C-17 Globemaster Stranded On Antarctic Ice

The Royal New Zealand Air Force was called on last week to assist a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster that had been stranded for several days in Antarctica by mechanical problems.

The RNZAF dispatched a P-3K Orion to Antarctica last Wednesday with three USAF maintenance engineers and spare parts aboard to repair a faulty fuel control unit on the C-17 that had prevented the aircraft from resuming duty.

Royal New Zealand Air Force Commodore Gavin Howse said, "While it is early in the season for the Air Force to be flying to the ice, and by its very nature there is some risk involved with Antarctic operations, our crews are well trained and have three years of P-3K ice experience to call upon."

Still based in the states, US Air Force C-130 Hercules crews were unavailable for the mission. By provisions of an emergency support agreement between the US National Science Foundation and Antarctica New Zealand, the RNZAF was called upon to deliver much needed parts and mechanical support.

Also unavailable for the mission, the RNZAF's primary Antarctic support aircraft, a fleet of C-130 Hercules, is on operations in East Timor and being upgraded in Canada. Regularly scheduled flights to Antarctica New Zealand are not slated to begin until early January, the New Zealand Herald said.

Readily available for the assist, the P-3K Orion has been part of regular flights to Antarctica since early 2006, making routine patrols of the Southern Ocean.

Repaired and back in the air, the USAF Globemaster has already returned to Christchurch, NZ and is beginning scheduled flights back to the Antarctic ice.

FMI: www.af.mil, www.airforce.mil.nz