CRREL REPORT 93-14 Malcolm Mellor Aviation Notes onAntarctic August1993 Abstract Antarctic aviation has been evolving for the best part of a century, with regular air operations developing over the past three or four decades. Antarctica is the last continent where aviation still depends almost entirely on expeditionary airfields and “bush flying,” but change seems imminent. This report describes the history of aviation in Antarctica, the types and characteristics of existing and proposed airfield facilities, and the characteristics of aircraft suitable for Antarctic use. It now seems possible for Antarctic aviation to become an extension of mainstream international aviation. The basic requirement is a well-distributed network of hard-surface airfields that can be used safely by conventional aircraft, together with good international collaboration. The technical capabilities al- ready exist. Cover: Douglas R4D Que Sera Sera, which made the first South Pole landing on 31 October 1956. (Smithsonian Institution photo no. 40071.) The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising or commercial purposes. Citation of brand names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. For conversion of SI metric units to U.S./British customary units of measurement consult ASTM Standard E380-89a, Standard Practice for Use of the International System of Units, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103. CRREL Report 93-14 US Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research & Engineering Laboratory Notes on Antarctic Aviation Malcolm Mellor August 1993 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. PREFACE This report was prepared by Dr. Malcolm Mellor, Experimental Engineering Division, U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, just prior to his death in August 1991. We hope that final efforts to assemble and edit this lengthy and detailed document have not overlooked or created problems normally caught by his keen editorial eye. This report started as a much shorter note and grew, primarily because of Malcolm’s long involvement in trafficability and transportation research in polar regions. His early interest in gliders, his experience as a pilot and a designer of snow and ice runways, and his decades of use of specialized aircraft for polar operations account for his enthusiasm in preparing this work. The commentary and perceptions found throughout the text, as well as the many photographs taken by Malcolm, some during his early involvement with the Australian Antarctic program, all reflect his first-hand experience and knowledge. Malcolm is shown here at the controls of a Soviet Ilyushin Il-18D used by the Soviet Antarctic Expedition. This report was prepared as part of CRREL’s research and engineering efforts in support of the National Science Foundation’s Antarctic Program. ii CONTENTS Page Preface .................................................................................................................................... ii Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ viii Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 Brief history of Antarctic aviation ...................................................................................... 1 Early history ..................................................................................................................... 1 WW II to the IGY ............................................................................................................. 6 Post-IGY ............................................................................................................................ 8 Evolution of equipment and facilities ............................................................................... 21 Aircraft .............................................................................................................................. 21 Facilities for takeoff and landing................................................................................... 23 Navigation and radio communication ......................................................................... 28 Aviation weather services .............................................................................................. 30 Flights to and from Antarctica ............................................................................................ 32 Departure points .............................................................................................................. 32 Ports of entry in Antarctica ............................................................................................ 34 Aircraft in current use ..................................................................................................... 37 Types of Antarctic airfields ................................................................................................. 37 Open-field landings on snow ........................................................................................ 41 Groomed skiways on deep snow .................................................................................. 41 Runways on deep snowfields ........................................................................................ 46 Compacted snow on hard ice ........................................................................................ 58 Runways on snow-free glacier ice ................................................................................ 62 Runways on first-year sea ice ........................................................................................ 65 Runways on multi-year sea ice ...................................................................................... 67 Frozen lakes ...................................................................................................................... 67 Conventional rock-fill runways .................................................................................... 70 Rock fill over glacier ice .................................................................................................. 71 Manufactured landing mats .......................................................................................... 72 Bearing capacity, rutting resistance and surface roughness .......................................... 73 Bearing capacity............................................................................................................... 73 Rutting resistance ............................................................................................................ 73 Surface roughness ........................................................................................................... 73 Runway dimensions ............................................................................................................. 74 Runway length ................................................................................................................. 74 Runway width ................................................................................................................. 75 Examples of Antarctic airfields........................................................................................... 76 Groomed skiways on deep snow .................................................................................. 76 Runways on deep snowfields ........................................................................................ 79 Compacted snow runways on hard ice ........................................................................ 81 Runways on snow-free glacier ice ................................................................................ 82 Runways on first-year sea ice ........................................................................................ 98 Runways on multi-year sea ice ...................................................................................... 102 Runways on lake ice........................................................................................................ 102 Conventional rock-fill runways .................................................................................... 103 Aircraft for Antarctic operations ........................................................................................ 114 Flights to and from Antarctica....................................................................................... 114 Flights within Antarctica ................................................................................................ 119 Air drops ........................................................................................................................... 120 Aircraft characteristics for Antarctic work .................................................................. 121 Helicopters ....................................................................................................................... 123 Maintenance and service life ......................................................................................... 128 iii Fuel supplies .................................................................................................................... 129 Pilot experience ...............................................................................................................