Reserve units swap planes Published Aug. 26, 2008 ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- Air Force Reserve Command officials will swap C-130 Hercules aircraft this spring to accelerate the consolidation of missions and equipment at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. Officials from the 914th Airlift Wing at Niagara Falls ARS will exchange its eight C-130H3s for eight C-130H2s from the 934th Airlift Wing from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport ARS. Another four C-130H2 airlifters will arrive at Niagara Falls ARS from the Air National Guard's 118th Airlift Wing from Nashville, Tenn. When the transfers are complete sometime this summer, both the 914th AW and Air National Guard's 107th Air Refueling Wing at Niagara Falls ARS will share 12 C-130H2s under an air Reserve component associate structure. Officials from the 914th AW will own the aircraft, with the Guard providing aircrews and maintainers in the associate relationship. The swap will leave Niagara Falls ARS with an earlier version of the C-130; however, the base will get the planes two years ahead of schedule. Original plans were for 914th AW Airmen to operate with eight planes for the next two years. The swap will give them the full complement of 12 planes sooner than expected. Additionally, the base will operate with one type of cargo plane, which Air Force officials said will reduce training and maintenance costs. Members of the 107th ARW is in the process of transferring its KC-135 Stratotankers and taking on the C-130 mission.
Reserve units swap planes Published Aug. 26, 2008 ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- Air Force Reserve Command officials will swap C-130 Hercules aircraft this spring to accelerate the consolidation of missions and equipment at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. Officials from the 914th Airlift Wing at Niagara Falls ARS will exchange its eight C-130H3s for eight C-130H2s from the 934th Airlift Wing from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport ARS. Another four C-130H2 airlifters will arrive at Niagara Falls ARS from the Air National Guard's 118th Airlift Wing from Nashville, Tenn. When the transfers are complete sometime this summer, both the 914th AW and Air National Guard's 107th Air Refueling Wing at Niagara Falls ARS will share 12 C-130H2s under an air Reserve component associate structure. Officials from the 914th AW will own the aircraft, with the Guard providing aircrews and maintainers in the associate relationship. The swap will leave Niagara Falls ARS with an earlier version of the C-130; however, the base will get the planes two years ahead of schedule. Original plans were for 914th AW Airmen to operate with eight planes for the next two years. The swap will give them the full complement of 12 planes sooner than expected. Additionally, the base will operate with one type of cargo plane, which Air Force officials said will reduce training and maintenance costs. Members of the 107th ARW is in the process of transferring its KC-135 Stratotankers and taking on the C-130 mission.