Original subtitles

[Narrator] The C-5 is the largest plane

in the U.S. Air force.

[Man] This baby's the Cadillac.

[Narrator] With a mighty job...

[Man] Two! Three!

[Narrator] ...flying cargo into a war zone.

[Man] You are writing the next chapter in this dynasty.

[Narrator] On tap for this C-5 crew--

fly their Super Galaxy nonstop to Afghanistan

in record time

by refueling in midair.

[Man] You feel movement?

[Man] When it's time to air refuel, it's game time.

[Man] If you're coming in too fast,

that may create a dangerous situation.

[Narrator] It's a marathon mission...

[Man] Going into a combat environment at night,

there's a lot of factors against us.

[Narrator] ...that puts the C-5 in the line of fire.

Dover Air Force base just outside of Philadelphia

is home base to a fleet of aircraft

unparalleled on the planet.

[David Hafer] You guys are standing in jumbo country.

This is arguably the most strategically important

mile and a half strip of concrete on the east coast.

[Narrator] This bustling airfield is the starting point

for tons of supplies shipped to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

On the ramp, major Jason Wolff directs traffic.

Dover Air Force base moves more cargo

than anybody, hands down.

It starts right here and goes straight to the war fighter.

[Narrator] For cargo too large and too urgent

to be shipped any other way,

the Air Force relies on the C-5,

America's biggest strategic airlifter.

The pace is relentless.

You guys get ready to push.

Alright, slow it down a little bit.

Slow it down a little bit!

There it is. Let's not get carried away.

Alright, slow it down, slow it down.

[Narrator] Every day, about 150 giant pallets

are flown out of Dover on C-5s.

[Man] Two! Three!

[Narrator] That's the equivalent

of more than five 747 cargo jets.

I'm talking game changing principle.

What I could land on this puppy,

you can't put on four or five other birds.

You got the corner in right here.

[Narrator] On this C-5, bound for Afghanistan...

[Man] Roll it!

[Narrator] ...Wolff needs to load almost

120,000 pounds of cargo

in just two hours.

[Wolff] We're going to have to push this thing.

[Narrator] He's got eight crewmembers to help him

get it on board.

This massive plane is a beast of burden,

capable of carrying 300,000 pounds,

the weight of six city buses.

Almost as long as a football field

and more than six stories high,

its wingspan stretches over 200 feet.

Hydraulics in the nose lower the big plane to truck bed height.

And a ramp unfurls for speedy loading and unloading.

[Wolff] What needs to get there now,

what needs to get there fast,

what needs to get there critical.

We'll move everything from the small--

a one pound electronic component box with a gyroscope--

all the way up to a nuclear submarine prop.

[Narrator] Wolff and his crew wrap up the job

30 minutes ahead of schedule.

In less than 48 hours, this C-5 will land in Afghanistan.

On the outskirts of Kabul, Bagram airfield is a linchpin

in the effort to supply U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

The war, a response to the 9/11 attacks on America's in 2001,

has lasted over a decade.

There are more than 100,000 troops on the ground,

and everything they need to survive in combat

comes from halfway around the world.

[Controller] Tower runway 3, full length, estimated 350 at 3.

Clear to land runway 3.

[Narrator] And much of it arrives at Bagram

on the mighty C-5s.

[Steven Hertenstein] Right now, we're downloading the apache

that's behind me,

and then behind that we have a couple of hueys

as well as some pallets we can offload as well.

[Narrator] This is a combat zone,

and the base is a prime target.

So the rule is, get in, offload and get out...

Fast.

We want to minimize the ground time of the C-5,

because obviously when it's in the air,

it's moving cargo to the fight.

[Narrator] Back at Dover, more than 100 C-5 pilots,

engineers and loadmasters are involved

in the effort to get lifesaving equipment

to soldiers in the field.

Colonel David Hafer prepares his handpicked squad

for their missions into hostile terrain.

I've stood in this room many times

and told you guys you're a dynasty.

You are writing the next chapter in this dynasty.

If you're not in this room, then you want to be in this room.

[Narrator] For Hafer, the C-5 is much more

than a big transport plane.

It's a potential knockout punch.

Nobody ever gets to tell anybody in this room,

"Thank you for supporting the war fighter,"

because you are the war fighter.

