General
characteristics:
Crew: 3 or 4 (2 pilots, 3rd optional, 1 loadmaster)
Capacity: 37,000 kg (81,600 lb)
- 116 fully equipped troops / paratroopers
- up to 66 stretchers accompanied by 25 medical personnel
cargo compartment:
width 4.00-metre (13.12 ft)
height 3.85-metre (12.6 ft)
length 17.71-metre (58.1 ft) (without ramp 5.40-metre (17.7 ft))
Length: 45.1 m (148 ft 0 in)
Wingspan: 42.4 m (139 ft 1 in)
Height: 14.7 m (48 ft 3 in)
Wing area: 225.1 m2 (2,384 sq ft)
Empty weight: 76,500 kg (168,654 lb) ; operating weight
Gross weight: 120,000 kg (264,555 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 141,000 kg (310,852 lb)
Fuel capacity: 50,500 kg (111,300 lb) internal fuel
Max landing weight: 123,000 kg (271,200 lb)
Powerplant: 4 × Europrop TP400-D6 turboprop
8,200 kW (11,000 hp) each
Propellers:
8-bladed Ratier-Figeac FH385 and FH386 variable pitch tractor
propellers with feathering and reversing capability
FH385 anticlockwise on engines 2 and 4
FH386 clockwise on engines 1 and 3
5.3 m (17 ft 5 in) diameter |
|
Performance:
Maximum speed: Mach 0.72
Cruise speed: 781 km/h (485 mph, 422 kn) at 9,450 m (31,000 ft)
Initial cruise altitude: 9,000 m (29,000 ft) at MTOW
Range: 3,300 km (2,100 mi, 1,800 nmi) at max payload
(long range cruise speed; reserves as per MIL-C-5011A)
Range at 30-tonne payload: 4,500 km (2,450 nmi)
Range at 20-tonne payload: 6,400 km (3,450 nmi)
Ferry range: 8,700 km (5,400 mi, 4,700 nmi)
Service ceiling: 12,200 m (40,000 ft)
Wing loading: 637 kg/m2 (130.4 lb/sq ft)
Tactical takeoff distance: 980 m (3,215 ft), aircraft weight 100
tonnes (98 long tons; 110 short tons), soft field, ISA , sea level
Tactical landing distance: 770 m (2,530 ft) (as above)
Turning radius (ground): 28.6 m
|
|
|
|
 |
Early
and long mission today
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
|
 |
Inspection
and maintenance of support material
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
|
Preparation
for the technical work which will have to be done at night
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
|
 |
Back
to DOB around 16.30 local time
(Patrick Brouckaert©) |
|
Landing
(Patrick Brouckaert©) |
 |
Missions
accomplished, preparing for some technical inspections
(Patrick Brouckaert©) |
 |
|
 |
Refueling,
never empty tanks!
(Patrick Brouckaert©) |
|
Light
testing
(Patrick Brouckaert©) |
 |
|
 |
Cargo
bay inspection
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
|
Night
work
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
|
 |
We
are far from analog ...
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
|
Test
and inspections in the cockpit
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
A
sweet night in Arizona
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
|
|
|
Thursday
March 25th, 2021
This day's
operations consisted of two short missions. The first flight, which
took off just after 10 a.m., went from deep down Arizona to Brussels
and Ostend airports to practice various approach patterns, while the
second flight was to show the aircraft's performance to the Air
Component Commander, General Major Thierry Dupont and other members of
the Air Force. Our communications technicians performed additional
tests using high frequency radio to get the best possible reception.
After the day's flying activities, the detachment began packing up the
equipment for the return to their home base.
"Atlas" CT-03 departed EBFN aka Arizona airbase for EBMB at
20:20 local time for a 21 minute flight.
