McMurdo Station, Antarctica MASTER PLAN FOR WORLD’S COLDEST AIRPORT
Ty C. Sander, PE Vice President & Aviation Group Manager (BSCE ‘98)
Andrew J. Bodine, PE, CM Project Manager (BSCE ‘11) Overview
1. Antarctica 2. Air Operations in Antarctica 3. Single Airfield Complex Master Plan Similar But Different
• Air Passenger Terminal Similar But Different
• Air Passenger Terminal Similar But Different
• Air Passenger Terminal Antarctica: A Place of Extremes
• Coldest • Driest • Windiest • Least Inhabited • Most Isolated • Harshest Antarctica: A Place of Extremes
5.4M Sq. Miles Antarctica: A Place of Extremes
• 98% Ice Covered
• 70% World’s Fresh Water
• 6,000 ft Thick Why Antarctica? SCIENCE
Unique Species Why Antarctica? SCIENCE
Unique Species Why Antarctica? SCIENCE
Unique Geology Why Antarctica? SCIENCE
Unique Climate Why Antarctica? SCIENCE
Unique Environment Antarctica Development
• National Science Foundation – USAP – McMurdo 1955 • Farthest South Accessible by ship National Science Foundation (NSF) Operations
US Stations: • Palmer • McMurdo • South Pole NSF Cycle of Operations at McMurdo
• Austral Winter • Nearly 6 months of darkness • Skeleton Crew (~150) • Limited Maintenance/ Construction • No Transport Apr-Aug NSF Cycle of Operations at McMurdo
Sep: Winfly Oct-Nov: Major Influx Dec-Jan: Peak Population 1,300 Continent 1,000 @ McMurdo Feb-Mar: Northern Migration Why Air Operations in Antarctica?
Limited Options
Sea transport 2 ships per year: Cargo, Fuel Led in by icebreaker Why Air Operations in Antarctica?
• Land transport – No paved roads – Large distances Why Air Operations in Antarctica?
• Land transport – South Pole Traverse – 3 Crossings/Year – 350,000 gallons fuel Air Transport – Essential to Antarctica Operations
• Intercontinental (wheeled aircraft) – Christchurch, New Zealand to McMurdo Station • C-17 • LC-130 Air Transport – Essential to Antarctica Operations
• Intracontinental (ski aircraft) – McMurdo to South Pole and Field Camps • LC-130 • Basler DC-3 • Twin Otter • Helicopter McMurdo Air Operations
• Three airfields – Sea Ice Runway – Williams Field Skiway – Pegasus Glacial Ice Runway Annual Sea Ice Runway
• New Runway every year • 1 Oct to 1 Dec each season • Opening date => ice thickness • Closing date = ? • Wheeled aircraft • Since 1957 Annual Sea Ice Runway
• Edge Markers • Approach Lights • REILs • Precision Approach Radar, TACAN, MLS Annual Sea Ice Runway
Final Departure Annual Sea Ice Runway
Pack it up and Move! Williams Field Skiway
• Heavy Snow Area • Only ski-equipped aircraft • 1 Dec to 25 Feb • Since 1960 Pegasus Glacial Ice Runway Pegasus Glacial Ice Runway
• Glacial Ice Shelf • Compacted snow surface • LC-130 and C-17 aircraft • 1993 (glacial ice) • 2002 (white ice) Pegasus Runway Certification Pegasus Runway Maintenance White Ice Surface White Ice Surface Single Airfield Complex (SAC)
• Combine operations into one location – Pro: Reduced maintenance – Pro: Eliminate moving – Con: Distance SAC Master Plan Development
• Explore consolidating airfield operations to a single airfield at McMurdo – Reduce costs – Reduce redundancy of resources • Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting • Maintenance equipment • Cargo handling and Passenger (PAX) terminals Pegasus Layout Pegasus Layout SAC Requirements
• Support Flying Mission – C-17 Globemaster (wheels only) – LC-130 Hercules (skis or wheels) – Boeing 757 – Airbus 319 – Basler DC-3 – Twin Otter – Helicopters Complications
• Prevailing Winds • Storm Winds • LC-130 Soot Plume • Snow Accumulation vs Snow Ablation • Limited Airfield Markings • Limited Airfield Lights • NAVAIDs • Snow Grooming/Surface Maintenance • Melt Pools • White Out Landing Area Complications: Prevailing vs. Storm Winds Complications: Snow Drifting Complications: LC-130 Soot Plume Complications: Limited Airfield Markings Complications: Limited Airfield Lights Complications: NAVAIDS Complications: Snow Grooming/Surface Maintenance Complications: Melt Pools Runway Headings Analysis Runway/Skiway Heading Analysis
• Weather Station “Pegasus North” –Data recorded since 1990 – Checked against SPAWAR data • 15 knot crosswind
EXISTING Runway/Skiway Heading Analysis
• Analysis Approach – Look at all wind to determine best Runway direction for wheeled aircraft – Exclude Storm Winds to determine best Skiway heading for prevailing wind operations – Compare existing coverage to optimum coverage • Runway Analysis – 10 to 15 Configurations to Determine Optimal Orientation
Combined Optimum Runway + Skiway Heading 36
Overall Wind Coverage (White Ice Held on 180-360 Alignment & 15-Knot Crosswind) Skiway Skiway Skiway (True Heading) 15-Knot Crosswind 10-Knot Crosswind 80-260 98.74% 98.32%
All combinations provide >95% Coverage Allows adjustment for ice & snow conditions
18 Airfield Configuration Development Airfield Configurations
• Existing Airfield Configurations Airfield Configurations
Preliminary Concept #2 Airfield Configurations
Preliminary Concept #3 Airfield Configurations
Preliminary Concept #4 C-17 Apron Layout LC-130 Apron Layout Fuel Pit Layout Town South
• Town South Town North
• Town North Initial Landside Facilities Landside Facilities
• Upgrade of Facilities • Consolidation of Functions • 30+ Structures – Occupied – Storage – Power Generation • Appropriate Sizing • Vertical Design • Movability/Winter Storage • Snow Drifting Landside Facilities Town North - Final Final Configuration
• Existing Configuration – C-17 Side by Side – LC-130 4x2 Offset – Fuel Pit Angled 4x1 Straight Tank • New Town North Configuration – C-17 Side by Side – LC-130 3 x 2 – Fuel Pit 6 Spot Full Island Final Configuration
Configuration Groomed Area Existing 212 Acres New Town 195 Acres North (8% Reduction) New Phoenix Compacted Snow Runway New Phoenix Compacted Snow Runway 2016 “Great God! This is an awful place.”