C-17 in Antartica

[Haletown]

Roger that,

thnx ++

 

[belka]

I showed that picture to a visiting friend who is 777 right seater . . .   he was "gob smacked".  Said his  passengers get freaked  at 5 degrees nose down

Kinda hard to drink that wine at 5 degrees nose down.  ;D

Having flown on the C-17, you can almost expect unexpected manouvers in flight for no apparent reasons. Just one of the joys of flying transport. 

 

[Globesmasher]

Having flown on the C-17, you can almost expect unexpected manouvers in flight for no apparent reasons.

There's always a reason ......... 

 

[Roy Harding]

Kinda hard to drink that wine at 5 degrees nose down.  ;D

Having flown on the C-17, you can almost expect unexpected manouvers in flight for no apparent reasons. Just one of the joys of flying transport. 

I know what you mean - flying into/out of KAF (or other places) on US C-17s was always exciting - there were times I thought that I MIGHT need the proverbial bag - but I was too proud to let "it" happen.

Having said that - I DON'T think I was ever on a plane which was loosing altitude at the rate described by Globe Smasher earlier in this thread - even pride wouldn't have saved me then.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

In related news,

Airbus 319 lands in Antarctica.

Article Link

Passenger jet makes historic landing in Antarctica: officials
Posted on December 12, 2007 (EST)

A passenger jet has made a historic landing on a new blue ice runway in Australia's Antarctic territory and regular flights are expected to start within a week, officials said Wednesday.
 
SYDNEY (AFP) - But trips on the Airbus A319 to the Wilkins Runway will be for scientists and research staff only, with no plans to open the airlink to tourists, project manager Charlton Clark told AFP.

The runway is four kilometres (2.5 miles) long, 700 metres thick and moves about 12 metres southwest a year because of glacial drift.

In the first trial landing on Monday, the plane pulled up within 1,000 metres despite the lack of friction to grab the wheels on the ice.

Clark said work had begun on the 10 million dollar (8.7 million US) runway 70 kilometres from Australia's Casey research station in 2005, with crews living in shipping containers.

"Just living in that environment, with conditions of minus 35 degrees and up to a hundred knots of wind, let alone doing the work, was an amazing undertaking," he said.

Using laser levelling technology, they graded and shaved the ice flat and must keep grooming it to keep it snow free.

The runway was named for the adventurer and aviator Sir Hubert Wilkins, who made the first flight in Antarctica 79 years ago.

Scientists and specialists working at Australia's Antarctic field stations, who previously had to spend weeks voyaging to and from the ice by sea, are expected to start flying within a week, he said.

Other nations with Antarctic research stations have been flying to the icy continent for years from countries such as New Zealand and South Africa, but using military aircraft.

The Australian Antarctic Division says its introduction of a modern jet aircraft, which can complete a return journey without refuelling, marks the start of a new era.

 

[geo]

"Just living in that environment, with conditions of minus 35 degrees and up to a hundred knots of wind, let alone doing the work, was an amazing undertaking," he said.

Using laser levelling technology, they graded and shaved the ice flat and must keep grooming it to keep it snow free.

The runway was named for the adventurer and aviator Sir Hubert Wilkins, who made the first flight in Antarctica 79 years ago.

Dunno about you but, if the wind is blowing at 100 knots, there shouldn't be that much of a need to keep the runway snow free
And temperature at -35C.... peshaw... that's a nice day for a walk

 

[Haletown]

an obvious result of global warming.

Someone should do something.

Mr Gore, Steffi, where are you when needed ???

 

[Bandit1]

Had fun in my ride in the Globemaster - unfortunately it was a media/bigwig flight so there weren't any aggressive maneuvers done whatsoever...oh well...I'm sure that'll come with the Herc Tac ride next year.... ;D

Bandit

 

[belka]

There's always a reason ......... 

I can see over hostile territory, but flying out of a Canadian airport?  ;D

 

[aesop081]

I can see over hostile territory, but flying out of a Canadian airport?  ;D

are you a flight deck crewmember ?

 

[GAP]

  C-17 lands successfully in Alert
Posted By JEROME LESSARD, QMI AGENCY
Posted 16 mins ago
Article Link

Maj. Jean Maisonneuve is not a movie star, but the 429 squadron pilot was the headliner of a world premiere earlier this month.

