First Passenger Flight to Antarctica Makes Historic Landing

[AirtrafficController]

WILKINS RUNWAY, Antarctica — Australian scientists landed on an ice runway in Antarctica on Friday, officially opening a new air link between Australia and the white continent.

An Airbus A319 became the first passenger aircraft to land on the 2.5-mile-long Wilkins Runway, inaugurating a weekly service from the southern city of Hobart that will run during the summer season between October and March.

The flight — which will carry scientists and is not open to tourists — means Australia has joined other Antarctic nations, including the United States, that have regular air contact with scientific bases there.

It also heralds a new era of Australian research in the Antarctic, with a 4.5-hour flight now an alternative to a five-week sea voyage.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,321936,00.html

[SengaB]

Wow I would live to visit Antarctica.

Anyone knwo the reg of the A319?
Senga

[flyboy 28]

Anyone knwo the reg of the A319?

VH-VHD operated by SkyTraders.

http://www.aad.gov.au/default.asp?casid=17

[Matt Molnar]

Video:
[youtubetp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVY2tkxe0bM[/youtubeWho knew the ex-lead singer of Midnight Oil is now the Australian Environment Minister?

[PhilDernerJr]

I was pained to have them show the aircraft descending through its last 15 feet, but NOT show the actual touchdown. I wanted to see that badly on the ice!

[cancidas]

i wonder how thick the ice has to be to support the weight of the airplane/ fuel/ pax etc... i don't think she's all that light, they've got to carry round trip fuel on the trip. also, wonder what thier reserves are and what they finally bingo at.

[Mateo]

Is the runway on land or on water? If it's the former, the thickness of the ice isn't all that important. The BBC story about the landing had the B-roll that included both the touchdown itself (just a little plume of snow behind it), and also footage of a ski-equipped Casa 212 taking off.

The trip from Hobart to the base is a shade over 2100 miles. They obviously don't have a conventional pax load, and I'd imagine they weight restrict any cargo in order to ensure they have enough fuel for the 4250-mile round trip. Also, don't assume they have to tanker fuel. The US operates a fairly sizable (ship-supplied) fuel farm at McMurdo to operate the base facilities there and to refuel the LC-130s and unmodified C-17s that supply the station.

[PhilDernerJr]

Good info, Mateo. Thanks.

[hiss srq]

I would imagine anti skid is a no go item on these trips. ;) I would be intrested to know if they require diffrent from standard breakaway thrust settings to get the gup moving.