On the 15th July 2010, G-781 (the second of two C-130s being upgraded) was delivered from Marshall Aerospace back to the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

G-781 first flew at Cambridge on the 29th April, and during its flight test programme, over 12 flights were performed as part of the test and evaluation phase. The first of the two aircraft, G-988, was delivered in January 2010, and both aircraft have made an incredible journey to reach their current condition.

Through Derco Aerospace, the RNLAF selected two aircraft which were previously owned by the US Navy and they last flew in 1991. With technical support from Marshall Aerospace, Derco Aerospace dismantled the two aircraft and was responsible for their transportation from Tucson, Arizona, to the port of Houston followed by a sea journey terminating at Tilbury docks. 4781 and 4988 arrived separately on site at Marshall Aerospace, Cambridge, in April 2006, and have since been re-registered (as Dutch aircraft) as G781 and G988.

Both aircraft were restored up to C-130H standard and have undergone an extensive cockpit upgrade which has seen the replacement of virtually all analogue displays with the latest in digital technology (the “glass cockpit”), to ease pilot workload, increase situational awareness and comply with the latest civil airspace regulations. Also, many cabin safety enhancements have been integrated to meet the civil certification requirements.

Marshall Aerospace will now be embodying the Avionics Upgrade package on the RNLAF’s existing fleet – G273 and G275 – to bring them all up to a similar standard.

Martin Broadhurst, Chief Executive of Marshall Aerospace, commented: “We are extremely proud of the engineering achievements of this programme, which will provide the Royal Netherlands Air Force with two bespoke C-130 Hercules. This total recovery and upgrade for the RNLAF has been one of the most extensive and complex ever undertaken by the company.”

Source: Marshall Aerospace