First Antarctic Night Vision Flight

by Jason Sanders | September 12, 2008 at 08:56 am | 1267 views | 57 comments | 9 recommendations

Upside down from the rest of the world, separated by ice, wind and ocean, the frozen continent's is cut off from the world around it, leaving its human occupants separated from their home countries for long stretches of time. Up until now, supply runs have been limited to the sun's availability; but with a flight just completed with night vision goggles, the scientists may be receiving year round care.

Air Force Lt. Col. Jim McGann said the airplane's own lights -- reflecting off of traffic cones -- allowed it to land without electrical runway lights that are too hard to maintain in the frozen environment.

McGann told New Zealand's national radio that the breakthrough flight could mean year-round supply flights for U.S. and New Zealand science bases on the ice.

Traditionally, the onset of the southern hemisphere winter in Antarctica ends flights to the frozen continent for six months as the sun sinks below the horizon.

"At the moment, we make that last trip in February and then don't come back until August," McGann said. "If we can go in and out a couple of times a month, we can go and get people out or drop more people off."

"I think the most significant advantage is medical evacuation," he said.

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annaoskarsdottir

at 11:34 on September 12th, 2008

I took this photo in Valencia aquarium.

annaoskarsdottir has contributed a photo to this story.

jwhedon

at 12:18 on September 12th, 2008

Taken at Omaha Zoo

jwhedon has contributed a photo to this story.

johnmurphy1982

at 12:56 on September 12th, 2008

My buddy Matt Hurdle giving a thumbs up to the penguin toys in the gift shop of the Georgia Aquarium

johnmurphy1982 has contributed a photo to this story.

bgchpmn

at 13:10 on September 12th, 2008

I took these photos on the Otago Peninsula in New Zealand.

bgchpmn has contributed a photo to this story.

jefolo

at 14:02 on September 12th, 2008

I took this photo in the coney island aquarium.

I really love penguins!

jefolo has contributed a photo to this story.

apple_jamz

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:26 on September 12th, 2008

Jason Sanders, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Your intro is very good

Jason Sanders

at 14:41 on September 14th, 2008

Thanks for the compliment and GS apple_jams!

Fairbanks

at 15:28 on September 12th, 2008

>"I think the most significant advantage is medical evacuation,"

Better than six months strapped to a cot.

Jeroen Krah

at 15:33 on September 12th, 2008

I took this photo in the Rotterdam Zoo, Blijdorp. It was quite dark and had to use a 300mm zoom. I took a couple of shots and this one came out best.

Jeroen Krah has contributed a photo to this story.

manuelnieberle

at 16:15 on September 12th, 2008

i shot this photo with my sony dsc h50 in the zoo of munich.

and yes, the camera is supposed to be in this photo.

manuelnieberle

vickomaniac

at 18:10 on September 12th, 2008

These were taken in Penguin Island Conservation Centre, Perth, Western Australia.

vickomaniac has contributed a photo to this story.

rswdstmn

at 18:54 on September 12th, 2008

My daughter Lynnet took these pictures about 7 years ago. She truly loved penguins. Thank you for the interest and keep up the good work.

rswdstmn has contributed a photo to this story.

blizzard242

at 19:20 on September 12th, 2008

blizzard242 has contributed a photo to this story.

Hans543

at 20:03 on September 12th, 2008

Hi everyone :)
This photo was taken in Taipei Zoo at Taiwan.
Thanks for your browse :)

Hans543 has contributed a photo to this story.

bratracer36

at 21:52 on September 12th, 2008

These photos were taken by some of the folks in Antarctica. One of whom is a friend of mine.

bratracer36 has contributed a photo to this story.

macfudge1

at 22:02 on September 12th, 2008

I took this photo recently at the Coswold wildlife park in the UK.

Jez Page

at 22:10 on September 12th, 2008

This photo was taken in the penguin house at Loro Parque in Tenerife. The outside weather couldn't be more different from the Antarctic.

Jez Page has contributed a photo to this story.

SebT87Neuss

at 23:19 on September 12th, 2008

I took this photo in the bayworld aquarium in Port Elizabetz (South Africa)

SebT87Neuss has contributed a photo to this story.

Gaslight Spirit

at 23:39 on September 12th, 2008

This photo is from Barcelona Aquarium.

Gaslight Spirit has contributed a photo to this story.

www.simplysnaps.com

at 00:05 on September 13th, 2008

www.simplysnaps.com has contributed a photo to this story.

renidens

at 00:07 on September 13th, 2008

This photo of three Emperor penguins was taken on the Falkland islands, not far from the Antarctic continent.

renidens has contributed a photo to this story.