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Final C-130 deployment from NF air base Monday

Posted at 3:28 AM, May 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-09 12:41:44-04

Military C-130 transport planes have been flying out of the Niagara Falls air base for more than 40 years.

That will end Monday when four of the aircraft leave on what will be the final C-130 deployment for the 914th Airlift Wing.

Master Sergeant Jay of the USAF thinks that the sound of a C-130 flying over you is one of the greatest sounds in the world. "This is all I have known for 20 years as far as being a military man on active duty and on reserve so so long to take it over there for the last time for the last time and do some stuff will be pretty cool." 

The wing is switching to flying KC-135 refueling tankers as part of a new mission that's seen as crucial to the future of the air base. The Air Force is retiring some of the C-130 fleet to save money. 

Bill Wagner, who is the Vice Chair of Niagara Military Affairs Council feels as if this will be good for business. "Having a refueling mission of the KC-135's coming to the area means that the length of the mission is going to be substationally longer we think than the C-130 mission,"

The commander of the 914th Airlift Wing, Brian Bowman, will be at the base to see the aircraft off Monday. He says it will be a chance to look back on the past while focusing on the future.