Those airplanes are weapons.

They may not have bombs hanging off the bottom of them,

but when you have a kinetic force

that you want to deliver,

we get that payload on the C-5,

and we put that ability in the war fighter's hands.

I would just ask you one thing in conclusion--

fly the hell out of these airplanes!

Fly the airplane.

[Narrator] Captain Scott Korrel is about to do just that.

The C-5 pilot has just received orders

for a flight to Afghanistan that leaves in two days.

Afghanistan is an austere environment.

It poses new challenges.

Obviously the traffic and terrain are big issues

in Afghanistan.

Every time we go in there,

you're always on the edge of your seat

and have a heightened awareness.

[Narrator] Korrel is a veteran C-5 commander,

but this flight will be different.

He'll attempt to set a new world record

by flying nonstop from the U.S. to Bagram in under 14 hours.

C-5s out of Dover usually land in Europe for refueling

and a crew change before continuing on to Bagram.

But Korrel will cover the almost 6,200-mile distance

without ever touching down.

His record-setting attempt will be made

in the latest model of the C-5--

the C-5M Super Galaxy.

C-5s have been the military's workhorse

for more than 40 years.

Now the fleet is getting a massive overhaul.

At Lockheed Martin's Marietta facility in Georgia,

Greg Russ heads a program to transform some 50 aging C-5s

into state-of-the-art C-5M super galaxies.

[Greg Russ] What we're doing with this aircraft

is unbelievable.

We're taking an aircraft, these B models,

bringing them back in here,

and we're actually redelivering those aircraft

with much more capability.

[Narrator] It's mainly new engines and avionics,

but the upgrade includes 70 items

and can take a year to complete.

[Man] We're moving sticks, actually,

taking fuel probes out...

[Man] Something new we've been doing

is changing out these jackscrew assemblies as needed.

[Narrator] In the next few days,

Russ' team will mount new engines

and install a state-of-the-art glass cockpit.

If all goes well,

they'll deliver a rechristened C-5M Super Galaxy back to Dover.

[Narrator] The new Super Galaxy is a game changer,

giving pilots the ability to fly nonstop

almost anywhere in the world,

and redefining just how fast and how far

every resupply mission can take them.

Alright, good morning, I'll brief this up.

I'm the air fuel instructor this morning.

[Narrator] The nonstop flight will require

a delicate and dangerous air-to-air refueling.

If you see a malfunction

or have something that's not safety of flight,

please just state what it is, tell us to back out.

[Narrator] Korrel and his crew need to show

they can execute the maneuver flawlessly

in a training mission,

or they risk losing out on the job.

Air refueling is one of those things

that if you're not doing it on a monthly or weekly basis,

you will get rusty doing it.

[Narrator] The risks are real.

Two huge aircraft flying just a few feet apart

at over 300 miles an hour.

Margin for error--

zero.

[Rucker] When you have two aircraft this size,

operating that closely together within 10 feet of each other,

I mean, it's obviously a pretty big deal.

If you are by any means unclear

of what we are doing today, please speak up.

I don't mind telling you 10 more times what we're doing.

[Narrator] Everything about the mission is scrutinized,

including the weather.

Even slight turbulence can be deadly.

We're going to be on air at 3:15, from 15 to 16 Zulu...

[Woman] Clearing right now,

there's some stuff to the west moving slowly to the northeast.

[Korrel] Jet's ready to go.

[Narrator] Engineers and loadmasters give

Korrel's C-5M Super Galaxy

a thorough pre-flight safety check.

But just before takeoff...

[Man] That looks like a hole.

[Narrator] ...a glitch.

The pre-flight exam reveals a small hole in the airframe

by the rear cargo doors.

We can't have any dents, nicks, scratches,

or anything on this panel.

So that little hole is no good for this.

So they're either going to have to...

[Narrator] The tiny puncture could cause

a loss of air pressure in flight and put the crew in danger.

Until it's fixed,

this Super Galaxy isn't going anywhere.

We're going to be setting a world record,

and with that is a lot of notoriety,

and we're looking forward to it,

and setting another record in the C-5M.

[Narrator] But their training mission to rehearse

an aerie refueling maneuver has been delayed

by a tiny hole in the C-5's airframe.

While they wait for a fix,

Korrel and co-pilot Ian Turner make the most of the downtime

by heading to a simulator.

