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McMurdo Station (left); South Pole Station (center); Palmer Station (right)

U.S. Antarctic Program aircraft and supply ship operations, 2005-2006 season


AIRCRAFT AND SUPPLY SHIP MISSIONS
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Transport Missions
LC-130 missions (round trips) within Antarctica  
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Amundsen-Scott South Pole 333
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West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) 49
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Beardmore Glacier 5
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Fosdick Mountains 5
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Long-duration Balloon support 2
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Patriot Hills 3
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Siple Dome 9
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FAA missions 5
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Total LC-130 missions within Antrctica (USAF/109th) 411
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Twin Otter Operations Within Antarctica (KB) 900 to 1,000 Flight Hours
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AS-350-B2 and Bell 212 helicopter operations within Antarctica
(These amounts do not include flight-hours provided to Antarctica New Zealand as part of the logistics exchanged quid pro quo between the two national programs in Antarctica.)		 1,936 flight hours in support of 74 groups or activiteis (PHI)
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Christchurh/McMurdo round trips  
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C-17 (USAF/AMC, August) 4
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C-17 (USAF/AMC, October/November, Dcecmber/February) 19/21
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LC-130 (USAF/109th, October-February) 60
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C-130 (RNZAF, November-December) 13
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Cargo ship American Tern (Military Sealift Command, February) 1
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Tanker (military Sealift Command ship, January) 1
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Table Notes

KB — Kenn Borek Air Ltd. (http://www.borekair.com/)
MSC —Military Sealift Command (http://www.msc.navy.mil/)
PHI— Petroleum Helicopters Inc. (http://131.103.214.67/; Petroleum Helicopters Inc.)
RNZAF — Royal N.Z. Air Force (http://www.airforce.mil.nz/)
USAF/109th — New York Air National Guard, 109th Airlift Wing (http://www.dmna.state.ny.us/ang/109.html)
USAF/AMC — U.S. Air Force, Air Mobility Command (http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=159)

 

Research ships Laurence M. Gould (LMG), left, and Nathaniel B. Palmer (NBP) docked at Palmer Station, Anvers Island, Antarctica. The smaller LMG ferries personnel and cargo routinely between Punta Arenas, Chile, and Palmer Station and collects some data while crossing the Drake Passage. The larger NBP is the primary research ship for the U.S. Antarctic Program. (NSF/USAP photo by Zee Evans, Raytheon Polar Services Company.)

U.S. research ships docked at Palmer Station, Antarctic Peninsula

LOAD COMPARISONS, CHRISTCHURCH/MCMURDO
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Equipment Maximum load Passengers (RT)
Cargo Ship 15,000,000 pounds  
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Tanker 9,000,000 pounds  
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C-17 120,000 pounds 140
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C-130 20,000 pounds 50
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LC-130 (ski or wheel) 10,500 pounds 36
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LC-130s on the skiway at Williams Field near McMurdo Station, Ross Island Antarctica

LC-130 airplanes parked on the Annual Sea Ice Runway near McMurdo Station, Ross Island. The Hercules airplanes, flown by the New York Air National Guard, are the primary transportation for cargo and personnel to Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. The Royal Society Range can be seen in the background. (NSF/USAP photo by Jordan Dickens, Raytheon Polar Services Company.)