Plane Will Have To Be Disassembled and Shipped by Boat -- At Jon's Expense

The news is looking a bit better for globe-trotting RV Flyer, Jon Johanson.

But... not a lot better.

Jon has been offered safe passage home via transport aircraft but his RV-4 will have to stay until it can be shipped back by boat, later this winter. Worse; Jon will have to pay for it all... and it isn't going to be cheap. Trying (HARD) to discourage unplanned and unannounced visits to Antarctica, the National Science Foundation and other controlling interests at McMurdo, are taking a very hard line on the issue of Johanson's having got stuck at McMurdo station when headwinds forced him down.

Antarctica New Zealand Chief Executive Lou Sanson said, "The US actually don't run a gas station in Antarctica... and nor does New Zealand. Currently he is unable to get fuel."

The Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, is still trying for a more moderate approach. Downer says he understands the NZ/US policy of "deterring adventurers from flying over Antarctica," but it reportedly still trying for some kind of exception for Johanson.

Statement from the National Science Foundation

A private pilot who landed at the main U.S. research station in Antarctica without sufficient fuel to continue his flight to South America will be offered passage back to New Zealand on a regularly scheduled flight, U.S. National Science Foundation representatives and their New Zealand counterparts said today.

The officials also are discussing the possibility of sending the pilot's aircraft back aboard a supply ship that normally visits the station in February at the end of each research season.

In keeping with U.S. policy toward private expeditions in Antarctica, NSF will charge the pilot, Jon Johanson, for the costs of the flight to New Zealand and for shipping his aircraft.

Johanson, an Australian citizen, apparently was attempting to fly from New Zealand to South America over Antarctica, when he landed at McMurdo Station, NSF's logistics hub in Antarctica, on Dec. 8.

Strong head winds forced him to abandon his intended destination, fearing he would not have enough fuel to complete his journey. Upon arriving at McMurdo, he told U.S. officials that he did not have enough fuel to continue and requested to buy some.

Because officials at McMurdo Station or at New Zealand's Scott Base weren't informed of the flight, no preparations were made for an emergency landing.

Under an agreement between the two nations, both the U.S. and New Zealand provide C-130 cargo aircraft to transport scientific and logistics personnel and cargo to Antarctic during the research season, which begins in late October and ends in February.  In this case, it was agreed that Johansen would be allowed to fly north on one of the returning flights, which are scheduled several times a week. 

"We have extended the pilot the normal courtesies routinely offered by New Zealand and U.S. stations in Antarctica," said Lou Sanson, the chief executive officer of Antarctica New Zealand (ANZ), the national scientific research program. "The pilot should have made the decision to abandon his original flight plans much sooner when faced with these weather conditions and returned to Invercargill in New Zealand."

Neither NSF nor Antarctica New Zealand, both of which are government-funded scientific research programs, supply or stock fuel for private individuals.  NSF's policy is that private expeditions should carry sufficient insurance to cover the costs of search and rescue efforts, if needed.

Had Johansen failed to reach McMurdo safely, the U.S. and New Zealand programs would have had to mount search-and-rescue efforts at considerable cost and risk not only to the search-and-rescue teams, but also to scientific field teams in the field who might have required those resources.

E-I-C Note: We're in disagreement that the hard-line approach is necessary in this case, though we understand what NSF, ANZ and the US authorities are trying to say... we'll keep you updated as to what's happening in this story.

FMI: www.nsf.gov