A Boeing C-17 cargo plane carrying Apache helicopters landed at Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport, marking the largest aircraft ever to use the facility and signaling the start of a multi-mission Army effort to dismantle older helicopter models.
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A U.S. military cargo plane carrying two Apache attack helicopters landed Monday at Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport, marking the largest aircraft ever to touch down at the facility, airport officials said.
The Boeing C-17A Globemaster III arrived from Alaska as part of a broader U.S. Army mission to phase out older AH-64D Apache helicopters. The aircraft is assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 176th Wing based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
Airport Director James Brown said the landing demonstrated the airport’s growing capacity to handle large military aircraft, calling the C-17 “by far” the biggest plane to ever land at the regional airfield.
“The Army is currently working on phasing out the AH-64D models of Apache helicopters to reduce cost and to shift to the more modernized AH-64E models,” Brown said.
The helicopters delivered Monday are the first of 16 expected to arrive in Conroe over the coming weeks. Officials said the C-17 will return in eight separate missions to complete the transfers.
Once delivered, the 1st Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, a U.S. Army Reserve unit based at the airport since 1987, will dismantle the aircraft. The unit is responsible for breaking down the helicopters and cataloging parts for reuse, recycling, or disposal.
Brown said the Army facility in Conroe is among a limited number of locations tasked with processing the retired helicopters.
Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough praised the operation in a statement, saying, “We are honored” to support the military mission and highlighting the airport’s role in national defense and aviation.
Monday’s landing reflects years of infrastructure improvements at the airport aimed at accommodating larger aircraft. Brown said demand for heavier planes has increased since 2018, prompting technical assessments and runway upgrades.
“The demand for use by heavier, larger aircraft here at the airport began to increase around 2018,” Brown said.
Recently, the airport has hosted aircraft including the Airbus A319, Boeing 737-200, Boeing 737-800, and the C-130 Hercules, but none matched the size and capacity of the C-17.
Officials said the ongoing missions will further demonstrate the airport’s expanded capabilities as it continues to support both military and civilian aviation needs.
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