FLIGHTS TO McMURDO

Press, Volume C, Issue 29635, 4 October 1961, Page 15

FLIGHTS TO McMURDO

Delay Caused By Weather Flights by two American aircraft to the United States base at Ross Island, in McMurdo Sound, have been postponed until early tomorrow morning because of bad weather. The same aircraft left for Antarctica early yesterday morning but returned to Harewood several hours later because of bad weather at Ross Island. To add to the difficulties there has been only sporadic communication between Christchurch and Antarctica in the last 48 hours. The first of the two planes, a United States Air Force Globemaster commanded bv Lieutenant-Colonel F. B Frost, left Harewood at 2.15 am. It was back on the tarmac at 10.35 a_m The other piane, a United States Navy Suoer Constellation, left at 3.15 a.m. and returned at 5.35 am. At Harewood it was reported yesterday that the runway at McMurdo was in good condition. Last evening the Globemaster and the Super Constellation were on alert to depart early this morning. A decision was to be made at a weather conference at 5 p.m. but the conference was put off to 730 pm. Finally it. was decided to postpone AV flights for 24 hours until tomorrow' morning, a' the weather w’as still bad Another conference to decide whether the flights will be made will be held this evening.