Europe's 'Mini-Herc' Survives Deep Arctic Freeze

The first production-standard model of Alenia Aeronautica's C-27J tactical transport recently completed a two-week deployment to Kiruna in the far north of Sweden for extended cold-weather trials. The aircraft was flown to Kiruna non-stop from Turin by a manufacturer's crew in six hours despite encountering 70-knot headwinds en route. Once at Kiruna it was rigorously tested both in flight and on the ground in temperatures as low as ­36 C.

Tests included landings at various approach speeds on the 1,200-metre snow-covered airfield at Pajala in the extreme north of Sweden.

When the cold-weather trials were over the C-27J went on to perform a demonstration tour of Norway, Sweden and Finland in which various officers of the three countries' air forces took part.

Both Alenia Aeronautica and Lockheed Martin, which is closely associated with the twin-turboprop airlifter, said the trials and the demo tour confirmed the performance data which had been predicted by their engineers. The 'mini-Herc' now enjoys both military and civil certification awarded by the relevant Italian authorities.

By Bob Rodwell