Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large jet powered military transport that was designed by McDonnell Douglas, now a part of Boeing. The C-17 carries forward the name of two previous piston-engined military cargo aircraft, the Douglas C-74 Globemaster and the Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. It came into service in 1995 and replaced the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. The C-17 is 174 feet long and has a wingspan of 169 feet. It has a range of 2,780 miles and can cruise at 520 mph. The C-17 can operate out of runways as short as 3,500 feet (that’s really short for an airplane of that size. It also has the ability to be re-fueled in mid-air.

January 1996, a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, flew toTuzla Air Base, Bosnia-Herzegovina, carrying President Bill Clinton and his staff. President Clinton was there to thank the troops for a job well done helping to end the war. President Clinton delivered a speech of thanks to the men and women deployed to Tuzla Air Base Bosnia-Herzegovina. The C-17 then flew him to Aviano Air Base, Itally were he also greeted the troops and their families and thank them for their great service.

December 22, 1997, once again, President Bill Clinton visited Bosnia,. This time the C-17 flew him into Sarajevo airport from Aviano, Italy. The President was there to join other world leaders to endorse an international pact to promote a healthier future for the Balkans. The site of the meeting was the Zetra sports complex, where the 1984 Winter Olympics were held – a place that was devastated during the 1992-1995 siege of Sarajevo by Bosnian Serb forces.

For these trips, the President sat in the cargo compartment during take off and landing, but went up to the flight deck for the rest of the flight. Up there, he asked questions about the flight and the C-17 and by all accounts, enjoyed the time with the aircrew.