Ice flight hailed as historic

kenmabmcc · Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:02 am Post subject: Ice flight hailed as historic

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/22175/night-vision-antarctic-missio...-succes

Quote:

A United States Air Force Globemaster was back on the ground in Christchurch tonight after a pioneering round trip flight to Antarctica today, the pilots using night vision goggles to land in the dark at McMurdo Sound.

It was the first time such a landing had been attempted.

Pilot Lieutenant-Colonel Jim McGann admitted in an interview tonight it was "dangerous stuff".

However, the big jet landed safely on the McMurdo airfield, 3500km south of New Zealand, despite the dark and driving snow.
....>
The flight opens up the possibility of safe and regular landings during the cold polar winter when the sun disappears for months.

Scientists can now be dropped off or picked up at any time of the year, medical evacuations are more feasible in winter, and fresh supplies can be taken in.

Today's flights took four hours each way

Even in the summer these flights from NZ to the Ice runway by McMurdo and back have a high level of risk as there are no alternate airfields between NZ and McMurdo.

That there have been no loss of aircraft over the many years of antartic support flights reflects well on all the US military who professionally run this operation and who maintain the aircraft.
Very Happy

BudDurland · Joined: Dec 05, 2002 Posts: 475

I think the C-17 will be a worthy successor to the C-130.

louis-the-cat · Joined: May 13, 2006 Posts: 307

permafrost chasers.....

http://xkcd.com/402/

these flights are takin' the fun out of it

( just kiddin')

kenmabmcc

BudDurland · Joined: Dec 05, 2002 Posts: 475

kenmabmcc

Yes, it was a wild stretch of the imagination to come up with a C-130 gunship, but so effective.

I cannot see the RNZAF buying C-17's as they are a little to big for us, and also, we could not afford to replace our C-130's with C-17's.

I think our C-130's have the longest flying hours,
but they are kept well maintained, and upgraded.

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1546 Location: Central FL, USA

I'm surprised that our Govt has not built a submarine base UNDER the Antarctic Ice, with an express elevator to the surface buildings.
Then they could arrive and leave in all kinds of weather with little or NO interference.

Oh well.....so much for innovation!

Doc Cool

seaeagle

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 1546 Location: Central FL, USA

And those airplane flights are done by American Airlines?
Or Lufthansa? Or maybe The Russian Air lines?
I think not. Every plane that flies to Antarctica is owned and operated by the military.
So what's the big deal. Military air plane or military submarine.....wot's the diff.???

Might makes Right.....remember that!

seaeagle

But most, if not all, of those military aircraft are transport planes which can be inspected as there is little that is top secret about them (except for a few things in the cockpit that can be switched off before inspection). But submarines are different - almost all of an active military submarine is considered off-limits to non-military personnel. The military does not want non-allied nations seeing the design of the propeller, which is designed to provide as silent running as possible. While cargo areas on a transport plane can be inspected for contraband, the US Navy would be (quite understandably) loathe to let foreigners inspect it's submarine's missile tubes and torpedo rooms, or many other areas which are considered operationally important.

I guess they could use decommissioned submarines that have had all of their military systems removed, but I seriously don't think the expense of building a submarine base would be worth it when it is easier to just bulldoze an aircraft landing strip that can be used all nations taking part in research at McMurdo, or needing a base for an expedition.

To me the Antarctic is the world's last (in the main) pristine environment. I think we should leave it as undisturbed as possible, so future generations can one day look upon the one area of Earth that has not been changed or exploited by mankind.

Your comment that "Might makes right" is extremely offensive to me. It reflects the law of the jungle or bully-boy attitude that has changed the USA from a much-liked to a much-despised nation in less than a decade. I was bullied in school, and absolutely abhor those who think their size and strength means they can ride roughshod over those not as powerful or big enough to stand up to them.

We have the Antarctic Treaty to ensure that powerful nations cannot throw their weight around when it comes to the world's most pristine environment, which also plays the vital role of being the Earth's refrigerator. How about leaving it as-is?

kenmabmcc

The British Antarctic Survey operate Twin Otters and a Dash 7
to, from, and within, Antarctica, during summer months..
Other wheeled civilian aircraft could operate during summer months, as needed, on ice runways.
Australia is doing this to their bases on the ice, using an Airbus A319 from Hobart.
They also use 2 turboprop ski equipped CASA 212-400 to move personal and equipment between bases.These 2 aircraft are flown in at the start of the summer season and fly out at the end.

Even Chile and Argentina fly to Antarctica, so being mighty, is an unneeded qualification.