autumn 2009 it was already known that the next C-130 for Poland would not arrive this year. The Americans, feeling the breach of contract, unilaterally decided to transfer another aircraft to the Polish Armed Forces.
In October 2009, another C-130 nb 1506 for 14. ELTr landed at the Okęcie airport. However, this is not another of the lots of the next 4 machines intended for Poland. The delivery of the second, or C-130 nb 1502, for Poland was significantly delayed, which is why another C-130 aircraft was leased from the Americans to train crews. The machine arrived from Ramstein, a large USAF base in Germany.
On 2009-10-20 (2009-11-02) at Powidz Airport, this aircraft landed starting its service in the Polish Air Force.
The arrival of the aircraft was waiting for: Commander 3. SLTr. Brigadier General pil. Tadeusz Mikutel, Head of Training 3. SLTr. Col. M. Sc. pil. Michał Erdmański, Commander 14. ELTr Lt. Col. pil. Mieczysław Gaudyn, Deputy Commander of the 33rd BLot. Lt. Col. MSc. Andrzej Górnicki, Head of the Aeronautics Department 3. SLTr. Lt. Col. MSc. Roman Bąk, Commander of the Air Squadron, Lt. Col. MSc. Robert Nowak.
The American crew stayed all day in Poland to show the differences in equipment between this aircraft and the aircraft ordered by SP RP. The training ended with joint flights with mixed crews. According to the commander 14. ELTr, Lt. Col. pil. Mieczysław Gaudyn, the differences in equipment are not large; it's the same plane in the same E version we've had in the country since March 2009. Of course, there are some nuances, but they do not increase our staff's change of habits and different distribution of attention in the cabin.
This was not the last C-130 Hercules landing in Powidz that day. The airport also hosted the C-130 from Ramstein, which took the American crew to a base in Germany.
In the photo above the plane has USAF identification markings. After a few days, the aircraft received Polish identification marks. According to the agreement, the aircraft was leased for free for 11 months. The main task of the machine will be to support the training process of subsequent C-130 Hercules crews. In the following weeks, talks continued with the US side about extending the operating time. After completing the mission in Poland, the aircraft was planned to be sent to the USA and preserved at the AMARC base in Arizona.
Further training.
In November 2009, another training of Polish C-130 personnel was conducted. He trained a team of pilots from the National Guard Mobile Treaining Team (MTT) from Nashville. During the one-month training, the instructors carried out ground preparation and training, followed by training in the air. The crew performed tasks in the air in mixed trains. During one flight, the entire crew was checked, from commander to loading technician. Loads were dropped, taking into account the specificity of the terrain and drops from high and low heights.
In turn, on November 18-20, 2009, the 33rd Air Base participated in exercises under the code name "RYBOŁÓW 09". These exercises were aimed at bringing together the exercising commands and subunits. One of our two largest C-130 E Hercules transport aircraft took part in the exercises, which performed transport tasks involving the evacuation of people and equipment from the hazardous area.
33 Air Base.
Since March 2009, the character of the airport has undergone a systematic transformation. Combat aircraft (Sukhoi Su-22) are no longer based at the airport for many months. Currently (2009) the main tasks of the 33rd Air Base include securing and insuring aircraft combat flights. First of all, 14. ELTr, operating M-28 Bryza and C-130 Hercules aircraft. But also many other machines of the Polish Armed Forces and other NATO countries. This mainly concerned aircraft using Polish training grounds. The base was maintained in high combat and mobilization readiness. Over the past 10 years, Powidz Airport has been a place associated with many exercises of the Polish Armed Forces and other NATO forces. You can add nearly 50 such operational and tactical exercises. 33. The Air Base has a predisposition and capacity to accept any aircraft due to its location; ranging from school, training-combat, combat, transport (light, medium and heavy) aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft and air command, government-VIP.
At this point, it is necessary to write about the opportunity wasted by the Polish authorities, so that Powidz Airport will become the base of 1 HAW (from 2009-07-27) operating three Boeing C-17 aircraft, which are also used by the Polish Army.
Commander of the 33rd Air Base - Col. pil. Lesław Dubai.
Deputy Commander of the 33rd Air Base - Lt. Col. MSc. Andrzej Górnicki.
Chief of Staff of the 33rd Air Base - Lt. Col. MSc. Piotr Miłończyk.
Spokesperson of the 33rd BLot Powidz, Major Grzegorz Schmidt, phone / 063 / 277-4121.
Address: Military Unit 3293, Witkowska St. 8, 62-430 Powidz.
Polish first combat mission C-130 E.
The involvement of the Polish Army in the war in Afghanistan must have resulted in the use of Polish C-130 aircraft in the transport of cargo and soldiers in that region of the world. Undoubtedly, such flights had to become combat missions. Hostile attack on the plane was very real.
