The newest addition to the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Hercules fleet has touched down in Antarctica on its maiden journey, the first of six it will make this summer.
Yesterday’s flight carried cargo to the ice that would support the New Zealand and United States scientific research programmes at Scott Base and McMurdo Station.
Having already piloted 11 flight to Antarctica, Lieutenant Tristan Nysse said it was a rewarding experience becoming the first to fly the C-130J.
“We are just a small team at the C-130J Transition Unit, so having completed our first flight to the ice is not only a success for the aircrew — [but] also the maintenance crews and everyone involved in the C-130J delivery who have put in a massive effort to make this possible.
He said the new model flew “similarly” to the old Hercules but with “all the bells and whistles”.
“It’s nice having the extra power of the new engines and more advanced electronic planning systems which makes preparing for our tasks much faster and simpler,” he said.
The C-130J was scheduled to make six trips this summer season carrying a mix of passengers and cargo, as part of NZDF’s enduring Operation Antartica which had contributed personnel to the icy continent since the 1950s.
Senior National Officer Major Lucy Wright said the first flight with the C-130J was a significant milestone in the introduction of new capability in support of the Joint Logistics Pool.
“The C-130H has been a reliable workhorse for the Antarctic programmes for close to 60 years and everyone is very excited to have the new C-130J continue to provide that support.”
