An Australian aviation team has successfully completed an extraordinary midwinter mission to evacuate a US expedition member from McMurdo Station in Antarctica. The operation, which took place last Friday, was conducted under exceptionally difficult conditions, characterized by freezing temperatures of -43C (-45.4F) and total darkness.
The aviation company Skytraders confirmed the mission followed an urgent request for a medical evacuation.
Captain Louise Robertson, one of four pilots on the flight, noted that this was the first mission of its kind to be carried out in July and completed entirely in darkness. The flight took off from the Tasmanian city of Hobart. She explained that the mission was completed on 31 July, just before the first day of minimal sunlight on 1 August.
Her husband, Captain Rod Robertson, served as the pilot for the landing at the US research station on Ross Island. Captain Louise Robertson, who occupied the right seat, described the operation as the most complex she had been involved in during her 25-year career as a pilot and her seven years with Skytraders.
The request for the medical evacuation was received by Skytraders from the US Antarctic Program, via the Australian Antarctic Division, on Wednesday afternoon. Preparing for the mission required a 24-hour effort from engineers and a design team to properly configure the Airbus A319, which included installing a stretcher in the aircraft.
Following this, the crew faced a 12-hour delay while waiting for a suitable window in the weather.
A narrow time frame was required to safely reach the continent, as a snowstorm on the intended day of travel had prevented ground crews from accessing the 3-km-long runway. The runway, made of compacted snow, required a six-hour job of grading and grooming to ensure it was smooth enough for the aircraft.
Upon arrival at Phoenix Airfield, the flight crew spent exactly one hour on the ground to complete the transfer of the patient. The ground crew was praised for their work in -45C temperatures and strong winds to prepare the runway.
The aircraft, referred to as Snowbird 1, then departed for Christchurch, New Zealand, where the patient received medical treatment and is reported to be recovering well.
Captain Al Wallach, another pilot on the mission, emphasized that the success of the operation was the result of specialist expertise from flight crews, meteorologists, operational planners, runway teams, and medical personnel. He noted that the conditions encountered were at the extreme limit of even the most specialized aircraft capabilities.
Emma Campbell, head of the Australian Antarctic Division, highlighted the mission as a testament to the strong partnerships supporting Antarctic programs globally. Skytraders had previously conducted a similar evacuation in March 2020 for a member of the US Antarctic Program at McMurdo, though that mission occurred in slightly warmer conditions of -30C.
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