433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs / Published August 03, 2017
The 433rd Airlift Wing receives its first C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft, bestowed "The City of San Antonio," during a transfer ceremony June 17, 2016 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Maj. Gen. John C. Flournoy Jr., 4th Air Force commander, and Col. Thomas K. Smith Jr., 433rd AW commander, piloted the maiden flight of the first C-5M from Stewart National Guard Base, New York, that morning. The 433rd AW will receive nine C-5M models by late 2018, which is the result of a two-phase modernization effort that will improve fuel savings, climb rate, payload capability, and noise reduction. (U.S. Air Force photo by Benjamin Faske)
The U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Commander, Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II, on Aug. 2, 2017 ordered a stand-down of all C-5s until a directed repair is completed. The 433rd Airlift Wing, which is aligned under the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command, has eight C-5M Super Galaxy aircrafts here. The C-5 stand down will replace all C-5 ball screw assembly parts fleet-wide to ensure compliance with standards of performance and maximize aircrew safety.
There are two ball screws on the C-5 nose landing gear. Both ball screws operate in tandem to retract and extend the nose landing gear, according to officials. If a single ball screw drive assembly is not operational and causes binding, the gear cannot operate and will stall the extension or retraction process.
In addition, Everhart also issued a policy restricting the use of kneel operations on all C-5 aircraft to mission essential requirements only. The commander is relying on maintainers and engineers to return aircraft to flying operations as quickly as possible.
"With an aging fleet, it is important to take all potential measures to reduce stress on the aircraft," Everhart said. "Our maintainers are working extremely hard to make aircraft repairs and ensure continued support to worldwide missions while engineers assist in securing the parts we need." There are 56 C-5 aircraft in the Air Force fleet.
"My top priority is to ensure the safety and readiness our Citizen Airmen and aircraft," said Col. Thomas K. Smith, Jr., 433rd AW commander. “Our maintainers will work diligently and safely to get our C-5Ms and aircrews back into the skies over Texas as soon as the aircraft meet the Air Force’s stringent safety and performance requirements."