Construction, Maintenance, and Operation of a Glacial Ice Runway, McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Construction, Maintenance, and Operation

of a Glacial Ice Runway, McMurdo Station, Antarctica

GEORGE L. BLAISDELL, RENEE M. LANG, GERALD CRIST,

KEITH KURTTI, R. JEFFREY HARBIN, AND DANIEL FLORA

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) relies on

on glacial (blue) ice (Mellor and Swithinbank

aircraft operating between Christchurch, New

1989), and those made from crushed rock (Engler

Zealand, and McMurdo Station (78S, 167E; Fig.

et al. 1990) or compressed snow (Blaisdell et al.

1) to provide nearly all personnel support and a

1995). Beginning in the 198990 summer season,

considerable amount of cargo transport to the

engineering studies were directed at determining

continent (excluding support for Palmer Station

the feasibility of producing a wheeled runway on

on the Antarctic Peninsula). The first flights of the

the Ross Ice Shelf near McMurdo, specifically for

season land on a skiway at Williams Field (13 km

use during the period after the sea ice was no

east of McMurdo on the Ross Ice Shelf) in late

longer usable. In February of 1993, a 3050-m

August using specialized LC-130 Hercules (ski-

(10,000-ft) runway on glacial ice at the Pegasus

wheel). In October, the main body of personnel

site (Fig. 2) was demonstrated and first used by

fly to McMurdo in wheeled C-130 Hercules, C-

LC-130 aircraft operating strictly on wheels and

141 Starlifter, and C-5 Galaxy aircraft. These air-

by a C-130 Hercules. These aircraft shuttled cargo

craft land on a runway on first- or second-year

to the South Pole, landing on skis after taking off

sea ice. The sea ice runway is used by these con-

on wheels at a weight 30003600 kg (70008000

ventional (wheeled) airplanes until its surface

lb) greater than if doing so on skis. They also

strength deteriorates in mid-December.

ferried passengers to Christchurch, carrying an

Until the 199293 season, the USAP was lim-

additional 15 to 20 persons when taking off on

ited solely to the LC-130s operating from a skiway

wheels. During late January and much of Febru-

at Williams Field for all of its needs from the time

ary 1994, the Pegasus runway was used exten-

the sea ice runway closed throughout the remain-

sively for wheeled operations of LC-130 and C-130

der of the season (Fig. 2). There are very few LC-

planes. Flight tests with a C-141 were also suc-

130s available: five owned by the National Science

cessfully performed.

Foundation and operated by the U.S. Navy, and

This report describes what was learned in the

four contracted from the New York Air National

process of developing a glacial ice runway for

Guard for brief periods. With the many require-

heavy wheeled aircraft at the Pegasus site. Spe-

ments for their use, historically a backlog of per-

cifically, it presents a detailed account of the is-

sonnel and crucial cargo occurred and severely

sues pertinent to construction, maintenance, and

constrained the program during mid- and late

operation of a semipermanent runway of this type.

season.

The report attempts to generalize the concepts

To alleviate this problem, the USAP sought a

used to successfully produce a glacial ice runway

means of utilizing conventional aircraft in the lat-

for heavy wheeled aircraft, with the belief that

ter part of the austral summer. However, this

they can be applied to any location where an ice

required a reliable runway capable of supporting

runway could exist. We feel that this is equally

wheeled aircraft. Candidates included runways

true for all types of glacial ice runways. The Pe-

on annual or multiyear sea ice (Barthelemy 1992),

gasus runway is situated on superimposed ice,