Indian C-17 418th FLTS

The Indian Air Force C-17 parked at the 418th Flight Test Squadron. (U.S. Air Force by Jet Fabara)

Indian C-17 418th FLTS

The first C-17 heavy-lift aircraft built for the Indian Air Force touches down on Runway 22L. The 418th Flight Test Squadron will begin aircraft inspection and routine flight testing for the next two months. (U.S. Air Force by Jet Fabara)

It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye…

(U.S. Air Force photo by Jet Fabara)

C-17 anniversary

The flight crew for the C-17’s first flight – which took place Sept. 15, 1991 – climbs aboard T-1 for one last time. Edwards held a ceremony in Hangar 1623 to commemorate the first flight. Pictured: pilot Bill Casey (top left); loadmaster Ted Venturini (top right); co-pilot George London (center); and flight test engineer Henry Van De Graf (bottom step). (Air Force photo by Diane Betzler)

C-17 Drops JDTV

A 77,000-pound jumbo drop test vehicle floats to the ground from 25,000 feet over the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground April 14. A C-17 from 418th Flight Test Squadron set a record for the heaviest single load ever dropped during flight. NASA photo

C-17 JDTV

A jumbo drop test vehicle is loaded onto a C-17A T-1 April 14. The JDTV was dropped over the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground to test the deceleration and recovery parachutes. The 77,000-pound JDTV set a record for heaviest single load ever extracted out of a C-17 during flight. NASA photo