And let me know when the throttles,

when they're aligned, and we can start flying from there.

Alright, coming off freeze.

[Narrator] Aerial refueling is

one of the most difficult assignments for C-5 pilots.

Even in the simulator,

the job demands the crew's full attention.

[Korrel] We have two jumbo aircraft here,

both flying within 15 feet, 10 to 15 feet of each other

at extremely high speeds.

When it's time to air refuel, it's like kickoff in the NFL.

It's game time.

[Narrator] It's a dangerous but essential element

for a 6,200-mile nonstop flight to Bagram.

If Korrel can do it,

he will prove the C-5M Super Galaxy

can move supplies to Afghanistan faster and cheaper

than ever before.

[Korrel] When you over control the airplane,

it is not friendly to you,

and will exacerbate any negative scenario you may have already.

[Narrator] The fate of the C-5 and tanker crews

are in their hands during the maneuver,

so Korrel and Turner aim for seamless coordination.

In the air, there will be no second chances.

The C-5M Super Galaxy has a 21st century glass cockpit,

including the latest navigation computers

to help the pilots rendezvous with the tanker.

They're a key component in the C-5M modernization program.

At Lockheed, aging C-5s are stripped

of their old analog instruments

to make room for new digital displays

that keep pilots constantly abreast of their position

and performance during their mission.

But the electronic upgrades spread far beyond the cockpit,

and that means a massive rewiring job.

John Evans makes sure everything is going to the right place.

This is the flight deck

encompassing the Nav Station,

flight engineer station, pilot, co-pilot.

[Narrator] More than 11,000 wires

are threaded through the big plane.

They'll control everything from flaps to landing gear

to the lights in the cargo bay.

We're routing in the incoming wires,

we've already deleted the wires

that have to be brought off the airplane,

and now we're adding the wires coming back in.

And we route them to the appropriate place.

[Narrator] Evans has to keep track of 103 miles

of new wiring.

[Evans] There is a method to the madness.

It does, it is a little overwhelming to look at,

at first.

[Narrator] When the new flight deck is finished,

this 30-year-old C-5 will be as up-to-date as a modern jetliner.

It's a good, sturdy airplane

with much better electronics now.

It takes a lot of the workload off the pilot.

Some things are automated now,

where before they had to manually do

or think about something.

Computers take care of a little bit of that for them now.

[Narrator] Back at Dover,

another C-5M Super Galaxy has been prepped,

and Scott Korrel's training mission is back on track.

[Korrel] This delayed us about 30 to 45 minutes,

which is enough time to miss our tanker today,

so we're trying to move as fast as we can out of here

to make our timing today.

[Narrator] While Korrel hopes to show

that his team is up to the job of setting a world record

in the C-5M Super Galaxy,

the training flight is especially important

for co-pilot Ian Turner.

He'll fly the C-5 to within 50 feet of the tanker.

[Turner] Standby co-pilot.

[Korrel] Standby pilot.

[Narrator] If he's ever going to sit in the captain's seat,

he will need to deal with the pressure to get it right.

[Turner] NCWA is removed, or, yeah, removed.

[Controller] Jumbo 70 heavy, runway 19 taxi via alpha delta,

hold short of runway 32.

[Narrator] For Korrel, Turner, and the two flight engineers,

it's all systems go.

-[Korrel] Clear for takeoff. -[Turner] Clear for takeoff.

[Narrator] The big plane hurtles down the runway.

[Korrel] 80 knots.

[Narrator] In just 30 seconds, it's doing 140 miles an hour.

[Korrel] Go.

[Narrator] Takeoff speed.

[Korrel] Gear up.

[Turner] Heading selector.

[Korrel] Selector.

[Turner] 7,000, flaps up.

[Korrel] Flaps up.

Verify.

[Turner] Execute.

Executing.

[Narrator] The refuel training mission is on.

Your average air transport pilot

in the civilian community

does not get to fly within 10 feet of another aircraft.

Especially one this size in the contact position.

So it's definitely a dangerous maneuver,

requires a high proficiency skill level

to accomplish the maneuver.

[Narrator] Within 15 minutes,

the Super Galaxy has climbed to a cruising altitude

of 20,000 feet.

