Maximus Air Cargo has commenced commercial service of its first A6 Lockheed Hercules L-382 turboprop.

This follows a successful check-flight, detailed inspections and thorough examination by UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

The Lockheed L-100, named 'Hercules' from the mythical Greek hero renowned for his great strength, has become a true, real-world legend. In truth, there is no airlift mission the Lockheed Hercules has not flown.

The Lockheed L-382 is the stretched civilian variant of the military use C-130 model.

What makes this medium-range aircraft truly unique is the fact that the L-382 Hercules is capable to operate from unprepared runways, i.e. from rough, dirt strips on less than 1,200 metres of takeoff run.

Using its aft loading ramp and door, the L-382 can accommodate a wide variety of oversized cargo, including everything from utility helicopters and six wheeled vehicles to standard palletized cargo and personnel.

With a full 15-foot (4.6m) fuselage stretch over its original design, the L-382 model offers a payload of 88 m3 (259 cu ft) and 41,800 pounds (18,960 kgs).

The C-130 aircraft model, originally designed as a military transport in the 1950s, was adapted for a variety of missions, including search and rescue (SAR), aerial refueling of helicopters, weather mapping and reconnaissance, surveillance, aerial fire fighting, oil spill intervention missions, aerial spraying, scientific research support, Arctic/Antarctic ice re-supply and natural disaster relief missions.Trade Arabia News Service