Retired with 30 years service from Verizon Telecommunications since June 30, 2009. The company was in the process of selling off to Frontier Communications here in West Virginia, so in order to keep my benefits and get the best "buyout," I left. Not currently employed, just living the "good life," enjoying grandchildren, walk 2 miles daily, mountain bike, caving/spelunking, fly fishing, sightseeing, shortwave listening, traveling, camping, hiking, computers, etc. Working on getting my "camp" fixed up in Summersville, WV. I hurt my back while shoveling heavy snow during the Winter of 2013-2014 bulging three disks in my lower back so I had to give up running. Still have much to occupy my time and looking forward to doing many new things too.
1978-1979, C-130 Hercules
From Year 1978
To Year 1979
Personal Memories
I was enlisted in the West Virginia Air National Guard and was to be a Flight Engineer, but decided to get out and be a Telephone man with C&P of WV full time instead. Wanted to have more family time.
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C-130 Hercules Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
The C-130 series began as a 1951 requirement for a military transport with Short Take-Off and Landing capabilities. The series was born as the YC-130 and performed well in the latter part of 1954 with its Allison three-bladed turboprop engines. With successes encountered throughout the war in Vietnam and furthermore in peacetime, the C-130 Hercules spawned a plethora of variants that would include special forces insertion, arctic patrol, meteorological research, communications, close-support and modernized variants of the base transport.
Model Lockheed C-130H Hercules Length 97.77 ft | 29.80 m Width 132.55 ft | 40.40 m Height 37.40 ft | 11.40 m Engine(s) 4 x Allison T56-A-15LFE turboprop engines generating 4,508hp each. Empty Weight 76,505 lbs | 34,702 kg MTOW 175,003 lbs | 79,380 kg Max Speed 386 mph | 621 km/h | 335 kts Max Range 2,237 miles | 3,600 km Ceiling 33,005 ft | 10,060 m | 6.3 miles Climb Rate Not Available Hardpoints 0 Armament None. Internal payload of up to 42,637lbs of supplies, personnel and vehicles. Accommodations 4 + 92 Operators Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America among others (about 60 in all).