They missed their original rendezvous

and are racing to catch the tanker

before it calls an end to the day.

[Korrel] 2992 co-pilot.

[Turner] 2992 pilot.

[Narrator] Lieutenant Ian Turner, Korrel's co-pilot,

is moments away from taking control

and putting them just steps away from the tanker.

Today I'll be flying the rendezvous,

so I'll be getting us about 50 feet away from the tanker,

and then Scott will be taking over

and actually doing the aerial refueling.

[Narrator] For the C-5 crew, everything is on the line.

The slightest error by either pilot could be catastrophic.

Watch the speed on the descent.

Weather is still looking skosh on the track.

We're in and out of clouds,

we have light to moderate turbulence.

[Narrator] Already at the rendezvous point,

the tanker circles at an altitude of 21,000 feet.

Korrel will bring his C-5 onto the planned rendezvous track

1,000 feet below the tanker.

When he's within a mile,

he'll start a slow climb while gradually reducing speed.

The final 50 feet are the most crucial.

Once hooked up, fuel will flow to the C-5's 12 fuel tanks

built into the wings.

[Turner] Anti-collision strobe lights.

[Narrator] They're now within sight.

[Korrel] We're about 15 miles from the tanker.

We just got visibility on him now.

[Turner] Open, lights on. Contacts should be clear.

[Korrel] Fix.

[Narrator] It's white-knuckle time for Korrel and crew.

In the tail of the tanker,

sergeant Adam Craft, the fuel boom operator,

prepares for a face-to-face meeting with the C-5

at almost 300 miles an hour.

Every time we're scheduled for a C-5,

it's always kind of remarkable.

We do a lot of big airplanes.

This one is, you know, by a large margin,

a lot bigger than all the rest of them.

[Narrator] As the two giant planes come closer together,

the swirling winds around them reach hurricane force.

It's a phenomenon Korrel and Turner need to compensate for,

literally on the fly.

What it can do is cause our nose to come down,

so we may need some up trim in the air,

and it's causing the tanker aircraft's tail to rise,

so they're going to have to trim as well.

[Narrator] Making slight adjustments in the cockpit

will allow both pilots to maintain altitude

without aggressively pulling back on the stick.

But it takes a deft touch.

If you're coming in too fast,

that force can be too great

and they may not be able to trim at a fast enough rate.

It can create a dangerous situation.

It could easily turn into a bad situation

if we're not all paying attention.

[Turner] 100 feet to checks.

[Narrator] Scott hands the controls to Ian,

ready to jump back in at the first sign of trouble.

Nice and stable, nice and slow.

A little high.

You feel movement?

[Turner] Yup. I feel movement.

[Korrel] Very nice.

Nice and stable, staying in there.

Feeling around, up and down.

Nice thing about the "M" is the power.

If you need it, it's there.

How's that feel?

[Turner] It's a lot easier than I thought.

That's a good thing to say rather than the opposite.

Good.

[Narrator] 50 feet from the tanker,

Scott takes back the controls, and the hardest part begins--

moving the final 30 feet to the fuel boom.

[Korrel] Right here it looks pretty good to me,

pretty good picture.

[Narrator] Korrel uses visual references, sound cues,

and surgical precision on the controls.

[Korrel] Okay, attempting.

[Narrator] With the C-5 in position,

it's now up to sergeant Craft in the tanker

to guide the boom into place.

Alright, we just got contact with the tanker.

Nice and stable in the envelope here.

Just maintain position here.

[Narrator] Behind Korrel, the flight engineers go to work,

opening the taps and distributing the fuel.

We're constantly monitoring the system,

so as the fuel comes out, we're going to make sure

it comes on in the correct sequence.

And we have fuel coming into

each side of our manifold.

We don't want one wing having all the fuel and vice versa.

[Narrator] Now under the same pressure as the pilots,

no one on board wants to be the guy who slips up.

If we fail on getting the gas,

you know, our mission will fail.

[Narrator] After 1,000 pounds of fuel is pumped into the C-5,

it's mission accomplished.

[Korrel] I'm going to disconnect now

and back out from the tanker.

Nice and slow... One-foot-per-second movement.

Once we're laterally separated,

we're going to descend to 1,000 feet below the tanker.

[Narrator] As the C-5 slips away from the tanker,

there's a sigh of relief on the flight deck.

