C-17 Tactical Approach into San Clemente NALF 

The C-17 is unique in its ability to initiate full thrust reversers in flight...freaky how fast it can "fall out of the sky" while under control

This is how to test your loadmaster's work.

"sink rate...sink rate" No shit, it's -5600fpm.

It always amazes me how glorious and smooth they look from the observer’s perspective while inside looks like they are inside of a paint shaker:)

Having done one tour back in 1970-71 in Vietnam, our initial arrival at Tan Son Nhut airbase outside Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) was via one of these "tactical approaches". The wild part? the aircraft/pilot doing this type of approach was a charter DC-8 passenger jet and its normal pilot/flight crew. About a half hour from our scheduled arrival time, the captain comes on the pa and calmly says "The base is under attack, so we'll be doing a combat approach.. Was exciting to say the least!!

I did some flight test on C-17's. First time did a tactical decent from 30000 feet down to 10000 feet. All 4 thrust reversers on. I was amazed at our rate of decent, but they had full control. Still on of my favorite aircraft.

To help answer some of the questions posted here: 1) The Thrust Reversers can be deployed in flight to Idle Rev only. The initial VVI is between 15000-20000. In a tactical descent around 9000VVI is maintained. This crew more than likely planned the approach to a high speed initial, but could have easily planned for a high speed straight in. Hope that helps!

Basically all of my landings in FSX

In case anyone's wondering, when he zooms in on the multifunction display @ 3:20, you can see the primary flight data display which shows airspeed, altitude, etc. The altitude indication is the vertical scale on the right side. The aircraft's vertical velocity (VV) is displayed directly below that.

Just like any Ryanair flight

@cnknguyen Correct. They applied thrust reverser mid air to slow the aircraft down as much as possible. That's what caused it to shake, if your on the ground while they do that its a very distinct and cool sound to hear.

It greatly increases drag, allowing the aircraft to decend much steeper without picking up to dangerous amunts of speed, the rate of decent is therefor very great. C-17s use this tactic in war zones where they have to minimise exposure times to threats (such as shoulder launched SAMs) by getting from cruise altitude to the ground as fast as possible. At 1:29 you can see the pilot pull the thrust leavers into the reveres section, and a few seconds later they kick in (aircraft begins shuddering)

I liked this video for various reasons. The title 'tactical approach' got me looking. I'm a British pilot with military knowledge and understand that the tactical approach involves maintaining height until the steepest controlled descent can be made to the touchdown point. If your interested in this look at Lockheed C130 (Hercules in the UK) approaches into Sarajevo during the Bosnian war, I think the RAF crews hit on the idea of using reverse thrust on the turboprops, but I'm willing to accept they probably got it from you guys. Likewise, you in the US really bought into the Harrier Jump Jet. We developed this into what we thought was the ultimate development - the all weather Sea Harrier - and then sold it to you. You looked at it afresh and developed an air combat roll for an agile, high subsonic fighter using the vectored thrust in dogfights. Finally, the British Army took a while to take to the Boeing CH-47 (we call it the Chinook) but they still use them and after a few decades of using and improving them have decided they are "really rather good" and can make them do things the designer never dreamt of. Nice to share

Way back in 1960, Navy Patrol Squadrons VP-46 and VP-42 used to go out from NAS North Island at San Diego to make rocket firing practice runs on the end of San Clemente Island not shown in this video. There was a large rocky formation on the other end of the island known as Castle Rock aka China Hat. This video sure brings back memories....THANX!

That has got to be one hell of a ride!!

Thanks for the Video, I was in the Crash Crew at that airfield in 1967 before being shipped off to Viet Nam aboard the USS Ticonderoga CVA-14. It was good to see the old NALF & Island again.

Loving the OSU sticker on the headset! - a current OSU aviation student

With the Air Force Art Program, I was privelaged to be just where this was shot, in order to gather info for a painting...I can attest that these guys are superb professionals and they flew that big jet like it was a fighter. I loved the experience, with the exception of my stomach. Looking out the side window and not seeing a horizon and just the Pacific below me (hard banking turn) was one highlight.

Wow! That was a really steep descent for such a large aircraft. Those guys are great pilots.

Ive worked all around san clemente island on an urchin boat. Great fishing there. Nice to see a different view of it. Thanks!

Love the C-17. Great Aircraft. Thanks for posting.

I was stationed on San Clemente Is. from 1968 to Aug 1969. Much different back then, only Navy was there. My main job was to keep the transceivers online and help maintain the TACAN Unit and the LowFreq Beacon. We did have some Marines spend two weeks in the mud as it rained most of the time they were there.

It was a bit of a fly by, I’m not a pilot but you don’t need to be a rocket scientist either to know this stuff, 5.06 watching and longer typing this crap on how I didn’t get to watch what I expected to watch....it might be me, I Love all videos so not complaining...still giving a thumbs up

Wow what a steep descent thank you for sharing !

