The summer flying season has ended on the southern continent of the planet. From October 2022 to February 2023, the specialists from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute and the Russian Antarctic Expedition provided reception for 70 flights at the airfields of the stations “Novolazarevskaya” and “Progress” in Antarctica.
During the summer season, more than 300 polar explorers and over 15 tons of cargo arrived at the new Zenit Airfield, opened in November last year at the station “Progress”. The winged machines landed here 34 times, and they also participated in aerial geological and geophysical work.
In particular, four scheduled flights of the Il-76 aircraft on the Cape Town – “Progress” – Cape Town route were performed by Volga-Dnepr Airlines. The pilots demonstrated high professionalism and courage, successfully coping with the difficult task of ensuring regular flights of heavy transporters to Antarctica. Zenit Airfield received six flights of Basler BT-67 short-haul aircraft: one in the interests of the Russian Antarctic Expedition and five for the colleagues from India. An-2 aircraft also made 24 flights to ensure aerogeophysical work.
The ice airfield at the station “Novolazarevskaya” received 18 flights of heavy Il-76 aircraft with wheeled landing gear during the summer season. According to the DROMLAN international aviation program, 11 international flights landed here to deliver and collect Russian and foreign specialists working in Antarctica. Additionally, seven flights were made with the purpose of parachuting cargo.
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“The plane flying season in Antarctica is over. All the tasks have been completed in full. Currently, the provision of cargo and passenger flights, as well as ice reconnaissance by Ka-32S helicopters based on the RAE vessels continues. These tasks will be completed only at the beginning of May, when the research vessel ‘Akademik Treshnikov’ finishes the work of supplying the station “Bellingshausen”. During the winter, work will also be carried out on the runway to maintain it and prepare for the reception of planes in the new summer season that will start at the end of October 2023," said Aleksandr Makarov, director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.
DOMLAN (Dronning Maud Land Air Network – "Aviation Network in Queen Maud Land") is an international corporate aviation program that allows reducing the cost of cargo and passenger air transportation in Antarctica. It was established in 2002 and unites 11 states with bases on the Atlantic coast of the southern continent. The founder was the Board of Governors of the National Antarctic Programs of Russia, Belgium, Finland, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The support is carried out by aircraft of national carriers in Antarctica: Russian Il-76 aircraft, Norwegian and Swedish C-130 Hercules, Norwegian P-3 Orion, as well as some others. Flights are operated from Cape Town International Airport.