Air-to-air refueling requires C-5 pilots

to demonstrate their precision.

However, arriving in Bagram on the other side of the world

demands some aerobatic skills.

Bagram airfield has been the target of several attacks.

To land safely,

C-5 pilots must perform a hair-raising tactical approach.

[Controller] 350 at 3, clear to land, runway 3.

[Narrator] It's a stomach-churning

roller coaster ride

that ends with a steep dive to the runway.

Captain Austin Horn has just put his C-5 through one.

[Austin Horn] It's the size of a 747,

but this thing can maneuver and bank up like anything else.

And it's hard to imagine, but it really does do a great job

getting into tight areas,

getting in here swiftly and safely.

[Narrator] The resupply mission runs 24/7,

giving pilots barely enough time to stretch their legs.

The C-5s are on the ground in Bagram no more than four hours.

[Narrator] Just minutes after landing,

this C-5 is peeled open...

Revealing its cargo--

two helicopters,

including a 25,000-pound Chinook,

vital for moving troops and supplies

into the heat of battle.

[Craig Baker] This aircraft is one of the few aircrafts

that can carry the outsized cargo.

So if it's big enough to be traveled by air,

this is the only thing that's going to take it.

[Man] One! Two! Three!

[Narrator] In less than 30 minutes,

the Chinook is off the C-5 and good to go.

[Man] Start pushing!

[Narrator] And 30 minutes after that,

this C-5 will be heading back to the U.S.

[Woman] Good morning, everyone.

Just an overview--

on Sunday morning you'll be leaving to Bagram.

[Narrator] Back at Dover,

Korrel and his crew get an intelligence briefing

on enemy activity around Bagram.

The U.S. have blamed Haqqani network

for multiple attacks in Kabul.

During this attack,

it was assessed that they use RPGs, AK-47s, and also ieds.

[Narrator] If they needed a reality check,

they're getting it now.

[Woman] Thank you.

[Narrator] Tomorrow Korrel and his crew will begin

their record-setting flight...

...into the line of fire.

We got about 51 total from air IP to exit...

Time on track.

[Narrator] The devil is in the details.

Every "what if" is considered.

They're going to want to come out early.

Like, you know, to try to hit us

and give us our gas, and say that's it.

[Narrator] Including the failure to refuel in midair,

a must-have if they're going to make it nonstop.

There's a point we have on air refueling track

called the bingo point.

If by that point we have not received the required gas

that we need to continue on to our destination,

we will divert to an alternate location and land.

[Narrator] Meanwhile,

the ground crew gives Korrel's Super Galaxy

one last top-to-bottom inspection...

...including the big wheels,

28 of them attached to five sets of landing gear.

We had to make a few adjustments earlier

to make sure it rotates enough

so it doesn't hit anything as it goes up, damage anything.

Good to go now.

[Narrator] Then it's on to the flight line and an engine exam.

[Aaron Shear] We're pulling out magnetic chip detectors

to make sure we don't have particles from the engine

that could possibly damage the engine.

[Narrator] Across the base, tech sergeant Wally Schmidt

is in charge of sourcing the load for Korrel's Super Galaxy.

We normally plan for 120,000 pounds of cargo,

even though it can carry a lot more than that.

[Narrator] He uses computer software to work out

where it will go in the C-5.

You don't want to be nose-heavy,

because then the pilot will be pulling up too much.

If it's too tail-heavy, it will basically flip over.

[Narrator] As soon as he hits "Send,"

a squad of million-dollar robots springs into action.

Everything the troops in Afghanistan need

is stored in Dover's massive warehouse,

packed onto numbered pallets,

each weighing almost 10,000 pounds.

Once the robots retrieve the pallets for Korrel's flight...

They're trucked out to the plane.

Major Wolff supervises the load.

The cargo includes new panels

to protect armored personnel carriers

and replacement props for a Hercules C-130.

It's all strapped securely into place

for the dizzying descent into Bagram's combat zone.

Nothing worse,

you're dropping 10,000 feet really quick.

People always compare it to being on a roller coaster.

Your hands go up, well, guess what.

We don't want the cargo to go up,

we want it to stick tight and be right.

[Narrator] With the C-5 loaded,

four pilots, three engineers and five loadmasters are ready

for a 14-hour journey to the other side of the world...

