C-130: window or aisle?

[Tugela]

I'm going to Greenland in a couple weeks, this trip will be a lot of "firsts" for me.

The group I'm with is flying there aboard a C-130 (US Coast Guard). I've never been on this type of plane before. For those of you that have, what should I expect? I'm guessing noise, cool temperatures, and no in-flight movie.

On the brighter side, I'm hoping there will be all the legroom I could possibly need and no shortage of space for my carry-on bags.

Flight time will be about 7 hours.

 

[mgreenspan]

Lots of vibration. Uncomfortable mesh jump seats facing sideways. You will be able to walk around freely for most of the flight. I'd suggest trying to let them allow you to sit in the cockpit in a jump seat up there for takeoff and/or landing. They'll give you ear plugs to wear but if you have noise cancelling ones or nicer ear protection that might be beneficial, although the engines might not allow the noise cancelling to work completely correct. At least in the 135 when we were on the ground noise cancelling would worble quite a bit with the engines at idle and not really work but flying around it would work fine. I'd layer up. I don't remember what the temps were like in a 130 but in the 135 we would have pretty much freezing from floor to about 18 inches then from 18 inches above the floor to about four feet you had nice temps then above four feet it was burning hot. Hammocks worked nicely in the 135 for sleeping so maybe if you have a small hammock you could rig it up for sleeping.

 

[Tugela]

Hammock! Great idea.

 

[p m]

C-130 is by far the noisiest aircraft I've ever flown on. Short of Bose noise-cancellation headsets, buy yourself _good_ earplugs.

The ones I've been on had a "movie theater" seating arrangement - something like 8 or 10 across, no aisle, 12 rows (no legroom, only noise), or side-facing mesh seats like on a CH47.

 

[paxton]

When we took our desert vacation we were on a USAF C130 from Texas to New Jersey and then a RSAF C130 from Dhahran to Riyadh. The same back the other way too. The most uncomfortable 4 plane rides of my life. Rattle your teeth out. We had the mesh seats that faced inwards toward all the crap we were taking with us.

The view could've been better.

And the stewardesses were hairy and PO'd.

 

[Jimmy]

My only experience on one was going in and out of Baghdad. Shoulder-to-shoulder in side facing mesh seats in full battle rattle with no room to stand up and move around.

The two key points have already been made: earplugs (which they'll likely make you wear) and clothing (we were made to wear something long sleeved). I would pop in ear buds connected to my ipod to pass the time - they fit so well that they were as good as the earplugs.

 

[p m]

It wasn't by a chance that the best pair of earplugs I had were given to me by a C-130 crew member. I tried to find similar in hardware, drug, and travel stores, without luck.

 

[hafaday]

What they all said...

I will add to the good set of ear plugs. again, the seating is front to rear, interior wall both sides and down the center. if loaded with a lot of people, my suggestion is sitting center isle across form the landing gear. If your flying with a hand full of people, you will be fine. as for cargo on the bird... pending on what/how it's packed, and crew, sometimes you can lay all over it and be comfortable as hell.

Vibrations.. yeah, i've gotten wet once or twice. just kidding, but they are there. Hell, they put me to sleep. call me crazy, but I love a 130.

 

[redhawkrovers]

And no bathroom

 

[hafaday]

And no bathroom

There is a big misconception on this..... every one knows of bringing a piss bottle. or better, knowing where the piss tube is. but there is a crapper on a 130. it might vary by model of 130. but there is one... Hint. look for a shower curtain on the front wall (looking from the rear to the front). the info is not put out, especially with a boat load troops on the aircraft. 1. because is small and will not hold a lot. 2. the crew has to clean it. and 3, because when flying with a bunch of troops. it's funnier to watch someone do the dance. you just hope it's not your self. #3 is messed up, but it's the truth.

 

[redhawkrovers]

I will look for it on my next ride

 

[KyleT]

put earplugs in your ears then put on some noise cancelling earphones.

sit as far towards the front at possible.

and take pics.

 

[Tugela]

Thanks for all the suggestions. This weekend I hung out with a friend who used to be a Marine F-18 pilot and spent lots of time getting ferried between bases on C-130s. In his experience the Hercules pilots were usually cool with having visitors in the cockpit once at cruising altitude, so I might head up there for a while to check out the view. I'll also try to pack my "go bag" with a range of clothes for different temps.

At SeaFair this weekend the Blue Angels performed and I took a new found interest in "Fat Albert," their support C-130 that opens the show. Pretty impressive. That plane can fly slow, bank steep, and climb fast. At least when empty. Hopefully that's not the kind of ride we get, I'll barf for sure.

 

[redhawkrovers]

I've had a ride like that in Iraq knife edge turns
at 3AM fully loaded, Pilot thought his name was Mavrick

 

[AMCM Disco]

x1,700 on the earplugs (typical foamies work fine) AND a set of good earphones (noise cancelling, etc). Don't expect a 'window', there's a couple tiny portals to look out of, but that's it.

Your route seems pretty tame so no worries about the tactical flying, keep an eye out for the crew - although I'm on 53's, we all love to fuck with pax (mostly kitted out troops though).

 

[1920SF]

At SeaFair this weekend the Blue Angels performed and I took a new found interest in "Fat Albert," their support C-130 that opens the show. Pretty impressive. That plane can fly slow, bank steep, and climb fast. At least when empty. Hopefully that's not the kind of ride we get, I'll barf for sure.

They'll do that when loaded up too...large control surfaces and ballsy pilots make for a fun ride...but since the MANPAD threat going into Greenland is pretty low you should be straight.

Your route seems pretty tame so no worries about the tactical flying, keep an eye out for the crew - although I'm on 53's, we all love to fuck with pax (mostly kitted out troops though).

So true...and of course on a 53 the one thing you can also be sure of is some shit is going to leak on you so your clothes are going to be f'd. Which is why everything in bags gets put in ziplocks inside a wp bag. At least 53's are pretty warm in the right spots though.

 

[AMCM Disco]

Yeah.... guy had a laser thermal from QA and shot a temp of 186*F on the port side ramp in 80* ambient while running a tow mission on the Chesapeake. But true for the leaking, at least we know it's got fluid!

 

[Tugela]

Flight was fantastic. Thanks for all the input, guys, spot on. We have a C130J filled with 23 peeps and 8,000 pounds of gear. There were some commercial seats installed behind the cockpit but once we were cruising I slept on top of the cargo. I got to hang out in the cockpit for a while, watched the sun set over Greenland from 27,000 feet, spectacular views. Great flight, USCG crew was professional and cool, no dripping, temps were fine. One guy brought a hammock and slung it in the tail. If it wasn´t for the noise I would want to fly this way all the time.

 

[Corprin]

Glad the flight went well... last time I was in a C130 the pilot shut down the engines just after take off, and started spitting chaff/flares. There is noting like departures from BGW!

 

[flyfisher11]

And no bathroom

There is a honey bucket!

Also a couple bandanas or something similar. When you start dosing off in those web jump seats your head will tilt over and your neck will hurt like hell. I used to like to tie my head to the webbing taking the bandanas across my forehead and then tying off to the webbing behind my head.