Aeronautics Star, Volume 4, Number 3, May/June 2003 Page: 2 of 8
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Hercules Updates
C-130Js have jump on other aircraft
(The following condensed article by PTE John Wellfare appears courtesy ofAustralia Air Force News.)The Air Force's C-130J Hercules have impressed
in parachute operations trials over RAAF Base,
Richmond. Two Herc crews from No. 37 Squadron
teamed with soldiers from Nos. 3 and 4 Royal
Australian Regiment in late March for six days of
parachute descents in which 570 jumps took place.
In what was described by commanders as a
mutually beneficial exercise, the trials helped mea-
sure the aircraft's capabilities in parachute insertion
operations and provided the parachute battalion with
the opportunity to maintain a high training tempo."I actually find the J-model better than the older
models, with reduced crew and computer-generated
air-release point, which has proven to be more
consistently accurate," said Paul Long, squadron
leader and tactical development flight commander.
"We are probably the world leaders in the parachute
retrieval system."
The inclusion of the 37 Squadron's J-models in
the parachute battalion group gives airborne plan-
ners a higher capacity for inserting paratroopers,
providing more aircraft for large-scale, aircraft-
intensive parachute drops.Photo by LAC Rick- Fuller
Australian paratroopers practice static-line jumps from a C-130J over
RAAF Base, Richmond.U.S. Coast Guard is in the
driver's seat of new aircraftFinal assembly complete on Super Herc
Rear Adm. Charles D. Wurster, U.S. Coast Guard assistant commandant
for Acquisition, visited Marietta to accept and fly on one of the
Coast Guard's newest assets, their second C-130J The delivery
ceremony is scheduled for July in Elizabeth City, N. C.Photo by John Rossino
In mid-May, LMAero completed final assembly and painting of the first C-130J Super Hercules
for the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF). The three aircraft ordered by Denmark, with an option for
a fourth, are "stretched" configuration C-130J-30s, providing Denmark with the greater airlift
capability required by many operators. This aircraft will be delivered early next year after a Denmark-
unique system modification program and flight test. The RDAF currently operates three C-130H
Hercules acquired in 1975. The new C-130J-30s will dramatically increase Denmark's airlift capabili-
ty, as the new Hercules is capable of a greater range and payload.Diversity - LM Aero puts words into action at Marietta
(Editor's Note: LMAero is forging ahead on its course of
achieving a deeper understanding of diversity and inclusion,
and it is putting actions behind the words. One example is .
in the following article by Vonne Hamilton of Marietta '
Diversity & Equal Opportunity Office.)
Last September, a manager contacted the Diversity and
Equal Opportunity Programs (D&EOP) office for information
on employing someone with a disability. She had just
interviewed several candidates and chosen the most qualified
person, who happened to have a disability severe enough to
warrant substantial planning prior to employment.
A wheelchair-bound engineer, Rob Hill almost missed
his interview with Susan Brown, the hiring manager. The
wheelchair-compatible van that was to bring him to LM Aero
was not available as planned. On the day of his interview,
he and his assistant took a public bus from the hotel.
Unfortunately, the bus did not come directly to LM Aero,
so minutes before the scheduled interview Brown received
a frantic phone call from Hill explaining that the bus had
dropped him and his assistant off somewhere on South
Cobb Drive.
Thinking fast, she told him that she would .'m cget
him. Hill warned her that she would not be able to get his
300-pound wheelchair into her car. So they agreed to do the
interview where he was then. However, he wasn't sure where
he was, so Brown had to look for the "guy in a wheelchair"
on the side of the road. Thankfully, they were close to LM
Aero and next to a bus stop shelter.
So Brown, sitting on a large rock, asked him the standard
interview questions. It soon became apparent that Hill was
the most qualified candidate, and she told him she would be
back in touch. When Hill accepted the job on C-5 AMP
(Avionics Modernization Program), he agreed to start in two
months, which gave her time to prepare for his arrival.Photo by John Rossino
Susan Brown and Rob Hill show each other the ropes in
adjusting to the work environment at LMAero.Hill and Brown developed a plan of action. She began by
collaborating with Facilities, Security, Safety, Medical,
D&EOP and Transportation. She tried to anticipate every
need he might have working in a multilevel building. Hill,
who lived in Seattle, maintained constant communication
with Brown, outlining accommodations he needed to be as
independent and productive as possible.
As the two months passed, everything started coming
together. Facility adjustments were made, and transportation
needs were arranged. The computer group he had previously
worked with was contacted for advice on adaptive computer
software. Hill's co-workers and management received sensi-
tivity training geared toward "Disability Etiquette" because,
as everyone knows, being the new person in the work group
is difficult at best and having a disability can add anxieties
for the individual and the team.
When he arrived for On-Boarding, Brown stayed with
him to ensure that all of his questions were answered and
there were no problems to address. Thanks to team efforts,
his entry into LM Aero was a huge success. He was happy to
say that it took his previous employer nearly a year to accom-
plish what LM Aero had done by the first day.
He still faces occasional challenges, but this doesn't
deter him from working hard toward mission success. He was
fortunate to have a hiring manager who worked hard to make
sure he could begin day one as a productive employee. Hill
says that if it weren't for her understanding and courage to
ask difficult and sometimes-personal questions, he would not
have come to LM Aero.
Brown is fortunate to have management who recognize
quality and are willing to go the extra mile to secure the best
employees possible. In this story, everyone wins. And that's
what valuing diversity is about.Aeronautics Star is published bimonthly for the employees of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Clarksburg, W.
Marietta, Ga.; Meridian, Miss.; Palmdale, Calif.; and Pinellas Park, Fla.
http://www.lmaeronautics.com/lmaerostar
For news and inquiries, contact one of the following members of our editorial staff:Larry Roquemore
Dept. 0026, MZ 1224
P.O. Box 748
Fort Worth, TX 76101-0748
(817)777-2520
larry.j.roquemore@lmco.comAlison Orne
Dept. 002H,
86 South Cobb Drive
Marietta, GA 30063-0264
(770)494-9819
alison.orne@lmco.comEllen Bendell
Dept. 002J, Unit 10, Plant 10
1011 Lockheed Way
Palmdale, CA 93599
(661)572-4155
ellen.bendell@lmco.comVa.; Fort Worth, Texas.; Johnstown, Pa.;
Art Direction and Layout:
Ed Armstrong
Dept. 0174 MZ 4202
P.O. Box 748
Fort Worth, TX 76101-0748
(817)777-2532
charles.e.armstrong@lmco.com2
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Lockheed Martin Astronautics (Firm). Aeronautics Star, Volume 4, Number 3, May/June 2003, periodical, May 2003; United States. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1023868/m1/2/?rotate=270: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth.