New York Air National Guard Begins Saying Farewell to Giant C-5A Cargo Planes

First C-5A Received by the 105th Airlift Wing is the First to Fly to a New Home.

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C-5A tail 015, the first strategic airlifter assigned to the 105th Airlift Wing on July 2, 1985 takes-off here Mar. 18, 2011 heading off to its new home in Memphis. (Tech Sgt. Michael O'Halloran)

STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEWBURGH, NY (03/18/2011)(readMedia)-- The New York Air National Guard's 105th Airlift Wing said goodbye to one of its 12 C-5A Galaxy aircraft Friday as the wing began the process of converting to C-17 Globemaster III cargo planes.

The 105th Airlift Wing has operated C-5As at Stewart Air National Guard Base since July 1985.

The wing has been selected to replace the C-5As with more modern C-17s starting in July of this year. The wing will have replaced all the C-5As by May 2012.

The plane that left Friday, tail number 015, was the first C-5A aircraft assigned to the 105th. It is the only aircraft operated by the wing that has not been though the C-5A avionics modernization program. This makes it what is known as a "legacy" plane.

Tail number 015 was picked up by a crew from the Tennessee Air National Guard who flew the plane to its new home with the 164th Airlift Wing in Memphis.

More than 1,300 full-time and traditional part-time Air National Guardmembers are assigned to the 105th Airlift Wing at the base.

Air Force officials announced the final basing decision on March 10.

The 105th will also receive training and test equipment this summer and continue training maintenance and aircrews until all eight C-17s are in place by May 2012.

"The decision ensures that our Air National Guard will be equipped with the most modern airlifter available, allowing the 105th Airlift Wing to play a key role in our nation's defense for years to come, " said Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York.

"The members of the 105th Airlift Wing are extremely excited about our selection to base C-17s here at Stewart, " said Air Force Brig. Gen. Verle L. Johnston Jr., commander of the 105th Airlift Wing. "This is a tribute to the demonstrated skill, dedication and technical ability of our Airmen and women."

The C-17 is the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. It is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area. The C-17's performance improves the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.

Stewart's C-17 unit is scheduled to reach initial operating capability by December 2013.