A load off their mind

Want to unload 35,000lbs of cargo from a C-130J at a hostile airfield without any air movements personnel or equipment, and with only a basic aircraft crew of three?

A C-130J Hercules deploys a load of seven pallets during the combat offload trial at RAAF Base Richmond. Photo by LAC Col Dadd

About AMTDU

- AMTDU is responsible to the ADF for the training, development and airworthiness of all aerial delivery systems. - It trains about 800 Air Force and Army personnel a year in a variety of dangerous goods, aerial delivery, and air terminal operations courses ranging from three days to eight weeks. - It also develops new aerial delivery loads for ADF users arising from equipment purchases or modifications. - It maintains the airworthiness of aerial delivery capabilities including airdrop of equipment from capable aircraft (C-130H/J, DHC4 Caribou), external lift from helicopters (Chinook, Blackhawk), and internal cargo carriage on transport aircraft. - It has 60 personnel and is an Air Command unit.

Sounds daunting, but thanks to trials recently completed by Air Movements Training and Development Unit (AMTDU) at RAAF Base Richmond, this task can now be accomplished in under five minutes without shutting down the aircraft.

The technique is known as combat offload and involves setting power on the engines, retracting locks holding the cargo in place, then releasing the aircraft brakes. The C-130J drives out from underneath the cargo which falls “gracefully” to the ground.

The technique is not recommended for delicate equipment and the trick is to complete the offload without tipping the aircraft on its tail and damaging the ramp.

This is where the work completed by AMTDU is unique. The project team of Flight Sergeant Craig Veitch and Warrant Officer Neil McCamish (loadmasters), Flying Officer Melanie Robinson and Flight Lieutenant Tim Floyd (engineers) and Flight Lieutenant Craig Lawrence (pilot) has pioneered a new method to calculate the allowable offload weights that has dramatically increased capability.

“What we’ve done is apply new thinking to an existing technique with significantly improved results,” FLGOFF Robinson said.

In a first, the team used the new C-130J simulator at Richmond to provide valuable engine thrust and aircraft acceleration data for the engineering calculations.

In one of the tests, five 5000lb pallets were offloaded in a single pass. In another test, seven pallets weighing 2200lb each were offloaded.

This new C-130J capability is around twice the capability of a C-130H. The trials also validated the tactical checklists used by the crew and further refined the detailed paperwork used to calculate offload weights.

From here the project team will complete its reports before enhancing the combat offload capability of the C-130H by applying the new thinking developed on the C-130J.

The final step will be to share the enhanced C-130 combat offload capability with our overseas allies.

Air movements staff beware, the next C-130J might not stop for long.

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