Weather Conditions “Like No Other” [Dispatches from Antarctica]

12 October 2010, McMurdo Station, Antarctica: C-17 Weather Forecasts

Two of the past three C-17 flights landed in rapidly changing weather. One of the flights landed in clear weather, but within a few minutes wind kicked up ice crystals and snow to create near white-out conditions near the surface. Needless to say, we suspended ground operations until the temporary phenomenon blew through.

Prior to launching a C-17, Lt Col Robert “Beef” Wellington, commander of the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron in Christchurch, checks the weather forecast several times. By 4:30AM each launch day, he’s made an initial go / no-go decision. Weather forecasters and observers at McMurdo Station, working for Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, consult with their colleagues in New Zealand and back in the United States to build the most accurate forecast possible. But Antarctic weather is like no other.

Lt Col Wellington and his operations officer continue to monitor weather conditions as his crews fly the 4-5 hour mission between Christchurch and McMurdo. The crews compute a point along the route, where they have equal fuel remaining to either continue to McMurdo, or turn back to Christchurch, still maintaining appropriate reserve fuel stores. They call this the point of safe return or PSR. Once the C-17 crew decide to fly past the PSR, they are committed to continuing on to land at McMurdo. There is no turning back. That makes accurate weather forecasting very important.

In order to give the C-17 pilots flying these missions an opportunity to experience McMurdo weather firsthand, as well as meet the mission support people based here, Lt Col Wellington and I decided to try something new. Beginning this week, one C-17 instructor pilot will disembark with each C-17 mission and remain at McMurdo until the next C-17, 2-3 days later, can carry him/her back.

The first pilot to visit us, Captain Chris Stephens, will arrive on tomorrow’s scheduled flight. Aside from his primary purpose of learning about the local weather and support infrastructure, I’ll ask Captain Stephens to offer a guest blog for these dispatches.

Additionally, upon hearing that I had “lost” my camera, people at McMurdo and Christchurch have begun sending me photos and videos of Antarctica and the NSF’s science mission here. The attached b-reel footage is a montage of some of that footage.  Special thanks to C-17 instructor pilot Captain Jon Waller for offering the cockpit views.