U.S. Navy C-2 Greyhound Makes Final Carrier Landing After 60 Years
The U.S. Navy’s C-2A Greyhound, a 60-year-old carrier onboard delivery aircraft, made its final carrier landing in June 2026, ending its mission as the Navy’s only dedicated carrier passenger and cargo plane. The last active squadron, VRC-40 based in Norfolk, Virginia, held a sundown ceremony on July 23, 2026. The aircraft will be replaced by the CMV-22 Osprey and flown to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. Pilots praised the plane’s unique manual controls and close-knit community.
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Navy's C-2 Greyhound Makes Final Carrier Landing, Ending 60-Year Mission
The U.S. Navy's C-2A Greyhound, a 60-year-old carrier onboard delivery aircraft, made its final carrier landing at the end of June 2026, ending its mission as the Navy's only dedicated carrier delivery passenger plane. The aircraft, known as a 'dinosaur' for its lack of modern computers and manual flight controls, will be replaced by the CMV-22 Osprey tiltrotor. The last active squadron, VRC-40 based in Norfolk, Virginia, held a sundown ceremony on July 23, 2026. The final flight will transport the aircraft to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. The C-2 community was small, comprising less than 1% of naval aviators, with only 1,000-1,500 pilots having flown it since 1960. Pilots described the plane as challenging to fly but offering unique experiences, such as flying over the Omani Mountains at sunset. The aircraft could carry up to 28 passengers and was known for its harsh arrested landings and catapult launches.
Navy's C-2 Greyhound Makes Final Carrier Landing, Ending 60-Year Era
The U.S. Navy's C-2A Greyhound, a 60-year-old carrier onboard delivery aircraft, made its final carrier landing at the end of June 2026, ending its mission as the Navy's only dedicated carrier delivery passenger plane. The mission will be taken over by the CMV-22 Osprey. The last active squadron, VRC-40 based in Norfolk, Virginia, held a sundown ceremony to commemorate the aircraft. The final flight will transport the last C-2 to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. The article highlights the aircraft's unique role, its challenging long-range missions (including a 2022 flight from San Diego to Japan requiring careful fuel management), and the close-knit, self-reliant culture of its small pilot community. Pilots described the plane as a 'dinosaur' due to its lack of modern computers, relying on manual cable-and-hydraulic controls, but praised its unique flying experience and the vistas it provided.
Navy's C-2 Greyhound 'Dinosaur' Carrier Delivery Plane Makes Final Flight
The U.S. Navy's C-2A Greyhound, a 60-year-old twin-turboprop carrier onboard delivery aircraft, made its final carrier landing at the end of June 2026, ending its mission as the Navy's only dedicated carrier delivery passenger plane. The aircraft, known for its rugged manual controls and small pilot community, will be replaced by the CMV-22 Osprey tiltrotor. The last active squadron, VRC-40 based in Norfolk, Virginia, held a sundown ceremony on July 23, 2026. The final flight will transport the aircraft to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. Pilots described the Greyhound as a 'dinosaur' that required manual flying without computers, and noted the unique culture of small, independent detachments operating overseas. The plane could carry up to 28 passengers and was used to transport VIPs, journalists, and cargo, with notable missions including a tense 2022 flight from San Diego to Japan requiring precise fuel management.
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Navy's C-2 Greyhound 'Dinosaur' Carrier Delivery Plane Makes Final Flight
The U.S. Navy's C-2A Greyhound, a 60-year-old twin-turboprop carrier onboard delivery aircraft, made its final carrier landing at the end of June 2026, ending its mission as the Navy's only dedicated carrier delivery passenger plane. The aircraft, known for its rugged manual controls and small pilot community, will be replaced by the CMV-22 Osprey tiltrotor. The last active squadron, VRC-40 based in Norfolk, Virginia, held a sundown ceremony on July 23, 2026. The final flight will transport the aircraft to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. Pilots described the plane as a 'dinosaur' that required manual cable-and-hydraulic flight controls, and noted the unique challenges of long overwater flights, including a memorable 2022 mission from San Diego to Japan that required careful fuel management with Russia as the only emergency diversion option.
Navy's C-2 Greyhound Carrier Delivery Plane Makes Final Flight
The U.S. Navy's C-2A Greyhound, a 60-year-old carrier onboard delivery aircraft, made its final carrier landing at the end of June 2026, ending its mission as the Navy's only dedicated carrier delivery passenger plane. The aircraft, known for its unique role transporting VIPs, cargo, and up to 28 passengers to and from aircraft carriers, will be replaced by the CMV-22 Osprey tiltrotor. The last active squadron, VRC-40 based in Norfolk, Virginia, held a sundown ceremony to commemorate the aircraft. The final flight will transport the last C-2 to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. Pilots described the plane as a 'dinosaur' due to its lack of modern computers and reliance on cable-controlled hydraulic actuators, but praised its unique flying experience and the self-reliant culture of its small pilot community, which made up less than 1% of naval aviators.
Navy's C-2 Greyhound Makes Final Carrier Landing, Ending 60-Year Era
The U.S. Navy's C-2A Greyhound, a 60-year-old carrier onboard delivery aircraft, made its final carrier landing at the end of June 2026, marking the end of its mission as the Navy's only dedicated carrier delivery passenger plane. The aircraft, known for its unique role transporting VIPs, cargo, and up to 28 passengers to and from aircraft carriers, will be replaced by the CMV-22 Osprey. The last active C-2 squadron, VRC-40 based in Norfolk, Virginia, held a sundown ceremony on July 23, 2026, and the final flight will transit the aircraft to the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. Pilots described the C-2 as a 'dinosaur' due to its lack of modern computers and manual flight controls, but praised its unique culture and the challenging, independent missions flown by small detachments. The article includes recollections of a tense 2022 flight from San Diego to Japan requiring precise fuel management, with Russia as the only emergency diversion option.