news clips: twin otter to rescue south pole scientists

[AndyMan 7]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030913.wspole0913/BNStory/National/

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Weather hampers South Pole rescue mission.

Canadian Press

Calgary — Canadian pilots on a risky mission to pluck an ailing worker from the South Pole are confident they will soon accomplish their task, despite erratic, windy weather in Antarctica.

A Twin Otter flown by Sean Loutitt of Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air landed on the northern Antarctic Peninsula on Saturday afternoon, after taking off earlier from the southern tip of Chile.

Steve Penikett, general manager of Kenn Borek Air, said although the weather is often windy and stormy, Mr. Loutitt will stay the course and try to make it to the Pole on Sunday.

After attaching aluminum skis to the de Havilland aircraft, Mr. Loutitt, accompanied by co-pilot Brian Crocker and engineer Kevin Riehl, will endeavour a 10-hour flight from a British research base in Rothera to a U.S. research outpost known as the Amundsen-Scott polar station.

"He believes he can make it in," Mr. Penikett said. "If not, he has another plan of other places he will go and land. There's a couple of other nearby bases down there."

In April 2001, Mr. Loutitt made aviation history when he became the first pilot to land in the pitch darkness of midwinter at the South Pole.

He picked up Dr. Ronald Shemenski, an American physician at the Amundsen-Scott station, who had passed a gallstone and was suffering from pancreatitis.

This time, Mr. Loutitt is to rescue a logistics contractor who has bladder problems and will probably require surgery.

The worker, who is employed by Raytheon Polar Services of Colorado, has asked to remain anonymous.

Mr. Penikett said he was told Saturday that the worker "is very sick."

A second Kenn Borek airplane, flown by Jim Haffey, was to arrive in Punta Arenas on Saturday and would likely fly to Rothera early Sunday, Mr. Penikett said.

Mr. Haffey's aircraft will likely not fly to the Pole, as it is only a backup in case a problem arises with Mr. Loutitt's plane.

Mr. Penikett said he chose Mr. Loutitt to head the mercy mission because he likely has learned some valuable lessons from a few minor mistakes during the historic flight 30 months ago.

"He did a good job last time, but yeah, there were a few mistakes made," he said. "Presumably he knows that and they won't be made this time."

Mr. Loutitt had some scheduling problems as well as a mechanical problem with the roof of his Twin Otter, Mr. Penikett said.

"It wasn't a big deal and after a few hours they got it fixed," he said. "But it created a bit of anxiety because you have the only airplane stuck at the Pole with a sick patient waiting to leave."

This flight is not as risky as the previous mission because the pilot has a few hours of twilight around noon in which to land, rather than April's blackness.

It is now the tail end of winter in Antarctica.

Antarctica is the highest, driest, coldest and windiest continent on Earth, with the mercury hovering around minus 70 degrees this week.

As well, vigorous weather systems can develop north of the continent.

Officials at the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Va., the company that has contracted Raytheon, said they haven't decided whether the sick employee will be flown to South America or to the McMurdo Station southeast of the Pole.

Each year, the United States sends about 650 people to Antarctica to conduct scientific research and about 2,500 others to operate and maintain the Amundsen-Scott polar station.

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You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

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Officials at the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Va., the company that has contracted Raytheon, said they haven't decided whether the sick employee will be flown to South America or to the McMurdo Station southeast of the Pole.

How can anything be Southeast of the South Pole?

Patrick

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