Inaugural passenger flight touches down in Antarctica

The inaugural passenger flight from Australia to Antarctica has touched down, bridging aviation’s final intercontinental link and opening a new era in polar research.

It occurred nearly 80 years after Sir Hubert Wilkins first flew over the icecap and half a century since the idea of a runway was raised.

Barely a month into his job as federal environment minister, Peter Garrett had the best seat in the house as the Airbus A319 pierced the crisp blue sky and headed toward its historic landing on the four kilometre long, 500 metre deep, blue ice Wilkins Runway.

“From the cockpit, the expanse of the continent took my breath away,” Mr Garrett said.

“To see the icebergs, the small amount of settlement here and nothing as far as you could see in every direction and then this runway appears as if from out of nowhere.

“It’s a remarkable engineering feat these people have achieved. It’s a logistical triumph and connects the last two continents to be linked by air.

“I think it’s very moving and a great tribute to the engineers and the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) and all those who have worked here.

“This is a very big occasion, it certainly is historic. A new era will unfold for us in terms of looking after our planet.”

The silky smooth four-and-a-half-hour flight from Hobart ended with an equally comfortable landing on the $46 million glacial runway just before 3am in sunlight and perfectly still conditions at a brisk minus 16 degrees.

The arrival was greeted by the eight permanent staff who spent two years building the remote runway and a dozen AAD expeditioners who had travelled the 65km from their base at Casey Station to witness the event and put on tea and cakes for the visitors.

Pilot Garry Studd said the laser-levelled runway made the landing no different to any other, and in some cases even better.

“The runway here is a lot smoother than a lot of runways at international airports around the world,” he said.

“Tonight, conditions were perfect. It’s a tremendous day and wonderful to do it.”

AAD director Tony Press was equally buoyant at seeing the fruition of years of lobbying and hard work.

“This is just fabulous, I’ve worked on this for nine years, it’s the culmination of a lot of people’s efforts,” Dr Press said.

“Today’s flight is the start of a new era in Australia’s involvement in Antarctica.”

While the seven scientists on the flight will remain at Casey for three weeks to research penguins and whales, Mr Garrett and the other 11 passengers left after three hours on the ice, arriving back in Hobart 12 hours after leaving the city.

The rapid commute eliminates the need to spend up to two weeks on a ship trawling through the Southern Ocean to get to Casey and will give many more scientists the opportunity to spend more time on research into areas including climate change.

“It will revolutionise the way we can do our research,” said AAD chief scientist Michael Stoddart.

While Mr Garrett acknowledged the former coalition government’s commitment to fund the project, he rejected claims from Liberal senator Eric Abetz that he was mean spirited for not including a member of the opposition on the first flight.

“Everybody will have the opportunity to go,” he said.

Other countries have ferried scientists to bases on military aircraft for decades, but the Airbus is the first passenger jet to land on Antarctica.

Its weekly flights during the summer season between October and March will carry scientists and other AAD personnel. The runway will not be open for tourist travel.

Source: The Herald Sun