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ANTarctica
Fourmilab South Pole Expedition
January, 2013 |
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Hercules Visit
2013-01-05 14:35 UTC |
Click images for reduced size. |
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Two Chilean Air Force C-130 Hercules cargo planes flew into the
blue ice runway to deliver supplies and crew to support the
visit of
Chilean president Sebastián Piñera Echenique on
January 15th, 2013. This was the first time C-130s had landed or
taken off from the blue ice runway. The C-130 is a very capable
aircraft, but the first landing on an airstrip where the wheel brakes
do nothing and you're at the mercy of crosswinds is always a pucker
factor event. Happily, these crews were seasoned professionals and
everything went as planned.
Less than four hours after landing and discharging their cargo, the
C-130s were ready to depart. Crews of these planes are cautious
about the effects of a cold soak, although temperatures at Union
Glacier were well within the operating experience for the C-130.
Terrain. Pull up! Pull up! Just kidding—I have
cropped this photo.
Here is the initial camp established by for the Chilean presidential
visit. This was less than a kilometre from the runway, in a very
windy area.
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