...and into the record books.

[Woman on radio] 3002.

3002, got that.

Pre-flight, I just did a radio check.

Right now I'm just getting everything booted up

so we can do normal operations, get ready to start engines.

[Engineer] Make sure the top is on top.

[Narrator] The one big variable--

weather.

Right now at the air-to-air refueling point,

it's borderline.

To set the world record

we'll have to complete our air refueling.

Obviously, if we have to divert tonight,

the world record will go by the wayside.

[Narrator] It's taken the combined efforts

of hundreds of specialists at Dover

to get the C-5M Super Galaxy ready.

Now it's up to Korrel and his crew to come through.

[Korrel] We're real pressed for time right now.

We have about 20 minutes to check lists.

A few things still need to be done for our sequence of events

to get this mission departing on time.

[Narrator] Among the upgrades

that put the "super" in Super Galaxy

are four powerful new CF6 turbofan engines.

They deliver better performance and fuel economy

than the old TF-39s,

but installing them has been a challenge

for Lockheed engineers.

Each new engine is over 1,000 pounds heavier

than its predecessor,

and that means reinforcing the C-5's wings.

Jason Nichols supervises the changeover.

If we didn't beef this structure up

when we put those new engines on,

it would absolutely rip this wing apart over time.

The stress fractures,

it would just not be able to take the thrust

that these engines are going to be putting out.

[Narrator] Accommodating the new engines

requires a replacement of the cowling,

fortifying the pylons

that connect the engine to the wing.

And finally, reinforcing the skeleton inside the wings

to withstand the increased stress on the airframe.

[Nichols] We cut out the existing structure

and put in something more beefed up,

able to hold the thrust of those big engines.

[Narrator] The process takes more time and manpower

than any other modification on the C-5,

but it's worth it.

[Nichols] There are missions and capabilities

where you have to push your equipment to the limit.

And we just want to get these planes ready

to where they can do just that and maybe even beyond.

[Controller] Visibility 10 miles,

a few clouds at 900,

scattered 14,000, temperature 22, 3.22.

Altimeter two-niner, eight-niner.

[Narrator] Back at Dover,

Korrel's Super Galaxy is ready for takeoff.

[radio chatter]

Departure fly, runway heading maintain 3,000,

runway one.

[Narrator] 833,000 pounds of plane, fuel and cargo

are on the move.

The new engines, each delivering over 50,000 pounds of thrust,

propel the C-5M Super Galaxy into the night sky.

We're about 50 minutes

from coasting out across the ocean.

[Narrator] Climbing to 31,000 feet,

they'll overfly Boston before heading out

across the North Atlantic.

They'll need to complete a perilous refuel

over the north sea

before continuing across eastern Europe

and finally into Afghanistan.

Korrel is scheduled to rendezvous with the tanker

in six and a half hours.

And unlike their training run,

this time they need to arrive on time.

We're about seven, eight minutes early,

so we went ahead and slowed the airplane down

to get us a little bit behind.

[Narrator] Over the ocean,

the flight crew monitors their position

but leaves the flying to the Super Galaxy's

new and improved autopilot.

[Korrel] It automatically corrects for winds

and route corrections

and maintains us on center line for our route.

North 030 west, 57 north, 020 west...

[Narrator] The Super Galaxy has new engines and avionics,

but the galley remains old school.

We only cook the finest of frozen meals on here,

and it looks lie we're going to be having lasagna

and a little Texas toast today.

Yeah, everything tastes better at 30,000 feet.

[Narrator] The C-5 will cross 10 time zones in 14 hours,

throwing body clocks into a tailspin.

[Turner] Yeah, fatigue can be a big issue for us,

especially on a flight like today

where the alert time for us is at night.

So we've been up for most of the day.

Getting good sleep is very crucial.

[Narrator] On this flight,

Korrel and Turner are the a-team,

at the controls for the aerial refueling

and the tactical approach at Bagram.

[Korrel] Air refueling is definitely an event

that you want to be well rested for.

So during the coast down

I'm going be jumping out of the seat

and letting a couple other crewmembers fly,

and I'm going to try and get some sleep in the bunkroom.

Pilot's checking off.

See ya, rock star.