I was an ET on the TACAN radar at that island from 2010-13. First time I ever saw one of these and was blown away on how big these suckers are.

Come on folks tactical approach is the tittle. Not tactical approach and landing. great job by the way.

That's an insane approach. Love it.

That was too cool!! I can't wait to get home from work so I can see it in Hi Def. Thanks for posting this video.

i just took a tactical dump 5 minutes ago

Gives a whole new outlook to "Aim for the numbers" buffet was pretty intense.

Was most impressed to see some C-17s showing some Marines what fun looks like a couple years back at the former Castle AFB. IMPRESSIVE airplane! Pilots not too shabby either!

I used to work on this plane out of March. Good stuff.

This is the clearest video from 2010 ive seen

Incredible aircraft! These things are genuinely badass!!

Holy Crap. Thats awesome! I've seen this plane at the airshow the past 3 years but I've never seen a view of a tactical landing like that

yes, the C17 is very heavy and the reverse is very effective so that really plays with the lift big time. they lost some real altitude there with just a slight use of reverse. I imagine that takes a lot of experience as you probably might get into real trouble if you don't know how to use that reverse in the air and use too much /too close to the ground. Interesting and effective technique.

This is AWESOME! I paused at 3:29, VSI -5800 FPM and almost 15 deg. Attitude nose down =) I can only manipulate this on simulator =) Thanks for sharing captain!

Great to hear some of the unusual alerts of the Central Advisory and Warning System - CAWS "Bitching Betty" such as "Auto-Throttle" , "Missile Launch" and "Altitude Altitude"

That was pure amazing and is the reason why I want to become a C-17 Pilot! BTW, I grew up in San Clemente and it would be ironic if I ever had the opportunity to shoot that approach.

*That was a rush...well done sir!!*

@thomas997 The pilot was demonstrating the defense features on the aircraft. The rate of descent was not announced but we got down there pretty quick, and it was in a military training area off the coast of California.

San Clemente was a primary alternate landing site for the first flight of the C-17. We needed to scrub our first attempt due to weather over San Clemente. Thankfully a "sucker hole" opened for Sunday, 15 SEP 91. This looks like a fun ride.

sometimes, youtube, sometimes I wonder how you get me from motorbike vlogs to these videos.... still amazing to see though

They do employ reverse thrust during a tactical descent, helps them get down as fast as possible and helps manage speed more effectively than airbrakes alone.

Sat in the cockpit of a C17, the RAF C's are based at Brize Norton, where my ATC Squadron is based, so we basically get free access to them, 99 sqn is just over the road, possibly the coolest place to be based, along with the C130 Hercules's, VC10's, TriStars, and the new Voyagers!

@andyskateboarder Tactical landing is meant to get the aircraft down on to the ground as fast as possible (within limits of course) in order to limit the aircrafts vulnerability to enemy fire. Tactical landings are also applicable for approaches that require taking rough/mountainous terrain into account.

Big Respect and Thank you from West Oz!Mighty USA

A tactical approach is to get the aircraft to the base quickly and on the ground as quickly as possible. Probably with the base under attack.

I remember being in the back of a C-17 landing at BIAP like that, man was that fun. Good times

Like the Oklahoma State stickers on the headset of the right-seater. " Pistols firing!" Would make Frank Eaton proud.

Thanks for sharing this video.

Landed there a few years ago to pick up a plane full of Marines to take back to Coronado Island. Fun times.

As much as I like this video showing off this country's rock star pilots including the ones in this video, these pilots are better then many others from my perspective & I think they really are better flyers than many pilots these day's so I recommend going if you ever get the opportunity!

Thats the HUD or Heads up Display. It Provides concise flight information (speed, glide slope, altitude, alerts, and other information critical to the flight. Its flashing because of the refresh rate and the Camera seeing it (the flight crew doesn't see it flashing, much like filming a Television).

The dedicated men and women of the US military rock!

He thres the throttle in revrrse in flight?? Coolest thing ever! Im surprised the rediculous amount of drag didnt stress out the airframe of that beauty. They dumped some serious altitude. Love the Missile launch call out. Was expecting puff of smoke coming from the island with a telephone pole flying up.

Fantastic video. Thank you

They are training for a tactical approach basically the plane will drop rapidly onto the runway so it does not get hit by missiles. The missile launch sound you heard may of been a laser designation targeting the plane and telling the pilots to perform the rapid altitude drop.

A high approach is designed to minimize exposure to enemy ground fire. It is unusual to see a control stick in a large transport aircraft. I love it !!

Interesting video. These guys are from the 729th Airlift Squadron, 30 years ago I was a Loadmaster in that squadron when they flew C-141s at Norton AFB, CA in the 445th Military Airlift Wing

Thank you, you did great work.

wow.... doesn't look like landing, it looks like falling... amazing descent...