Arizona (USA) - Melsbroek (Belgium) in 21 minutes... A record?... No
simply a dream...The Arizona Dream! |
|
|
|
 |
Last
operations day and the SAR is already on stand-by in the early morning
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
The
base wakes up slowly
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Test
flight for the RN-01, the stand by helicopter today
(Marc Arys©) |
 |
New
generation helicopter, also Airbus
(Pierre Taquet©) |
 |
|
 |
Gear
up
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Back
to base after a little warm-up
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|

 |
"Atlas"
backtrack before take off
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Dramatic
view of take off - Vortices festival
#1
(Serge Van Heertum©) - #2 (Pierre Taquet©) |
 |
Line
astern formation with CT-03 ;-)
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
Communication
team
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
|
In
contact with the crew
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
|
 |
Control
tower of the DOB
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Taxi
track light
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
Base
communication antennas
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Firemen
always ready
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
Back
to base after the first mission of the day
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
Short
final
(Pierre Taquet©) |
|
Few
seconds before touch
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
Majestic
(Marc Arys©) |
 |
|
 |
Rock
and Roll pics
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Touch
and go
(Jacques Vincent©) |
 |
|
 |
Second
approach
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Short
final again
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
The
giant Atlas in all its splendor
(Pierre Taquet©) |
 |
|
 |
Airmen
and landmen
(Jacques Vincent©) |
|
Tenacity
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
Spoilers
open, landing
(Jacques Vincent©) |
|
In
the heat of Bkoks desert
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
Siai
Marchetti SF.260D arriving from Beauvechain airbase
(Jacques Vincent©) |
|
The
ST-46 at landing
(Pierre Taquet©) |
 |
It
was the General Major Avi Thierry Dupont, Chief of the Belgian Air
force, at the controls
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
Oups...just
a little bit fun, the opportunity was too good (isn't it
"Skycrane"?)
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
The
chief of staff is welcomed
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
|
A
briefing about the operation
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
|
 |
Visit
to the loading team...
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
|
...and
the mission planning campaign office
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
|
 |
Boading
for a mission with "Atlas"
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
|
A
good place at observer seat
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
Vic
formation training flight above Koksijde airbase (European spoonbill (Platalea
leucorodia))
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
A
Siai Marchetti SF.260M in training
(Marc Arys©) |
|
"Jean"
on board of the ST-26
(Marc Arys©) |
 |
|
 |
Short
final
(Pierre Taquet©) |
|
Going
for a touch and go
(Jacques Vincent©) |
 |
Second
mission of the day, a drop in the Moorsele area
(Patrick Brouckaert©) |
 |
Back
track to join the holding point
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
Perfect
right profile view
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
Taxiing
(Pierre Taquet©) |
|
There
are even big birds among the branches
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
Mighty
aircraft...waouw!
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
Turn
before alignment
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Europrop
TP400-D6 turboprop, 11.000 hp each!
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
Beautiful
view of the CT-03
(Jacques Vincent©) |
 |
|
 |
High
turn to align
(Pierre Taquet©) |
|
Big
flying machine!
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
Alignment...
(Jacques Vincent©) |
|
...on
the holding point runway 29
(Jacques Vincent©) |
 |
Perfect
left profile view
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
 |
V2
speed
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Take
off
(Jacques Vincent©) |
 |
|
 |
Hot
season here!
(Patrick Brouckaert©) |
|
The
belly of the giant
(Patrick Brouckaert©) |
 |
|
 |
Tight
turn after take off
(Pierre Taquet©) |
|
Heading
for the Moorsele area
(Jacques Vincent©) |
 |
|
 |
On
the way for a drop
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Extra
large cargo door
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
|
 |
Back
to the deployed Operating Base (DOB)
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Dance
with the clouds
(Jacques Vincent©) |
 |
On
final for landing
(Pierre Taquet©) |
 |
|
 |
Nose
close up
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Last
mission of the deployment is over
(Jacques Vincent©) |
 |
|
 |
A
view of the pilots
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Shortly
before landing
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
A
souvenir picture of the detachment and the Chief of the Air Force,
first deployment in the history of the Belgian "Atlas" is
now a fact
(Kristof
Moens© - PR 15th Wing) |
 |
|
 |
Back
to Beauvechain for the SF.260D pair
(Pierre Taquet©) |
|
Taxiing
to the holding point
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
Engine
and cockpit checks before take-off
(Pierre Taquet©) |
 |
|
 |
Alignment
clearance
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
|
Joining
the runway 29
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
Take
off of General Major Avi Thierry Dupont to conclude this exercice week
(Serge
Van Heertum©) |
 |
|
|
|