[Narrator] Getting them across the Atlantic falls to the B-team

led by lieutenant colonel Matt Ahern,

who's content to play a supporting role

on this record-breaking flight.

[Narrator] The outcome of this mission could change

military resupply operations.

If it succeeds,

the C-5M Super Galaxy will prove itself capable

of moving heavy loads farther and faster than ever before.

Back at Lockheed, the hope is that this nonstop flight

will be the first of many for the C-5s being overhauled.

C-5M, the Rerp modification is complete

on this aircraft,

modification effort to it.

It's just an outstanding aircraft.

[Narrator] After 11 months in the shop,

another C-5 has been reborn as a C-5M Super Galaxy.

[Russ] A finished product to everybody in this business,

you take a look at it,

and it's just a great feeling of pride.

[Narrator] For some,

watching the C-5Ms embark on a second career

is a reminder of their original rollout from this same facility

over 40 years ago.

I remember as a kid here in Atlanta,

hearing them take off

and watching them come over the airfield.

It goes way back for me.

The love of watching these giant things

that don't look like they should even be able to fly,

it's an incredible sight.

[Narrator] After a few hours of sleep,

Korrel is back at the controls

and on his a-game for the critical air-to-air refueling.

We're about 15 nautical miles from the tanker.

He is in sight off of our 11:30.

[Narrator] As they come up on the rendezvous,

Korrel delicately maneuvers the Super Galaxy

directly below the tanker.

The weather, once borderline, is now clear and bright,

giving Korrel another problem--

a blinding early morning glare.

He struggles to get the visual references he needs.

[Korrel] The sun can still pose

a huge limitation for air refueling.

[Narrator] The two planes are less than 30 feet apart.

The boom extends toward the C-5.

[Korrel] I'm just going to back out. I can't see.

[Narrator] Korrel tries to meet it.

Finally, using the shadow of the tanker

to block the glare...

[Korrel] Ah, yes.

That looks like a good picture to me.

[Narrator] He hooks on.

[Korrel] Using all the envelope to kind of shade yourself

from the sun is a good technique,

and we were able to do that and get our gas today.

Alright.

[Narrator] 100,000 pounds of fuel flows into the C-5

in just over 15 minutes.

With their tanks topped up,

Korrel and crew will spend the next six hours

cutting across eastern Europe

before reaching Bagram's busy airspace.

[Controller] Bagram tower runway 3 full length,

an estimated 350 at 3.

Clear to land runway 3.

[Narrator] Shelby Strunk is an air traffic controller

at Bagram.

He'll slot Korrel's C-5 into a maze of traffic.

[Shelby Strunk] We can be talking

to aircraft up to 20 miles out,

up to 20,000 feet,

overhead the field at 15,000 to 20,000 feet.

They spiral down.

[Narrator] Controllers at Bagram benefit

from his 20 years of experience commanding traffic stateside.

[Strunk] And so everything that I've done throughout the years

has led to a point where I was able to work this traffic here.

It certainly is as complex as it gets,

and just throwing in the little things

that go along with being in a war zone

make things interesting on a daily basis.

[Narrator] The C-5 demands particular attention.

It needs to touch down on the longest runway

and it needs plenty of personal space.

[Strunk] Keeping aircraft away from them

so that they don't get knocked out of the sky,

especially the helicopters.

And that's the aircraft

that will wind up getting closer to the C-5s,

because they'll be departing off to the side.

[Narrator] Korrel and his Super Galaxy

are now 20 minutes from touchdown,

and on track to set a world record.

[Korrel] Bagram sits like in a bowl

surrounded by mountains essentially...

[Narrator] But now in Afghan airspace,

they're within reach of hostile fire.

So the crew prepare themselves and their cargo

for a bumpy ride down.

Alright, we're beginning our initial descent

into Bagram now.

Everyone on the airplane is in position

for the combat environment,

and we should be on the ground shortly.

[Narrator] After almost 14 hours in the air,

nobody's talking about writing their names in the record book.

They'd happily trade the notoriety for a safe arrival.

[Korrel] It's been a long day.

We've seen daylight and night twice on this mission,

that's very unique.

We've had an air refueling, extremely long sortie,

going into a combat environment at night,

with terrain and traffic

and a high pressure altitude environment.

So obviously, there's a lot of factors against us.

