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'Bittersweet' Ceremony Marks Final C-130 Flight For 911th Airlift Wing

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Bittersweet is the word crew members and retirees used to describe the final flight of the C-130 airplane leaving the 911th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve in Pittsburgh.

Chief Pilot Ed Tarquinio spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, flying C-130s. He came here in 1987.

"I'll be retiring in December," Lt. Col. Tarquinio said. "So, I'll be 56 and I'm going to retire from the C-130. This is my last flight out of Pittsburgh."

c130
(Photo Credit: KDKA)

He added, "…over 6,000 hours of flying, so we've all done probably 1,000 missions all over the world, so we've done a lot."

The C-130s have been in Pittsburgh since the 1980s, but this fall they'll be replaced by the C-17 - a larger aircraft.

"It's a new type of airplane, a new mission, so everything will change," said Lt. Col. Tarquinio. "But, the people here will be the same and that's the focal point in the Pittsburgh area."

Current crew members and those who previously flew the C-130 say its versatility is what makes this plane special.

"I've been here since 1990, so almost 28 years. I've been flying this airplane ever since I got here. So it's a bittersweet moment, we really enjoy flying out of Pittsburgh and I'm going to miss flying at low levels and seeing the city and all," Lt. Col. Bryan Bramby said.

Former Operations Group Commander Daryl Hartman told KDKA's Lisa Washington, "I flew here for so many years. I enjoyed the C-130 so very much so seeing the last one leave is kind of sad, but seeing the mission of the Air Force continuing here makes me happy."

It was a ceremonial send-off for the final flight of the C-130. A cascade of water while taxiing, a circle around the reserve base after take-off and a final touch and go- a fitting goodbye for the plane that's flown these skies for more than 30 years.

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