Falklands crew in Pole position

Simon Mander

SCIENTISTS OPERATING in Antarctica have received vital supplies from a UK Atlas A400M.

British Antarctic Survey personnel received 300 drums of fuel in the first airdrop by an A400M over the Sky Blu station in Southern Palmer Land.

The aircraft flew 1,320 miles from its Mount Pleasant base in the mean that we are able to carry out this extremely challenging mission in one of the most hostile environments in the world.”

Falklands to start the annual mission Operation Austral Endurance, previously carried out by a C-130 Hercules.

A further five air drops are planned, depending on the weather, with Atlas sorties supported by a Voyager tanker flown by aircrew from 10 and 101 Sqns.

The Sky Blu facility began operating in 1997 and is named after the colour of the dense ice that surrounds it.

Airdropping fuel means survey personnel don’t have to carry out multiple sorties by much smaller Dash-7 aircraft.

The polar research stations also receive deliveries of freight and personnel from the RAF’s South Atlantic Air Bridge and Royal Navy ships. miles

905 EAW’s Wg Cdr

Christopher Pope said: “The tenacity and flexibility of our team