It took several days for the crew and all interested parties to prepare for the flight. The C-130 nb 1506 aircraft was selected for the flight, one of the two then operated.
The plane left the airport in Powidz on December 12, 2009. It was a momentous event for the 14th ELTr. This day was important for personnel personally involved in the first mission to Afghanistan. Airplane checked, crew prepared, DS. (RWY) did not even show a trace of a sudden winter attack, but anxiety was felt. Finally, the plane landed on the runway, only the pre-take-off procedure and the machine lazily started take-off, smoothly tearing itself away from DS. (RWY).
The aircraft successfully completed the first flight to Afghanistan.
History. 2010.
Evaluation of the Hercules program.
On 2010-01-29, the 33th BLot was visited by a Polish-American delegation dealing with the C-130 Hercules program. Briefing began in the Command of the 3rd Wing of Transport Aviation, where the guests were received by the Commander of the 3rd SLTr Brig. pil. Tadeusz Mikutel.
The composition of the delegation was as follows:
John W. Foncannon, LT Col, USAF, SAF / IA, Poland Country Director.
Jack Gillham, LT Col, USAF, SAF / IA, Chief International Air Mobility Programs.
Russell Hokanson, GS-12, Poland C-130, Poland Program Manager.
Lt. Col. MSc. Michał M. Marciniak, Program coordinator on the part of the Ministry of National Defense.
Colonel pil. Piotr Tusza, Program coordinator on the part of DSP. The meeting was also attended by: Commander of 14. ELTr Lt. Col. pil. Mieczysław Gaudy, deputy commander 14. ELTr Maj. Pil. Cezary Zdebski.
The meeting was also attended by: Commander of 14. ELTr Lt. Col. pil. Mieczysław Gaudy, deputy commander 14. ELTr Maj. Pil. Cezary Zdebski.
Briefing concerned the problems and threats to the smooth implementation of a new type of aircraft for operation in Polish Aviation. Working meetings followed the official start. Representatives of the American side had the opportunity to hear engineers and technicians who presented observations and comments while proposing a solution. Many insights were understood, especially those regarding the circulation of documentation that arise from certain national habits.
So far, for almost a year of operation of the C-130, thanks to the excellent work of technicians and engineers, planes perform all planned tasks related to training and transport of people and equipment. It should be noted, however, that planes could perform much more flights, if not for the long wait for spare parts.
The next item on the visit was the presentation of the assumptions of the aircraft development program prepared for 14. ELTr pilots, during which development trends for C-130 aircraft were presented. The presentation concerned the future and directions in which the aircraft manufacturer will aim to meet the needs of modern transport aviation.
Next C-130 nb 1502 in Powidz.
On 2010-04-25, the second of five contracted aircraft landed at Powidz Airport, which underwent a comprehensive renovation. Almost exactly a year after delivery of the first C-130 nb 1501 machine. The current machine is the third machine operated by PSP. A second C-130 nb 1506 machine (additional) was lost. The new C-130 received nb 1502. At the airport, the American crew greeted; Commander of the 3rd Wing of Transport Aviation brig. pil. Tadeusz Mikutel, deputy commander 33. BLot Lieutenant Colonel Andrzej Górnicki and Deputy 14 ELTr Lieutenant Colonel pil. Mieczysław Gaudyn.
The aircraft took off from the L3 repair plant in Waco, Texas with stopovers in Bermuda and Azores and at the base in Ramstein.
The estimated time to deploy the aircraft to service in the Polish Air Force will be about 3-4 weeks. This is related to the activities related to the technical review carried out by Polish technicians and customs procedures.
Next C-130 nb 1507.
On 2010-10-15, at 14:00 another C-130 E landed which will serve in the PSP. The aircraft received nb 1507. It was delivered by the USAF in exchange for the lost C-130 nb 1506. At that moment, three aircraft were based in Powidz; nb 1501, 1502, 1507.
Next C-130 nb 1503.
On November 16, 2010, at 16:15, the third of five contracted C-130 aircraft landed at Powidz Airport. This aircraft received nb 1503 ex 1272. This machine, like the previous ones, underwent technical condition, customs formalities and entry in the aircraft register for several weeks.
At the moment, we had four C-130 nb aircraft 1501, 1502, 1507 (leased until October 2011) and 1503 in PSP. Other; NB 1504 is expected to arrive in June 2011, NB 1505 is to arrive in December 2011.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman
316 Rozdział 2009-03-24
Lockheed Martin C-130 E Hercules
Poland
Construction
A description of the design of the Lockheed C-130 E Hercules aircraft was given in an earlier Section. Below are some photos of the C-130 Hercules aircraft.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman
316 Section 2009-03-24
Lockheed Martin C-130 E Hercules
Poland
Tally
The list of Polish C-130 E Hercules planes is included in Section "Lockheed Martin C-130. 2009. Tally. "
Written by Karol Placha Hetman