Antartica Flights

[PacificBlue]

Hey All,
In a previous topic I sort of asked this question but a trip back to Sydney the other day got me thinking about the Antartica flights that operate out of Chch. The ramp was busy there were 4 Hercules 2 with skies and two without, and one C-17 and the Australian Government Airbus. Now I hear the flights occasionally but would like to know more, and as was told previously its very much weather dependant at the other end. Does each aircraft fly on different days (weather permitting of course) and if so does anyone know what days for each one, have also read that the C-17 makes usually 1-2 trips per week and the rest are left to the Herc's. Are there multiple airfields they fly to down there, or is it mainly McMurdo or somewhere else. Didnt really get close enough to see the C-17 but I think it is from McChord AFB ? Would like to add these flights to my sim so trying to get as much info as possible to make it as realistic as possible. And as an Australian who has recently moved to Chch we get no operations like this from Sydney so curious to learn more about it. And one final thing do they all use the 'Ice' callsign ?

Any help is greatly appreciated,
Cheers
Mark

[Ian Warren]

Late September things really start moving , the norm you get LC-130s Snow shoe jobbies and RNZAF no shoe types , the C17 replaced the C141 , those i saw flying out every second morn 6 years back but believe the C17 is reduced to 2 per week , it lifting capablity .. you have 3 fields down there - McMurdo , Williams and Pegasus , this excludes many other countries ice fields , the Washington State' McChord AFB ' C17s are the most regular , but this may be supplanted by C5's .. hopeful to catch and see the updated C5M . We also get to see the KC10 Extender , these are used primary in known weather gaps they could disrupt landings .... a fix not to similar to the 1970 October C-121J were it had past its 'point of no return' Pegasus' is named after that incident .

[PacificBlue]

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Nov 21 2009, 12:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Late September things really start moving , the norm you get LC-130s Snow shoe jobbies and RNZAF no shoe types , the C17 replaced the C141 , those i saw flying out every second morn 6 years back but believe the C17 is reduced to 2 per week , it lifting capablity .. you have 3 fields down there - McMurdo , Williams and Pegasus , this excludes many other countries ice fields , the Washington State' McChord AFB ' C17s are the most regular , but this may be supplanted by C5's .. hopeful to catch and see the updated C5M . We also get to see the KC10 Extender , these are used primary in known weather gaps they could disrupt landings .... a fix not to similar to the 1970 October C-121J were it had past its 'point of no return' Pegasus' is named after that incident .

Thanks for your help Ian especially with the 3 fields down in the Antarctica region

[AlisterC]

Pegasus field is the airfield mostly used by the USAF and RNZAF
The RNZAF recently landed their B757 down there!

(I didn't take this pic, just had it forwarded via email)


I notice this posted over at the MRC Aviation blog:
Tues 8 Dec 2009: USAF C17 movements from Christchurch to Antarctica moved from arriving at the Ice Runway to Pegasus Field as of today with 02-1104 making the journey south as ICE36

[andrewb]

Thanks for sharing that photo Albatross, the RNZAF 757's are great looking aircraft. Hope to see one of their airshow performances in person one day.