Southbound C-17

I guess it is time to break the blog post silence with a short post about my flight down to Antarctica this year.

Christchuch, New Zealand is our jumping off point to fly to McMurdo.

After the earthquake, downtown Christchurch is being rebuilt and there are art installations everywhere.

I've wanted to fly on the C-17 since I started working in Antarctica.  My first flight down was on the Airbus 319 leased from the Australian Antarctic Division and used to transport people to McMurdo during the first month or so of the summer season.  Despite having a nice airline seat to sit in and a good view the whole time I was bummed that I didn't get to ride on the C-17.

The C-17 landing in McMurdo in April 2013.

The inside of the C-17

The Airbus 319.

The LC-130 Hercules

Inside of the C-17

The cockpit of the C-17

Looking down into the C-17 from the cockpit. 

On my next few trips between McMurdo and Christchurch I was on the LC-130 Hercules, which is louder, less comfortable and takes 3 hours longer than the other two planes.  But this year I finally got to ride down on the C-17!

Weddell Seals just outside of McMurdo Station.