From April 15-17, the 20-year pilot performed a total of four successful C-17 Globemaster landings and takeoffs at Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Alert in Nunavut.

It marked the first time a C-17 had landed in Alert -- the most northerly, permanently inhabited location in the world. It is the first time a Globemaster landed on a SPRO, or semi-prepared runway, and the first time any C-17 -- with more than two million hours flown by various air forces -- has ever landed on a snow and ice-covered runway.

"This first C-17 mission in Alert was tremendously successful," said Maisonneuve, a member of CFB Trenton's Transport and Rescue Standardization and Evaluation Team. "The aircraft performed better than expected. It stopped with 1,500 to 2,000 feet of runway remaining on all four landings we performed, beating calculated landing distances by about 500 feet."

Maisonneuve said he and an eight-member air crew had to determine a braking coefficient to reduce risks and uncertainties before landing on the 5,500-foot-long nordic runway.

"For example, a Globemaster may be able to use a 6,000-foot runway when it's bare and dry, and even when it's bare and wet, but up in Alert, with a packed snow and ice covered runway, suddenly that same 6,000 runway may be way too short," said Maisonneuve.

The former C-130 Hercules pilot (1991-96) said he was not nervous, but excited and confident to perform the historical six-hour direct flight. Despite its impressive size and cargo capacity, Maisonneuve said the C-17 is a "very" capable and maneuverable aircraft.

"It was our first time landing a C-17 in Alert, but it wasn't my first experience landing an aircraft on that runway," said Maisonneuve, who has logged up to 3,000 hours on the C-17 since 2001.

"The US ambassador to Canada (David Jacobson), the Deputy Minister of Defence (Robert Fonberg) and the Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division (Maj. Gen. Yvan Blondin) were on board for this mission," said Maisonneuve.

The 8 Wing's Globemaster No. 701 conducted its first flight to the northern air force station without any cargo on board. Maisonneuve said CRFI tests were run based upon an empty aircraft, "which reduces the landing length significantly," said the pilot.

Landing the aircraft on a gravel and snow-packed runway was not the only challenge facing the 8 Wing air crew. Maisonneuve said ground operations were "a bit tricky, but the crew was able to maneuver the aircraft without backing."
More on link

 

[chrisf]

Imagine, boxtop... done in 15 minutes...

 

[WingsofFury]

A little longer than 15 minutes, but when you're unloading 56K lbs in cargo and 40K of fuel it usually takes a bit longer... :nod:

BOXTOP 1 hitting the brakes this summer at CFS Alert

 

[Haletown]

Lovely picture . . .  what a way to do Box Top.

 

[WingsofFury]

Thanks Haletown - it was really awesome to see.

 

[Haletown]

That picture is a framer.

Quick eyeball on the strip and it looks in good condition.

In a previous life I surveyed runways and did aggregate surveys all over the Arctic - Alert was on of the few our team didn't get to.  Would have been a good one, but.

 

[Zoomie]

It's one of the best maintained gravel strips that I have operated out of...  Lots of rock up there to grind up and fill in the ruts.

 

[WingsofFury]

Haletown - thanks for the kind words.  It's actually the centrepiece of a little thing I put together for the squadron, public affairs, and myself - waiting for the crews to sign it and then I'll be getting it framed for the wall.

Haletown and Zoomie - the runway was so smooth that I really couldn't tell the difference between Alert and Iqaluit.  Really well maintained runway. 

They were blasting in the quarry while I was there and I believe that most of that rock goes to the runway to maintain it.

 

[Haletown]

I was DEW Liner at the time and it was surprising how much crappy aggregate there was around.

So much was contaminated with salts of various types that it couldn't be used for concrete for things like hard stands or fuel tanks and the other problem was some weird clay structures that behaved really weird when they were worked . . .  not quite Leda Clays, but close.

Made runway maintenance "fun"

 

[SupersonicMax]

Haletown and Zoomie - the runway was so smooth that I really couldn't tell the difference between Alert and Iqaluit.  Really well maintained runway. 

Except Iqualuit is actually concrete!