Development of a blue-ice runway at the Pegasus site (Pegasus II)

Development of a blue-ice runway

est parts of the season. Construction of the run-

at the Pegasus site (Pegasus II)

way required six people full time, and about the

The concept for the Pegasus II runway is to

same size crew is required to maintain the snow

develop a runway directly on exposed blue ice.

cover during the NovemberJanuary period.

Because melt pools can form on exposed blue-ice

Maintenance of the Pegasus II runway is basi-

during the warmest periods of the austral sum-

cally a snow management problem. Because of

mer (November through January), snow would

the particular requirements of the Pegasus gla-

be spread over the exposed surface to protect it

cier-ice runway, both snow drifting and activities

from the sun during this time. In late January,

that reduce the albedo of the ice or snow surface

this snow cover would be cleared to expose the

must be carefully controlled. To minimize snow

blue-ice landing surface so that the runway could

drifts, only the minimum of facilities, primarily

be used for redeploying personnel to New

fuel tanks, and sanitary and emergency facilities

Zealand.

needed to support the 4 to 6 people working at

Because of difficulties with Pegasus I, plan-

the site would be located there during the warm

ning for the 199293 season focused on Pegasus

part of the season. During the austral winter, when

II. Early in the season, snow was removed from

the runway is not in use, all structures and navi-

the proposed Pegasus II runway. Using a laser-

gational aids would be removed.

guided grader, irregularities and high spots were

In addition to constructing the runway sur-

removed to produce a smooth and nearly level

face, shelters would be moved to the site to pro-

surface. The runway surface successfully sup-

vide support facilities for the Pegasus site. These

ported a test cart equipped to produce loading

shelters, including an emergency shelter, a heated

similar to a C-130 aircraft landing gear. Tests with

rest facility, and a toilet facility, would initially be

a cart setup to reproduce the loading of a C-141

portable or temporary facilities. The use of por-

aircraft landing gear caused failure of the surface

table structures would reduce long-term prob-

in three spots. These spots are believed to have

lems with drifting snow. If more permanent

undergone melting in the previous season. The

facilities are needed in the future, they would be

spots were patched, but trial C-141 landings were

elevated above the surface to minimize snow drift-

postponed to give the patches time to anneal.

ing. A crash truck from Williams Field would be

During the remainder of November, December,

stationed at the runway when flights were sched-

and January the surface was covered with snow

uled. Other emergency vehicles (for example,

to prevent melt pool formation. Snow removed

ambulances) would be available at Williams Field

from the surface in October was redistributed to

in the event of an accident.

minimize the likelihood of drifting that would

Fuel would be temporarily stored on site to

cover Pegasus II with quantities of snow that

refuel aircraft, and all wastes, with the possible

would be difficult to remove in subsequent years.

exception of gray water which might be piped

In late January and early February 1993, the Pe-

through the ice into the sea below, would be taken

gasus II runway tested satisfactorily for landings

to McMurdo. Initially, the fuel would be taken to

of C-130s. Several round-trip flights were made

Pegasus in two small tanks mounted on sleds; the

during February to redeploy personnel at the end

empty tanks would be returned to Williams Field.

of the 199293 season.

Initially, no precision radar or TACAN would be

The runway at the Pegasus site was constructed

required, and no power would be generated on

with a 14G laser-guided grader, a snow blower, a

site. Testing would probably only require a flagged

snow plane, a bulldozer, two towed rollers, and a

runway. Should Pegasus be used to extend the

load cart (that is, a cart equipped with C-130 or C-

season, runway lights would be needed in addi-

141 wheels and loaded with sufficient weight to

tion to other navigation aids similar to those used

simulate the pressure of a taxing C-130 or C-141

at Williams Field and the sea-ice runway. If the

aircraft) to test the runway surface. The grader

runway proves successful and the facilities take

was used for initial preparation to remove bumps

on a more permanent nature, radar installation

or waves in the runway surface, but the overall

and power generation also would be required.

slope of the surface was not modified. A snow

Fuel would then be stored in a skid-mounted

blower was used to clear snow so the surfaces

storage tank. Secondary containment for the tanks

could be prepared, to remove ice cut by the grader,

would be provided to prevent fuel spills onto the

and to cover the prepared surface with snow to

snow and ice.

prevent formation of melt ponds during the warm-

Most aircraft and vehicles used in Antarctica

103