Antarctica

In 2002 the Australian Government selected Skytraders to provide an Intercontinental Airlink from Australia to Antarctica for the Australian Government Antarctic Division (AGAD). Scientists, support staff and cargo will be flown in an Airbus A319 jet aircraft from Hobart to Wilkins Runway, near Casey Station. This continent to continent service will take approximately 4.5 hours. Passengers and cargo will then transfer to more remote parts of Antarctica via ski equipped CASA 212-400 aircraft.

That announcement marked the culmination of more than two years work by Skytraders involving a comprehensive evaluation process followed by the establishment of the project development team which was eventually to design the blueprint for the winning proposal.

The A319 jet will fly into the newly constructed Wilkins Runway - a 4,000 metre long snow capped blue-ice runway in the Upper Petersen Glacier located 70 kms from Casey Station. The Airlink will operate between Hobart and Antarctica between mid October to mid March. This air link will increase the capability and flexibility of AGAD's logistics system and provide access and opportunity for its science programmes. The aircraft's configuration can be modified from passenger to "combi" (passenger and freighter) according to requirements.

The long range of the A319 gives it the capability for remote martime work, and when not on Antarctic service, it will be available for general charter.

It will also be able to easily complete the Hobart - Casey return trip without refuelling. This was an integral part of Skytraders' proposal for the Airlink. Eliminating the requirement for both the construction of an alternate runway site in Antarctica and any on site refuelling has significant economic and environmental benefits.

Skytraders' proposal focussed on the AGAD's three "Critical Success Factors" – Safety, Environment and Cost.  AGAD Director, Dr Tony Press, said: "We put proposals for the Airlink out to tender to see if there were other options out there we had not considered. By far the most interesting and persuasive was from Skytraders."

The intercontinental A319 flights will connect with the intra-continental services that Skytraders currently operates between Casey, Davis and Mawson.

Two ski-equipped CASA 212-400 aircraft are used to move scientists and cargo between Antarctic stations and remote field sites. These aircraft provide range, payload and utility functions far superior to any comparable ski-equipped aircraft.

The C212-400 has a cavernous hold accessed via a rear-ramp via which large cargo can be easily loaded. They are also equipped with state of the art digital avionics and high efficiency power plants.

These combine to address the issues of safety, environment and cost in a manner that is redefining Antarctic Aviation.

A pilot's account of the inaugural season of Antarctic operation was published in EADS magazine. Download Iceflying.pdf (980k)

For more information, contact the Australian Government Antarctic Division (external site will open in a new window).