Lockheed Martin has passed another milestone for the LM-100J commercial freighter program with the first flight of the second production aircraft on 11 October.

The LM-100J is the 17th different mission capability developed for the C-130J Super Hercules and it is an updated version of the L-100, which Lockheed Martin produced from 1964 to 1992.

Lockheed Martin officials submitted a Program Notification Letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 21 January 2014 for a type design update to this aircraft, a civil certified variant of the C-130J to be marketed as the LM-100J.

LM-100J chief test pilot, Wayne Roberts described the aircraft’s performance in Marietta, Georgia as “flawless”, saying: “After this completely successful first airworthiness flight, this aircraft will join the first LM-100J in conducting the FAA type design update test program already underway. This will accelerate our progress to deliver this unique aircraft’s capabilities to civilian operators around the world.”

The aircraft will perform as a commercial multi-purpose freighter capable of rapid and efficient cargo transport, designed for delivering bulky and oversized cargo, particularly to remote locations.