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A Boeing 757 landed on the blue-ice runway in Antarctica for the first time

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A Boeing 757 landed on the blue-ice runway in Antarctica for the first time (mashable.com) More...

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dee9bee
dee9bee 15
It seems as though the 757 can do almost anything. Then again, I flew my retirement flight on one, so I may be biased...
AABABY
AABABY 4
Maybe try adding floats for water landings in the Pacific Islands?
fef99
fef99 1
The 757 is a can do aircraft, and they no longer produce it, even though airlines are requesting they re-start production.
HunterTS4
Toby Sharp 7
I bet this made Mr. Wayne look down and smile. Long Live the long legged Lady. RIP Preacher1!
joelwiley
joel wiley 4
Yes, I was wondering WWPS (What Would Preacher Say)
AABABY
AABABY 2
Me too.
joelwiley
joel wiley 3
I Wonder what alternates they listed in their flight plan.
vector4traffic
I'm assuming these landings are only done when you have 0 crosswind right?
FlyingPearce
Bring forth a 747 for an ice field landing next time. That would be something to see!
AABABY
AABABY 1
And on arrival / departure, STOL?
iflyrjs
Cool video I've been to point Mcmurdo several times during my 20 yrs as a c141 loadmaster. If only I had a digital video recorder like we have today... tried many times to use video camera that had the tape cartridges only to freeze and break within minutes.... I only have my photos so this video brought back alot of great memories.
yr2012
matt jensen 1
C141 was almost 100k/lb heavier than the B757 - mainly because of the two additional engines.
siriusloon
siriusloon 2
They had to go all the way to Iceland for someone to do this? I can understand Air New Zealand being a bit wary of flying there given what happened in 1977, but to nearly the opposite pole? No one in Australia, Chile, Argentina...?
yr2012
matt jensen 2
Loftleider is the charter arm of Icelandic.
OhanaUnited
OhanaUnited 2
Hmm, another evidence of climate change?
gzelna
Greg Zelna 2
Interesting.....! That would be a fascinating trip.....Jumping back about 60 years in Aviation technology -My dad Flew Connies from Christchurch, NZ to Antarctica as part of 'Operation Deep Freeze' (The Puckered Penguins) with VXE-6 back in the early 1970's...The wonderful Lockheed C-121J (BuNo 131624) The 'Phoenix 6' was his plane..... In fact the squadron with that very plane in the background is featured on the wikipedia page for VXE-6. Nice. The sister Connie, the Pegasus (BuNo 131644, c/n 4145) crashed on the McMurdo ice in whiteout conditions with 40 some knot , 90 degree crosswinds (after 6 previous go-rounds). I imagine fuel was getting to be an issue. Fortunately no casualties but that Connie was scuttled there.......
chalet
chalet 2
Another misinformed "reporter", the Royal New Zealand Air Force has been landing 757s in Antarctica for several years now, in fact one of them did so under whiteout conditions demonstrating their pilot's top airmanship qualifications.
babyracer
babyracer 4
"This is generally a place for cargo and military jets, such as the Russian Ilyushin IL-76."

"But commercial jets are making progress — and the Icelandic airline Loftleidir landed the first Boeing 757 on the blue ice runway at Union Glacier on Thursday."

Perhaps some reading comprehension classes are in order. The reporter referred to *commercial* 757s, it's right there. It was poorly worded I grant you but regardless the meaning is perfectly clear....well obviously not to some.
joelwiley
joel wiley 1
Or 'the' should have been 'our' 757.
vector4traffic
So they do a crabbing approach and then line-up at the last second on an ice runway? Whoa.
30west
30west 1
The entire story was about commercial ops to Antarctica to foster tourism, no mention of military ops. The paragraph that mentions the first 757 landing used the intro "But commercial jets are making progress....".

Yes, various air forces operate civilian type aircraft.
danieledelbe
Not a good idea more tourists in Antarctica
asegm08
Saw this on A.Net yesterday, some awsome stuff
sgbelverta
sharon bias 1
This is my ultimate vacation destination.
Bobqat
Don't forget the flip-flops! ;^}
Locket3
Tom Lull 1
Would be interested to know what is the load-bearing capacity of the ice runway and is it capable of taking the 757 with a full cargo load and return flight fuel?
joelwiley
joel wiley 1
Also if Union Glacier has an FBO.
CodyHill
Cody Hill 1
That's my girl!
williamsjd
J Williams 1
Very cool.... sounds like in time I may get the 7th continent afterall :)

Curious to see where it goes from here, how many other airlines do this...
kentdeitemeyer
Actually, the Royal New Zealand Air Force's Boeing 757 was the first to land in Antarctica was already six years ago this month in 2009 at McMurdo Sound. Here is the article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3172050/RNZAF-jet-lands-on-ice
pilot62
HIGH STEPPING BEAUTY
wedgeclose
steve jenney 1
any marriots areound
Bobqat
No, but there's a penguin on the telly.

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