News

Maintainers set to replace C-5 cargo door

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
The C-5 Galaxy is a huge aircraft with some pretty big individual parts.

One of those came in last week - a side cargo door - which required the 559th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron to use a crane to hoist it on a trailer for transport to the aircraft that needed the part.

It's not often the side cargo door has to be replaced, said Master Sgt. Dee Davis, 559th AMXS C-5 maintenance supply liaison manager. The last time it happened was in 2007.

The door weighs five tons, and is 48 feet long and 10 feet wide. Because it's such a large part, and isn't replaced very often, careful planning was done to ensure the part was transported and off-loaded safely.

"With an object of these enormous dimensions, personnel safety was obviously the number one priority, followed closely by ensuring no damage was done to the door," Davis said.