Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
LC-130 Hercules
| LC-130 | ||
|---|---|---|
LC-130 rocket assisted takeoff |
The LC-130 is a ski-equipped variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules used in the Arctic and Antarctic. There are currently ten in existence, all of which are operated by the New York Air National Guard . The skis are fully retractable allowing the aircraft to land on snow and ice as well as traditional paved runways.
Because of the high friction when the plane is taking off from the snow surface it is often necessary to supplement the engines with JATO rockets. 8 rockets can be mounted on the plane and fired during takeoff.
The primary mission of the aircraft is the transport of cargo to remote snow covered areas. This includes the summit of the Greenland ice cap as well as the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.
Last updated: 10-14-2005 01:15:07
10-26-2009 08:16:03
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details