USAF C-17 Globemaster III

Spotted this C-17 early this morning as wife and I were having our usual routine of packing bags and preparing our daughter's items before leaving the house. Ran to my dry cabinet, grabbed the cam, reversed the hood, removed lens cap and let loose a few bursts of the shutter.

The USAF C-17 Globemaster III

It's the second time I've spotted it since moving into the new place. Compared to the F-15, this one is quite huge for it to appear the way it did in this photo even though it was pretty far away. Hopefully I'll be able to get to see one "face-to-face" some day!

Plane info from the Boeing website:

A high-wing, 4-engine, T-tailed military-transport aircraft, the multi-service C-17 can carry large equipment, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain anywhere in the world day or night. The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft tackles distance, destination and heavy, oversized payloads in unpredictable conditions. It has delivered cargo in every worldwide operation since the 1990s.

Capabilities and Functionality

The C-17's 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 pounds, fly 2,400 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 U.S. Army vehicles in two side-by-side rows, including the U.S. Army's main battle tank, the M-1. Three Bradley infantry-fighting vehicles comprise one load.
• Drop a single 60,000-lb. payload, with sequential load drops of 110,000 lb.
• Back up a two-percent slope.
• Seat 54 on the sidewall and 48 in the centerline.