C-130 Hercules

I began my association with the C-130 in June of 1993 when the Air Force moved me from RAF Upper Heyford, England to Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. I worked in the Fuel Systems Repair shop of the 314^th Maintenance Squadron for 4 months until I applied for and was hired as an FTD (Field Training Detachment) instructor at Det 4 (formerly Det 310). I taught C-130 Fuel System and Cargo Rails classes at Det 4 until April 1998. Because of a shortage of instructors and a backlog in training, I recently stepped out of my role as Detachment Chief at Kirtland AFB and went TDY to Pope AFB, NC, to teach two classes.  Being an FTD instructor is the best Air Force job I've had. My 4 best TDYs (Air Force business trips) came while teaching C-130 classes. I have taught TDY at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, Moody AFB, GA, Pope AFB, NC, Minneapolis, MN, and at Frances Gabreski Airport, Long Island, NY.

The Hercules is a 4-engine turbo prop transport. That means it has 4 jet engines that turn propellers. Its specialty is short field, unimproved runway cargo delivery. It has been modified into many variants including air refueler, special ops, hurricane hunter and gun ship.

As of 1999, Little Rock AFB was operating the C-130E and the C-130H3 variants. Both are pure transports. The C-130 now rolls off the line 40 miles from my hometown of Rome, GA at the Lockheed plant in Marietta, GA as the C-130J. The C-130 has been in continuous production since the late 1950s.

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