Loftleidir Icelandic provided a Boeing 757 to be the first to land on a blue-ice runway in Antarctica.
Adventure Network International reports that the feat occurred yesterday at Union Glacier, near the Antarctic Peninsula. The project was realised with the participation of Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions (ALE), NAS Corporation Limited and Loftleidir Icelandic, as can be seen in the above photo.
As ALE transports up to 500 visitors to Antarctica each season, they wanted to assess the feasibility of using larger commercial aircraft for these trips.
“ALE is researching the potential for utilizing conventional passenger airliners in addition to passenger/cargo combination aircraft,” ALE writes. “The Boeing 757-200 ER, fitted with 62 business class seats, will enhance passenger comfort yet maintain the safety of ALE’s activities and aircraft resources.”
Most people who make the journey to this particular destination “come to climb Mount Vinson, Antarctica’s highest peak; journey to the South Pole; or visit an emperor penguin colony on the remote Weddell Sea coast.” If you have ever dreamed of doing any of these things, you can now rest assured you can get there in comfort and style.
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