HerkPerfMan

Here's the closest flying boat in reality: ShinMaywa US-2. Operated by Japan and in production. It's a little smaller than a C-130J, but uses a variant of the AE2100 engines and 6-blade Dowty props.

It's all true. I saw design reports on the earlier flying boat, and I remember seeing photos of wind tunnel testing with the later float plane model. It always seemed to me like a natural extension of the C-130 design, especially the flying boat design. Trust me, anything you can possibly imagine bolting on a Herc has already been thought up...and thoroughly analyzed. Edit: actual sentences

No, no, no...not even close...

It all depends on who paid to develop the configuration and the associated source data...and how the data rights were negotiated between LM and the customer. If LM developed the aircraft independently using it's own funds (like the C-130J) then they can claim full ownership of the source data and control how it is shared/used by other parties.

For those in (or returning to) the Chicago area, the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) offers a short entrepreneurship program specifically for veterans called Veterans2Ventures. They just started it last year and are preparing for another class in the fall. It's a great way to help identify (or further develop) business ideas and gives you the tools to make it happen. I was a presenter in one of the courses and still keep in touch with a group of graduates. The best part is it's free for veterans. Think of it as a mini-MBA with all the practical tools necessary start your own business and be successful. http://business.uic.edu/home-uic-business/faculty-departments-research/institute-for-entrepreneurial-studies/veterans2ventures

To Bill Brasky!

Thanks, LockheedFix! And we already have the brake energy zone and cooling time calculations built in for landing. Would brake energy data be useful for rejected takeoffs as well?

Some good news to report: We have entered into a formal partnership with Lockheed Martin to develop C-130J preTOLD. Development is underway and we'll have an iPad prototype by the end of the month. Stay tuned... Check out our updated website for all the details, screenshots, and downloads. Later this month, I will be exhibiting at the Hercules Operators Council (HOC) in Atlanta, and the C-130 Technical Coordination Group (TCG) International Technical Program Review in Orlando. Stop by the Elite Electronic Engineering booth for a hands-on demonstration of the C-130H and C-130J apps. I'm happy to answer any general questions here, or PM me for more detailed info.

AirWatch and MobileIron seem pretty similar in terms of functionality. And a lot better than updating apps and docs manually through iTunes.

Anyone have experience with AirWatch related to iPad EFBs? It is the Mobile Device Management (MDM) system recently approved by DISA. I've heard of it being adopted at several organizations to manage EFBs (deploy apps and content).

FIFY

We've completed the C-130H preTOLD app for PC and iPad and have a live online demonstration scheduled for May 28 at 1500Z. Sign up here if you would like to attend. Would you buy it individually if it were available in the App Store? Check our website for details on features and functionality.

Latest iPad screenshots and details for the C-130H app are up here. Still working out a few kinks, but we're almost there! What do you think?

The C-130J preTOLD app has remained a prototype since October (same as the screenshots on our website). Without getting into too many details, I met with LM last year and they seemed receptive to partnering, but things have fizzled. It takes a lot to get them moving on anything (shock!). The major stumbling block (as noted on this forum) is getting the proper permissions to use the LM-owned C-130J performance data (-1-1). No one seems willing to share/license it and I haven't found the right people at AMC, SPO, etc., to talk to about it. Any suggestions would be appreciated. In the meantime, I started seeing more demand for C-130H. We have a complete PC app for C-130H (all USAF variants), which you can see here. The iPad functionality is being finalized, which implements the same database and model from the PC app. Once it is ready for prime-time (end of April), I'm planning an online demo of the PC and iPad apps. Please sign up here to receive an invitation (please provide name and email and select "webinars and online demonstrations" in the last question).

Maybe obscenely expensive systems and decades-long development cycles are part of the grand strategy... https://medium.com/war-is-boring/d88e6b89580f Dan Ward has written some incisive pieces on acquisition and I'm looking forward to his new book. One of my favorites was his treatment on the construction of the Death Star.

First photos from the scene. 5 souls on board.

Mr. Farley has a book coming out about abolishing the Air Force. Shocking. It's called "Grounded," and you can go argue with him about it on March 15. https://medium.com/war-is-boring/9d5bc01f0602

iPad screenshot is up here. Also, TOLD Card generation (in pdf format) has been added to the PC version as well. If anyone is interested scheduling an on-line demo with your squadron, please send a PM or email me.

Well, gearpig, your dream has come true and I've completed the first edition of C-130H preTOLD for PC and iPad. So far, the PC version is up and running for most C-130H variants and I have some screenshots on our website. The iPad version, which completes and displays a TOLD Card, will be finished over the weekend. I'll also be attending the AATTC Symposium in St. Joseph, MO, next week to display and demo the apps. Please check it out and send in your first impressions, questions, comments, suggestions, and/or complaints about our eTOLD solution. If you want more specific info, please send in a request or PM me. My direct email address is also available on the website. Thanks again and I look forward to hearing feedback from everyone!

Good catch. Subconsciously, I didn't think it was possible that the Army could finally, sort of, get its hands on the C-27J.

Latest on the C-27J saga. AFSOC, Coast Guard, and Forest Service are the big winners. USAF is stuck with the bill to modify USCG C-130Hs for Forest Service duty. http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140106/NEWS/301060027 7 USAF C-27J -> AFSOC 14 USAF C-27J -> USCG 7 USCG C-130H -> USAF for aerial firefighting mods -> USFS

I've been hard at work on a C-130H version of preTOLD and making some updates to our website, including a downloadable brochure with screenshots and other information. The initial C-130H version is based on USAF data and procedures (TO 1C-130H-1-1) and will include the familiar TOLD Card format as an output/export option. Plan to have the demo app ready in January/February 2014. To help with the remaining development effort, I have created a short survey (4 easy questions) that I hope some of you will take the time to complete. I'm interested in finding out the no-kidding, most important requirements for eTOLD from the crew perspective, so please provide any comments or suggestions on features, functionality, displays, etc. Thanks in advance for your time and feedback!

You're exactly right...eTOLD is pretty much useless if you have to verify all the results by hand or mitigate software errors. That approach doesn't reduce workload or increase the accuracy of the results, it actually creates more confusion and distances the pilot and/or FE from the actual planning process. I think a lack of TOLD technical expertise in the organizations/companies that develop eTOLD is to blame for a lot of the discrepancies. They are software engineers working to a set of requirements without a real understanding of how it is supposed to work or how it will be used. That's the differentiator I'm bringing to the table along with being cheaper, faster, and more responsive.

After attending the C-130 Hercules Operators Council (HOC) last week and conducting some more market research, I'm planning to start work on a version of preTOLD for the C-130H. The big problem I see is that there are so many variants with different pubs (C-130H, MC-130H, C-130T, KC-130T, KC-130T-30, etc.) Anyone know where a civilian can request a copy of the USAF H tech pubs (T.O. 1C-130H-1-1)? Have any pilots or flight engineers used any other eTOLD system for the H?