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Norwegian Atlantic Aviation has lived up to its reputation as ‘The Explorer’s Airline’ by landing a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Antarctica.
The airline claims this is a world first – ‘a ground-breaking milestone in aviation history’.
Because Antarctica had no conventional paved runways, the plane instead landed on a glacial runway 3,000 meters long and 60 meters wide at Troll Airfield, where the average temperature is -25 degrees Celsius. It is the largest plane ever to land on this runway.
On board the plane, named Everglades, were 45 passengers, including scientists from the Norwegian Polar Institute and other countries.
They were destined for several stations in Antarctica, including the Norwegian Polar Institute’s Troll research station.
Norse Atlantic Airways has lived up to its billing as ‘The Explorer’s Airline’ – by landing a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Antarctica
The flight also carried 12 tonnes of vital research equipment crucial to the exploration of Antarctica.
The Dreamliner, contracted by the Norwegian Polar Institute and airline Aircontact, started its journey in Oslo on November 13 and stopped in Cape Town before embarking on the ‘challenging’ Antarctic leg.
The 787 landed at Troll Airfield, located in Jutulsessen in Queen Maud Land, at 2 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
The airstrip, operated by the Norwegian Polar Institute, is located 6.8 kilometers (4.2 miles) from the Troll research station, approximately 235 km (146 miles) from the coast.
Ice-covered: Because Antarctica had no conventional paved runways, the plane instead landed on a glacial ‘blue ice runway’ 3,000 meters long and 60 meters wide at Troll Airfield
The challenge for pilots landing at Troll Airfield is that there is no radio navigation system to guide the plane – and no structures on the airfield to help gauge speed and orientation.
Björn Tore Larsen, CEO of Norwegian Atlantic Aviationexpressed his immense pride in the achievement.
He said: “In the spirit of exploration, we are proud to contribute to this important and unique mission. It is a true testament to our highly trained and skilled pilots and crew, and our state-of-the-art Boeing aircraft.”
Camilla Brekke, director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, said: ‘The most crucial aspect is the environmental benefit we can achieve by deploying these types of large and modern aircraft for Troll.
‘This could help reduce overall emissions and the carbon footprint in Antarctica.’
She added: ‘Landing such a large aircraft opens up entirely new logistics opportunities at Troll, which will also help strengthen Norwegian research in Antarctica.’
The Dreamliner, contracted by the Norwegian Polar Institute and airline Aircontact, started its journey in Oslo on November 13 and stopped in Cape Town before embarking on the ‘challenging’ Antarctic leg.
The Dreamliner, with its “impressive” cargo capacity, “excels in meeting the demands of this mission,” Boeing’s Paul Erlandsson said.
Paul Erlandsson, Boeing Field Service Representative, commented: “The 787 Dreamliner stands out for its exceptional fuel efficiency, allowing a round trip flight from Cape Town to Antarctica without the need for refueling.
‘This not only ensures fast turnaround times, but also significantly benefits the environment by eliminating the logistical complexity of transporting, storing and handling fuel in Antarctica.
“Combined with the aircraft’s impressive 150 cubic meter cargo capacity, spread across three cargo holds, and a cargo loading system designed for easy handling of pallets and containers, the Dreamliner excels in meeting the demands of this mission.”