Short C-23 Sherpa

What the C-23 Sherpa is

The C-23 Sherpa is a small military cargo plane built by Short Brothers in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a freight version of the Short 330 regional airliner, which itself grew out of the Short Skyvan.

It keeps the Skyvan’s boxy fuselage, and a full-width rear ramp makes it easy to load. The design is meant for short, rough strips where a C-130 Hercules cannot always land.

The full specification table for the aircraft is on this page, next to the article.

History: from Cold War parts hauler to Army workhorse

The freighter version of the Short 330 first flew on 23 December 1982. The U.S. Air Force ordered 18 of them in March 1983 for the European Distribution System Aircraft, or EDSA, role.

These C-23As shuttled spare parts and people between Air Force bases and maintenance depots in Europe. They flew from Zweibrücken Air Base in Germany until the EDSA program ended in 1990.

After that the airframes were scattered. Some went to the Air Force Test Pilot School, some to the Army and some to the U.S. Forest Service.

The Army National Guard then ordered new C-23Bs to replace its old de Havilland Canada C-7 Caribou transports. When the Short production line closed, the Army bought second-hand Short 360 airliners and converted them instead.

C-23 Sherpa variants

The variants differ mostly in airframe origin and avionics. The C-23B+ is the odd one out, because it is a Short 360 with a Sherpa tail.

• C-23A: The Air Force version based on the Short 330-UTT, with a strengthened floor with roller conveyors, a forward cargo door and a rear ramp. 18 were built.
• C-23B: The Army National Guard version. It added cabin windows, stronger landing gear, inward-opening paratroop doors and a two-section ramp. 16 were built.
• C-23B+ Super Sherpa: Used Short 360s with their single tail replaced by the Sherpa’s twin tail and rear ramp, modified by the West Virginia Air Center. 28 were converted.
• C-23C: A B or B+ with an upgraded cockpit under the Avionics System Cockpit Upgrade program. 43 were modified.
• C-23D: A C-23C with further avionics changes under the Safety Avionics Modification program. The program was cancelled and only four were modified.

Design, cabin and cockpit

The Sherpa has a high wing, a deep slab-sided fuselage and a twin tail that clears the rear ramp. A short, retractable undercarriage keeps the cargo floor low, so the hold is easy to reach from the back.

The crew is three: two pilots and one cabin crewmember. The cockpit is a conventional twin-turboprop layout, and one National Guard pilot described the aircraft as a very stable instrument platform.

The cabin can seat 30 passengers, carry 27 paratroopers, or take up to 18 stretchers with two medical attendants. As a freighter it can hold four LD3 containers, and the Air Force noted it could even carry engines the size of F100-series jet engines.

Explaining the numbers

The panel on this page lists the C-23A’s published figures. Reference works do not agree on every number, because the Sherpa was built in several versions around two different airliners.

The listed range is tied to a stated payload and fuel reserves. Quoted ranges climb or fall depending on the payload and reserves assumed, so compare them only when the loading matches.

The speed rows show the top speed and a normal cruise. Cruise is the more useful figure for planning, since the Sherpa was a short-haul workhorse and not a fast aircraft.

The two PT6A turboprops are the same engine family used on many small airliners and trainers. The Super Sherpa received more powerful engines, which is one reason numbers differ between sources.

Army National Guard service and retirement

The Army Guard introduced the Sherpa in the early 1990s. It provided limited rear support during the 1991 Gulf War and then flew heavily in Iraq from 2003 to 2011. According to the National Guard Bureau it often moved about half a million pounds of cargo in a month.

At home it flew hurricane relief, wildfire and flood response, and supported the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. It also supported the Multinational Force and Observers mission in Egypt and flew parachute-drop training for Army and special operations units.

The Army Guard retired the C-23 in January 2014. The Army had picked the Alenia C-27J to replace it in 2007, and more than a dozen Sherpas went to the U.S. Forest Service in 2014.

The 2014 defense authorization act also allowed up to eight to be transferred to Alaska for search and rescue and medium-lift work from short rural runways.

The 2001 Georgia crash

On 3 March 2001 a Florida Army National Guard Sherpa carrying 18 Virginia Air National Guard members broke up in flight near Unadilla, Georgia. All 21 people aboard died, three crew and 18 passengers.

The investigation board concluded that the crew failed to manage weight and balance properly. The aircraft was loaded out of its center-of-gravity limits, which made it unstable and led to a violent loss of control in bad weather.

C-23 Sherpa today: operators and for sale listings

Surplus Sherpas were sold to civilian operators in the United States, who use them to carry equipment and crews to remote work sites. Prices are not published and depend on each airframe’s condition and hours.

NASA operates one for atmospheric research from Wallops Flight Facility. The aircraft still serves with the Philippine Army and the Djibouti Air Force.

A 2014 offer of Sherpas to Estonia fell through in 2015. Estonia said it could not afford the maintenance and that the aircraft’s takeoff and landing performance was not short enough for its needs.

Two preserved examples are on display: a Short 330-200 at the Millville Army Aviation Museum in New Jersey, and a C-23C at the Air Heritage Aviation Museum in Pennsylvania.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the specifications of the C-23 Sherpa?

The full specification table is on this page. The C-23A is a twin-turboprop aircraft with a crew of three, seating for 30 and a design built around short, unpaved runways.

Is the C-23 Sherpa the same as the Short 330?

Not quite. The C-23A is a military freighter based on the Short 330, with a rear cargo ramp and a strengthened floor. The C-23B+ is based on the larger Short 360.

Why did the Army retire the C-23 Sherpa?

The Army Guard retired it in January 2014 as part of a fleet reduction. The Army had picked the C-27J to replace it in 2007, and the Sherpas were sold or transferred.

How many C-23 Sherpas were built?

18 C-23As and 16 C-23Bs were built new. A further 28 Short 360s were converted into C-23B+ aircraft.

Can you buy a C-23 Sherpa?

Yes, some surplus airframes have been sold to civilian operators in the United States. No price is published, and the cost depends on the aircraft’s condition and hours.

Who still flies the C-23 Sherpa?

NASA, the U.S. Forest Service, the Philippine Army and the Djibouti Air Force have all used it, along with several civilian operators.