C-5 upgrades - Edwards team provides proof of expanding Galaxy

Published Oct. 12, 2011
By Diane Betzler
Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An Edwards team is hard at work providing proof the Galaxy is expanding.

The C-5 Galaxy is expanding its capabilities through hardware and software upgrades that will position the monster transport aircraft for the successful completion of its Air Force mission for the next 40 years.

After major subsystem upgrades, a C-5M Super Galaxy is now at the Air Force Flight Test Center for testing to verify that everything works as it should.

"The plane has been upgraded for Block 3.5 software improvements, which also includes some hardware changes," said Raina Saccone, 418th Flight Test Squadron, Block 3.5 upgrade project engineer.

The Lockheed Martin-built transport aircraft is here for about two months from Dover Air Force Base, Del. The test program will include approximately 100 flying hours, said Maj. Spencer Rasmussen, C-5 test pilot for the 418th Flight Test Squadron.

"The Block 3.5 improvements also introduce enhanced surveillance capability and include thrust reverser modifications," said Joel Williams, a Guidance and Navigation engineer for the 418 FLTS.

The upgrade adds an Identification Friend or Foe Mode S Enhanced Surveillance capability that includes hardware and software improvements.

The C-5M already had Mode S elementary surveillance capability, but needed an upgrade to continue to operate in the crowded European theater. The EHS upgrade increases the number of downlink airborne parameters known as DAPs, Williams said.

"With the increased DAPs the air traffic control facilities can get a better picture of what's flying in the sky at any given time," he explained.

This means that with expanded DAPs, air traffic controllers have access to expanded data from each aircraft, such as heading, altitude and air speed. This added information increases safety in busy airspace, flight safety experts say.

This expanded capability -- Mode S EHS -- was implemented in Europe in 2005 and compliance was required by 2009. The C-5 has been flying on a waiver since then.

"The point of the EHS portion of this test program is to ensure compliance and get the certification so we can continue C-5 operations in European airspace," Williams said.

The upgrades include improvements to the environmental control subsystem, which consist of the air management system controller software and flow control valve hardware. A software upgrade to the automatic throttle system is also being tested as part of the upgrade.

The embedded diagnostics system is also being put through regression testing because changes were made to its information assurance capabilities.

The embedded diagnostics system is a separate computer on the C-5M used for monitoring, troubleshooting and documenting airplane system failures in flight and on the ground. The new information assurance capabilities improve this computer's security.

Software changes made to the electronic engine control and hardware changes to the thrust reverser are also being tested, according to the team.

This modernization program has improved reliability and efficiency of the aircraft and is expected to drastically cut maintenance costs.

The C-5 Galaxy is just over 247 feet long and 65 feet high. It can carry twice the cargo of other strategic cargo airplanes -- 270,000 pounds of cargo -- and can fly more than 6,000 nautical miles without air refueling. It carries a crew of seven and is the largest airlifter in the Air Force. It is one of the largest aircraft in the world.

"We call it the daddy of the C-17," Williams said.

After successful testing of Tail No. 5002, the airlifter will fly back to Dover where it will finish the thrust reverser testing and enter Operational Test and Evaluation.

"Once it completes that phase, the airplane will enter the fleet, the systems will be fielded and AMC [Air Mobility Command] operations will have a better overall product," Rasmussen said.

There are five C-5M models, he said. The other four M variants will be upgraded one at a time.

Tomasz Stec, 418 FLTS C-5 lead engineer, said this is a tremendous test effort that requires coordination among several organizations and would not be successful without contributions of Air Force active duty aircrew, Edwards engineering, System Group engineering, Lockheed Martin engineering, Special Instrumentation group, certifying organizations, and most importantly maintenance support.