The C-17s ability to fly long distances and land in remote airfields in rough, land-locked regions make it a premier transporter for military, humanitarian, and peacekeeping missions. It can:

Take off from a 7,600-ft airfield, carry a payload of 160,000 lbs, fly 2400 nautical miles, refuel while in flight and land in 3,000 ft or less on a small unpaved or paved airfield in day or night.
Carry a cargo of wheeled Army vehicles in two side-by-side rows.
Drop a single 60,000 lb payload, with sequential load drops of 110,000 lbs
Back up a 2% slope.
Seat 54 on the sidewall and 48 in the centerline.

Flight and Avionics

A small flight crew, comprised of two pilots and one loadmaster, supported by advanced cargo systems and an advanced digital avionics system, operates the C-17.
The C-17’s four engines – Pratt and Whitney’s F117-PW-100 series turbofans produce 40,400 lbs each of thrust and are equipped with directed-flow thrust reversers capable of deployment in flight.
An externally blown flap system allows a steep, low-speed final approach with low-landing speeds for routine short-field landings.

Length – 174 ft

Wingspan – 169.8 ft

Height – 55.1 ft

Empty Weight – 277,000 lbs

Max Take-off Weight – 585,000lbs

Load – 102 troops or paratroopers, or 164,900 lbs of cargo

Cruising Speed – 500 mph

Range – 2,400 nautical miles with a 160,000 lb load.

Service Ceiling – 45,000 ft at cruising speed

Engines – Four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100, 40,400 lbs each

Short Field – Can take off and land on runways as short as 3,000 ft and only 90 ft wide wit a 160,000 lb load

429 Transport Squadron

8 Wing Trenton has been home base to 429 Transport Squadron since 1990. The Squadron has performed a wide range of air transport roles on behalf of Canada - everything from delivering humanitarian aid to disaster zones around the world to ferrying supplies to Canadian troops deployed around the world.

429 Squadron has flown a variety of aircraft throughout its history, although the massive CC-177 Globemaster III is the only aircraft the squadron flies today.

The RCAF began using the giant airlifter within days of receiving the first Globemaster in the summer of 2007 and crews have been busy ever since delivering on their mission - to develop and maintain a globally responsive capability that enables the Canadian Armed Forces to reliably impact all theaters of operations with relevance and unlimited reach.

The CC-177Globemaster can fly more cargo, faster and further, than the aircraft formerly used by the squadron - the CC-130H Hercules.