Regarding the display at 3:26: The left hand column is speed in knots and the right hand column is altitude in feet. The center is an artificial horizon, and it shows they have almost 15 degree nose down angle. As to why the altitude numbers increase vertically and the air speed decrease, I do not know. My guess would be to help distinguish the two columns, as many accidents can trace their cause to mis-reading indicators.

OK I got it you miss it , you guys got a great job,keep the good work up !!!!!!!

It's a tactical approach, meaning they come in high and fast to avoid any ground-based weapons fire. You can hear the pilot say towards the beginning that this is how they land in Iraq, at night with no lights on.

Yeah they are. It's part of their tactical descent procedures. It'a an amazing aircraft.

When I was n the Marines 1987. we flew out there on a C130. Good times

My Dad was stationed there during the early 80's!

Absolutely great vid

Bitchin' Betty: "Sink rate! Sink rate!" Me: "Ma'am, that's not sinking. That's rocketing down."

Either they are very light to be falling, or they got flaps. C17: hold my beer

Wow I had that gut feeling you only get with flying I freeking love it 💨🎡😎

Yea, apparently that technique is used during tactical descents (you can see the effect at 1:32 as the lift begins to depart the wing) on some aircraft mostly turboprops for rapid descent, also some turbojets (the older Tupolevs offer the possibility to unlock the reverser whilst in flight - actually there are clips on youtube of russian TU-154s opening the reverser 2-3 m above the runway. I imagine that might come in handy if you catch some sudden lift 1-2 seconds before touchdown). cool stuff.

GREAT video...thx for posting!

Outstanding!

Appreciate it. Thanks for the info!!

A practice approach for a tactical landing in a high threat environment. You really don't want to slam her into the runway at that sink rate if you don't have to. Lots of stress on the airframe.

Are you kidding me with the 'warning whoops'? Scared the crap out of me! How about a couple of ding dings? Great vid.

That was amazing, Thought they were going to land but they overshot the runway by a lot, still pretty cool to watch

@RangerRuby There was no intent to land. We shot a altitude restricted low approach into the airfield. Afterward, flew around the channel islands and then back to March ARB where a different type of tactical approach was shot called the TAC EAST, and finally landed on runway 32.

Looks like a lot of fun. I was on the first flight of the C-17, and on many of the other firsts (like the first in-flight T/R deploy) San Clemente was a required first flight alternate airfield(reason we scrubbed the 14 SEP attempt).

The airliners going into Saigon in 68 did a very similar maneuver. Lucky for use the pilot let us know.

Military planes seem to drop on to the airstrip. (Enemy fire avoidance I suppose.) The Space Shuttle always seemed to be falling too fast until the last minute before it pulled up and landed smoothly.

A fast, steep approach to avoid your time in the air over the target/airport (unfriendly zone.) Since the C-17 is very large and rather defenseless, its best friend is to minimize its own exposure to ground fire.

@thomas997 yeah they can only achieve reverse idle in the air, cant get any more than that until the landing gear gets weight on wheels

Those transparent displays remind me a lot of the displays in Avatar. That's pretty much the only reason I like that movie.

Its a penetration approach, otherwise known as a high altitude approach. Its a pretty standard approach for military aircraft.

I beleive in this case the reversers were deplyed, even if only at idle reverse. You can see the throttles get pulled up and back at 1:28 into the reverse range. Also you can see what i beleive to be the flap handel (behind and right of the throttles) it is all the way foward (ie flaps retracted). The C-17 is one of the few jets which can go into reverse inflight. Also unlike most airliners the reversers delfect both the bypass air AND the core flow, giving exceptional reverse thrust performance

Worked on the rock for a lot of years. Watched C-17’s do this by the hour.

This is a really important approach to San Clemente; California Gray Whales are often armed with Stinger missiles.

As a former FCC on this bird, the WAP cue still haunts my dreams

I’ve seen that before only steeper. Dc9 30,fifty flaps, boards and gear out. If you can see it you can land on it. But not I repeat not with people on board, you’ll scare the crap right out of them.

Yes, it will definitely help out.

Everyone talks about space shuttle status in terms of going up, but I do believe this is space shuttle status, coming down.

@Skyes9 at roughly 3:25, vertical velocity shows -5800 fpm. About a 6k foot per minute descent... at least at that point.

I noticed the co pilot has an OSU sticker on his head set. Must be a great guy.

First of all, we were doing a media press flight prior to our airshow at March ARB. With passengers on board we cannot do touch and goes and that sure as hell was not an overhead pattern, you seem to know a little about pilot stuff so you should know that! Second of all, it was demonstration purposes only, 10k in 10 miles is no big deal, we did that multiple times getting racked and stacked going into Haiti. BTW- you are right, Anchorage never should have happened.

@Turnex parts of the descent were more than 6000fpm i'm sure. and they don't use a particular rate, its speed on pitch.. use pitch to keep constant airspeed..

Just Perfect!

Wow, that´s amazing, reminds me when i fly like a bush pilot!!