A big dream turned real as a Boeing 787 Dreamliner smoothly landed on an icy runway in a distant part of Antarctica. It’s now the biggest plane ever to land on this frozen continent.
Operated by Norse Atlantic Airways, the flight, named Everglades, landed at Troll Airfield in Antarctica at 2:01 a.m. local time on Wednesday.
Norse Atlantic CEO Bjørn Tore Larsen shared, “We have achieved together a momentous moment of landing the first 787 Dreamliner.” The CEO further pointed out that their team takes pride in contributing to this important and unique mission in the spirit of exploration.”
Let’s understand more details about this mission.
The Dreamliner had a crucial mission. It had to transport essential research equipment and scientists to the remote Troll research station in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica.
There were a total of 45 passengers onboard. These included scientists from the Norwegian Polar Institute. The flight carried 12 tons of research equipment important for exploring the Antarctic.
Jutulsessen in Queen Maud Land hosts the research station. The research station is managed by the Norwegian Polar Institute and it is situated approximately 150 miles (235 kilometers) from the coast, according to Norse Atlantic.
Camilla Brekke, director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, stressed the significance of landing such a large aircraft. After all, this achievement has opened new logistical possibilities at Troll. Camilla noted that the landing would bolster Norwegian research in Antarctica. The most crucial aspect, she added, lies in the environmental gains achieved by employing large, modern aircraft like the Dreamliner for Troll.
Using a bigger plane to transport a larger load holds the potential to curtail overall emissions. It could also help in minimizing the environmental impact in Antarctica.
The journey of “Everglades” began in Oslo, Norway, on a Monday. It took a roughly 40-hour break in Cape Town, South Africa, and finally headed to Antarctica, according to the Norse Atlantic.
Remarkably, the Dreamliner managed a round-trip flight from Cape Town to Antarctica. Interestingly, it didn’t require any additional fuel.
On Wednesday, the flight landed on a “blue ice runway” at Troll Airfield. The airfield was nearly 2 miles long (3,000 meters) and 200 feet wide (60 meters). Unlike typical paved runways, Troll Airfield is made of solid ice.
Captured in a historic moment, the video of the plane’s landing depicts a smooth and uneventful touchdown just like gliding on ice. Norse Atlantic CEO, Bjørn Tore Larsen, gave the credit for this success to their highly trained pilots, crew, and Boeing aircraft.
The successful mission to transport research equipment and scientists to the remote Troll research station in Queen Maud Land is capable of bringing a revolution. It showcases the potential of a large and modern aircraft to open new logistical possibilities in Antarctica.
It is truly a momentous event that will further help in advancing research efforts in Antarctica and leave a positive environmental impact.
