Almost 25 years after the original production run ended, the new civilian version of the Lockheed Martin Super Hercules will make its international debut at the Paris Air Show. Based on the military C-130J Super Hercules, the prop-driven LM-100J commercial freighter aircraft made its maiden flight on May 25 and will be a static display at the Paris-Le Bourget Airport from June 19 to 21.
The LM-100J is the 17th variant of the civilian LM-100 Hercules transport that was in production from 1964 to 1992. By the time production ceased, 114 LM-100s were built with 55 still in service. The LM-100J is based on the current C-130J with many military features either removed or deactivated. It is designed to operate from short, unprepared airfields in remote locations that are unsuitable for jet aircraft and may not have proper ground equipment.
The LM-100J has very similar features to its military counterpart, including its four Rolls-Royce AE2100D3 engines punching 4,637 bhp each with full-authority digital engine controllers and an automatic engine thrust control system that allows the aircraft to fly safely if one engine is out of service. These drive the Dowty R391 propellers with six scimitar-shaped composite blades that are considerably quieter than the previous LM-100.
In the cockpit is a Northrop Grumman low-power color weather and ground-mapping radar, four head-down color displays, and two see-through head-up displays for primary flight information. There's even a microwave oven and optional coffeemaker. Meanwhile, the cargo deck is designed for fast loading and unloading with the ability to quickly shift between deck rollers and hard points.
Lockheed says that the LM-100J is capable of carrying on a wide variety of jobs, including aerial spraying, fire fighting, search and rescue, air ambulance service, humanitarian airlifts, VIP transportation, oversized cargo delivery, and oil and gas exploration.
"The LM-100J has performed remarkably well in flight tests just two weeks after its first flight. Because of this strong performance, we decided to fly the LM-100J to Paris to be on display at the world's greatest airshow," says George Shultz, vice president and general manager, Air Mobility & Maritime Missions at Lockheed Martin. "The LM-100J's presence at the Paris Air Show truly places it on the world's stage, offering an opportunity to highlight its proven capabilities and unmatched versatility to the global commercial marketplace. We are honored to introduce the world to the LM-100J."
The video below is of the LM-100J's maiden flight
Source: Lockheed Martin
