The C-17 measures approximately 174 feet long (53 metres) with a wing span of 169 feet, 10 inches (51.76metres) . It is powered by four fully reversible Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 engines and is operated by a crew of three; pilot, co-pilot and load master.
Cargo is loaded through a large aft door that accomodates military vehicles and cargo.
Its design lets it operate through small, austere airfields and it can take off and land on runways as short as 3,000 feet
(914 metres) and as narrow as 90 feet (27.4 metres) wide.
The C-17 made its maiden flight on Sept 15, 1991 and the first production model was delivered to Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina on June 14, 1993.
