C130 Hercules aanpassingen

[Harald]

8 bladige propellers NP2000 (onderzoek uit 2010, welke wel toegepast is bij de E-2C/D Hawkeye, de huidige C-130J heeft een 6 bladige propellor)

"The NP2000 propeller system provides shorter take-off roll, improved climb, fuel savings with improved cruise performance, quieter operations, and lower operating and support costs for C-130 users",

Double the blades means more power, efficiency
http://www.afmc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123229128

Engineers testing eight-blade prop for C-130
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/115079/engineers-testing-eight-blade-prop-for-c-130.aspx





Testresulaten :
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed/data/aero/documents/global-sustainment/product-support/2011HOC-Presentations/Wed_0900-NP2000.pdf

[Harald]

USAF picks up C-130 winglet trials after Lockheed Martin abandoned them

The US Air Force (USAF) is trialling the use of winglets on its MC-130J Commando II special mission aircraft, three years after Lockheed Martin abandoned the concept for the baseline transport variant.

Engineers from the 413th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) in Florida have modified an MC-130J with winglets and performed eight test flights to investigate their effect on fuel efficiency, it was announced on 19 April.

The USAF has not released findings from the experiment.

The USAF trial comes three years after Lockheed Martin abandoned its own efforts to integrate winglets onto the baseline C-130J, saying they had failed to deliver the substantial fuel savings it had hoped for.

Company officials said in 2013 that the technology didn't fit the geometry of the C-130's straight wing. "We have a design, but we have not convinced ourselves through wind tunnel testing that it provides enough economies to warrant the expense of modifying the aircraft," said Jack Crisler, Lockheed Martin's then vice-president for the C-130J programme.

Lockheed Martin had earlier anticipated winglets would cut fuel consumption by between 5% and 7%.

The company also examined the use of fuselage-mounted guide vanes and strakes to cut drag and save fuel. Tests of these on both a legacy C-130H and the C-130J had more positive results, according to Lockheed Martin.

Despite abandoning winglets after the unsuccessful trials, Lockheed Martin said at the time it would revisit the concept should the technology advance to become viable for the C-130.

http://www.janes.com/article/59651/usaf-picks-up-c-130-winglet-trials-after-lockheed-martin-abandoned-them

[Harald]

Extra info, over de wijzigingen

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed/data/aero/documents/global-sustainment/product-support/2012HOC-Presentations/Wednesday/Wed%201600%20Fuel%20Efficiency%20Initiatives-Kyle%20Smith.pdf

Interessante wijzigingen, welke brandstof besparing en vergroting van vliegduur en range in combinatie van belading kan betekenen.

Zijn dit de voorlopers van de aanpassingen naar de nieuwe C-130NG

[Harald]

Lockheed flight tests C-130 airframe mods

Lockheed Martin has begun flight testing several aerodynamic modifications – including winglets – for the C-130 Hercules in a bid to increase the efficiency of the aircraft and potentially save millions of dollars in annual fuel bills.

The modifications include 5ft winglets and 3D-printed 'microvanes', which are small fibre-glass strips

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/mil-log/lockheed-flight-tests-c-130-airframe-mods/