Survey Starts

FBL taking off for maiden test flight

As it nears the end of a very busy week that saw FBL the BAS survey Otter arrive late Sunday the survey team completed bag drag in preparation for the flight to South Pole and acclimatisation. We spent 2 days converting the inside of the Twin Otter into an airborne geophysical survey aircraft. Day one of the install saw us install the equipment racks and populated with most of the equipment. Day 2 the remainder of the equipment was installed.

Wednesday the test flight saw the aircraft head over the Ross Iceshelf to the carving front. Though the weather was cloudy our pilots did a fine job of flying the survey. For the first flight the equipment worked with only a few minor issues to solve. Thursday the flying took us over open water so saw us wearing emersion suits just in case, we returned after 3 hours and more confidence that we were ready to transfer to the deep field. Friday was spent tidying up the installation and doing final cargo consignments to Pole. Saturday was a test flight to train a few more operators in how to use the equipment.

Today Sunday was bag drag for the advance survey party to go to South Pole to acclimatise before heading further into the interior and AGAP-North.