A view to fly for

Subject: A view to fly for Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:08 pm

THE awe-inspiring vista of an aurora over Antarctica will be a little easier to reach from now. Nineteen passengers, including the Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, scientists and other government officials took off from Hobart Airport last night on a flight to officially open Australia's new Wilkins ice runway in the Antarctic.

Taking just 4½ hours, rather than the normal 10 days for a sea voyage, the air service will dramatically reduce the travelling time for scientists and support staff bound for Antarctic research bases.

It would, Mr Garrett said, open up "a whole new chapter in our scientific effort on the frozen continent".

The airlink, using an Airbus A319, was cleared for passenger operations this week by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, but its first flight was delayed until fresh snow was cleared from the runway, built 65 kilometres east of Australia's Casey station.

Mr Garrett's flight is expected to return to Australia this morning. However, later flights, which will operate from November to February, will deliver scientists who will stay to work through the long sunless winters. It is expected there will be up to 30 flights to Wilkins each summer.

This aurora lit up the sky over Australia's Davis Station on March 9 last year.

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A view to fly for

A view to fly for

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