Okay, I guess I missed the memo but it looks like the C-17 guys are calling their bird the Moose...am I correct? How did you guys come up with this name...

I always liked Buddha....

The obvious answer...


Look at a picture of a an actual moose. Then look at your avatar. Somebody told me it makes funny noises on the ramp too.

Thats a C-5 in his avatar.

That funny noise is air venting during refueling. It has a really low pitch like a foghorn or like a moose call.

Yup, you're right. I should go to starbucks BEFORE I look at APC

Thats rare.

Yup, it's the sound the jet makes during ground refueling...
I'm a proud member of the first operational C-17 squadron (oddly enough, the "17th") and our mascot for the squadron is, not surprisingly, the moose.

Some of the other names for the C-17 like TipTip said are:

"Buddha"...because it's short, fat and everybody worships it.

"Barney"...Fred's (the C-5) little buddy.

Why "Fred" for the C-5 you ask? It stands for "F-ing Ridiculous Economic Disaster".

On the ramp at Dover they have the C-5M thing flying test runs- supposedly rediculous increase in performance- too bad they blew the contract bottom line by a huge percentage and congress may chop the idea. I think we just got 14 more C-17s approved (we as in both taxpayers and Moosepileit types).

Hauling your $_it to the front and keeping tankers in business for 6 years myself....

When you refuel at the exterior rear SPR panel, you have to actually flip a switch back and forth to watch wing pressure during refueling- so you get used to hearing the moose noise from the vents, watch the pressure drop, and think how sometimes you'd rather be on a boom getting the gas rather than spelling TA, the flying crew chief, or other crew member on the panel in the heat, rain, cold- whatever the weather- it's usually nicer up in the cockpit...

But I digress...

I'm getting my first C-17 ride next month. Have y'all got a jump seat up front or do you keep us grunts in the back to avoid the "hey can I go up to the flight deck?" questions.