[Narrator] And now add one more.

Korrel gets a weather update from Bagram.

Reach 324 heavy, just be advised there is

a 20-knot crosswind advisory effect at Bagram.

You are number 3 following a second F-15...

[Narrator] Strong crosswinds can create havoc

for a giant like the C-5.

If Korrel doesn't nail the landing on his first attempt,

the world record will be out the window.

[Korrel] To corridor, Chevik is in As.

4 heavy Bagram tower, runway 3.

Estimated 3203, cleared to land.

[radio chatter]

[Korrel] I got the terrain in sight.

Gears down, flaps are landing, clear to land.

[Narrator] Descending below 10,000 feet,

the Super Galaxy is vulnerable to hostile fire.

But right now, the wind is their greatest threat.

3013 pilot.

I've got a fairly stiff cross from left to right.

[Turner] Okay.

[Korrel] Make sure it doesn't bounce around on us.

215 decelerating, flaps 40.

[Turner] Flaps 40.

[Narrator] Korrel fights to keep the plane on the glide slope.

[Korrel] Those are some strong...

I was on the left side, now I'm on the right side.

[Automated voice] 100...

50...

40...

30...

20...

10.

[Narrator] He steadies the plane...

[Turner] Very nice.

[Narrator] ...and makes a textbook landing.

In the dark, landing lights are left off

as a precaution against attack.

[Turner] Nice landing. Good job.

[Korrel] Thanks.

I tell you, it was all over, it was like, left and right.

[Turner] It was sporty.

[Korrel] It was. Every time in here, it is.

[Turner] Especially after a 14-hour day.

[Narrator] Everyone's glad to be down,

but in no mood to celebrate.

They need to park and begin offloading ASAP.

[Korrel] This is kind of our biggest moment right now

for potential incidences.

[Narrator] In the cover of night,

Korrel taxis the C-5

through the traffic and chaos of Bagram airfield.

Finally coming to a stop at the ramp,

intact and on time.

[Craig Harmon] The pilot did an awesome job

putting it on the deck, smooth landing.

Set the bar pretty high.

[Narrator] After the pressure of an epic flight

and tricky crosswind landing,

at last, Korrel can catch his breath.

[Korrel] For the aircrews, for the maintainers,

the command and control system,

we're all just proud to be able to go out there

and move the mission with the C-5.

It's a fantastic airplane.

[Narrator] And now the moment he's been waiting for--

the chance to write his name in the record book.

I have the paperwork right here.

We're going to head up to the tower

and talk to the air traffic controller

to report our official land time.

[Narrator] In the meantime,

loadmasters and ground crew go to work.

Clear!

Learn something?

[Narrator] 112,000 pounds of cargo is transferred

onto Bagram's monster trucks.

After a 24-hour workday,

the crew still manages to offload the cargo

in less than 90 minutes.

Korrel returns with good news.

The tower confirms

5,169 nautical miles from Dover to Bagram, Afghanistan,

in 13 hours and 51 minutes--

the fastest time ever for a C-5 flying from the U.S.

C-5M, as usual, was a rock star,

it's done phenomenal for us.

[Narrator] Mission accomplished

for the record-breaking crew and their remarkable aircraft.

[camera beeps, shutter clicks]

[Narrator] As more Super Galaxies are delivered,

the Air Force will keep pushing the limits

of their capabilities,

flying them heavier, faster and farther than ever before.

We'll be attempting to break about 39 world records.

So if that goes well, this aircraft, the C-5M,

will be the all-time,

all-aircraft world record holder.

We just received our FR clearance

to our following destination.

[Narrator] For Korrel and his crew,

it's a short hop to Europe and then finally back to Dover...

[Turner] All right, copy, clear to depart Bagram.

[Narrator] ...having done their part to demonstrate

the C-5M Super Galaxy's new capabilities

far exceed those of the original C-5's.

I think right now we're rewriting the books

on what we can lift, how fast, and where it can go.

There's nowhere in the world we can't reach.

[Hafer] There is not one time

when I won't turn around and stop if I'm walking

and I see a C-5 doing a touch-and-go or doing a takeoff

where I won't watch just in awe of that airplane.

[Narrator] This mighty plane is expected to fly

for another 30 years,

proving that, in the world of heavy lifting,

it has no equal.