Twotter on Rescue Mission to South Pole

[sardak]

http://www.nature.com/news/daring-antarctic-rescue-mission-sets-off-for-south-pole-1.20135

A Twin Otter aeroplane has left Rothera station near the Antarctic Peninsula, embarking on a daring mid-winter mission to rescue a sick crew member at the South Pole.

Only twice before — in 2001 and 2003 — has the US National Science Foundation (NSF) deemed a medical condition at its Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station serious enough to risk an evacuation. The journey involves flying one small, ski-equipped plane more than 2,400 kilometres into the icy polar night, landing in the pitch dark, picking up the sick person, refuelling, and attempting to lift off without freezing to the runway skiway. Meanwhile, a second Twin Otter plane remains at Rothera in case the first itself needs rescuing.

Depending on headwinds, the flight from Rothera to the pole should take around 10 hours. For those wondering, it's too cold for LC-130s.

South Pole webcam: http://www.usap.gov/videoClipsAndMaps/spWebCam.cfm
Current weather: http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/current/NZSP.html
Weather as of 2100z (30 minutes ago) Temp -74° F, windchill -106° F


Photo from: http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/580491-where-twotter-goes-even-3.html#post9414606

Mike

[grunt82abn]

And I thought it got cold here in Wisconsin!!! Hope the rescue goes off without a hitch!!!

[Garibaldi]

And I thought it got cold here in Wisconsin!!! Hope the rescue goes off without a hitch!!!

Jeez, the coldest I ever remember in WI was the winter of 94(?), when the wind chills were -70 or so. And that was COLD.

[grunt82abn]

And I thought it got cold here in Wisconsin!!! Hope the rescue goes off without a hitch!!!

Jeez, the coldest I ever remember in WI was the winter of 94(?), when the wind chills were -70 or so. And that was COLD.

Yes it was!!! last couple of years we gave only gotten down to -20 or so, we are over due for a really cold winter

[sardak]

Patient and plane have left the Pole enroute back to Rothera.

https://twitter.com/NSF_OPP



Mike

[NIN]

Wow, and its a 100-series Otter, even

[sardak]

Mission was successful.  https://www.facebook.com/Division-of-Polar-Programs-National-Science-Foundation-1392901317615113/
More photos of the aircraft ground ops at the Pole have also been posted there.

Update: South Pole medical-evacuation flight, June 22

A Twin Otter aircraft flying a medical-evacuation flight to bring two patients out of the National Science Foundation's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station arrived in Punta Arenas, Chile at approximately 9:41PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

From Punta Arenas, the two patients aboard will be transported to a medical facility that can provide a level of care that is not available at Amundsen-Scott. NSF is not disclosing the location of that facility, discussing any details of the patients' medical conditions or providing any personal details.

The plane arrived at the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera Station at approximately 1:15 p.m. EDT today. It left Amundsen-Scott in the early morning hours of June 22 EDT.

Mike