Plans For Winter Flights South

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31379, 26 May 1967, Page 12

Plans For Winter Flights South

The first of two mid-winter flights from Christchurch to the Antarctic, planned last season by the United States Navy, is expected to be made on June 18 if the weather permits.

A message from Washington received at the Navy base at Christchurch Airport yesterday says that two skiequipped VX Squadron Hercules will land at Christchurch on the afternoon of June 14. On board one of the aircraft will be the commander of the Navy’s Antarctic support force (Rear-Admiral J. L. Abbot). Admiral Abbot will leave Christchurch the next day for Wellington where he will re-

main overnight before returning to Christchurch. The mission may take two to three days or up to 10 days, depending on the weather at McMurdo Sound and en route.

The operational pattern for the two flights—the second is tentatively scheduled for August 25—will be similar to that of previous winter emergency flights. Two Hercules will be used on each mission. One will fly to McMurdo Sound and the other will remain at Christchurch on search and rescue stand-by. Crews for the mission have been drawn from those accustomed to Antarctic flying. Preparation of the ski-way at McMurdo Station is not expected to be any more of a problem than it had been for previous emergency flights. In April men at the station began checking facilities which might be called into use. The ski-way lighting was tested and 10 hours of continuous operation can be expected from it. .