Exhilarating footage of two C-17s doing some extremely low level flying
- The C-17 is a large military aircraft
- In spite of its size, it is designed to take off from narrow and short runways
- It has an estimated cost of $200+ million per unit
Published on May 17, 2024 at 6:12 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on May 18, 2024 at 2:05 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Most people would consider themselves lucky if they managed to see one C-17 jet flying at low altitude.
This photographer was able to see two.
And when we say ‘low’, we mean really low.
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The pictures and videos of the C-17s flying at low altitude, almost close to the ground, were taken by Mike Henry, a talented photographer who clearly loves fighter jets and military aircraft in general.
His Instagram account is a festival of fighter jets, and that’s where images of these C-17s come from.
Technically, this isn’t a fighter jet, it is actually a large military transport aircraft developed by Boeing, in partnership with McDonnell Douglas, for the US Air Force (USAF).
The Globemaster is extremely large, with a wingspan of 169 feet.
Interestingly, despite its size, the C-17 is designed to take off from narrow and short runways. It can even take from unpaved runways.
After the first flight in 1991, the C-17 Globemaster III – to give it the full name – remained in production for 24 years.
It was discontinued in 2015, with only 279 units built.
We should also point out that the plane was discontinued, but not retired.
The C-17, just like other military aircraft that have been around for a while such as the B-2, is still in service.
As you can imagine, it’s enormously expensive.
According to a report shared by the USAF, each unit cost an average of $202 million.
And there’s more.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), an independent agency that essentially keeps track of how taxpayers’ dollars are spent, reports a total cost of approximately $31.2 billion for the C-17 program.
With 157 units (out of 279 built) still in service, that number is likely to go up with maintenance and pilot training programs.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
