Antarctica

[propilot]

Does anyone know which company or companies(civilian) fly to the antarctic? Who does one contact to start the interview process rolling? Thanks!

 

[OtterFO]

Ken Borik (sp?) aviation of Canada operates Twin Otters down there every summer.

 

[Av8trxx]

Some ideas...

It seems you need to be an Aussie to get those jobs if you aren't in the US military. Hideaway Holidays charters QANTAS jets for Antarctic air tours from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth:
http://www.hideawayholidays.com.au/antarct.html

As does Croydon Travel of Melbourne: http://www.antarcticaflights.com.au/

Tour Operator Adventure Network International (ANI), also flies to Antarctica from Punta Arenas Chile.

The United States Antarctic Program support personnel are hired and employed by a company called Raytheon Polar Services Company. That might be a place to check into:

http://rpsc.raytheon.com/hr/employ/index.asp

International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators
member organization that advocates, promotes, and practices safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic.
www.iaato.org/

A company called Skytraders has been contracted to fly CASA 212-400s for transport and field support for Australian Antarctic program.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

The flying for U.S. scientist is conducted by the military with LC-130s and Hueys. The Navy (VXE-6) did it for decades but turned it over to an Air Guard unit a while back.

I believe the C-130's now doing that mission are the New York Guard dudes out of Schenectady.

 

[flyingwildfires]

Antarctic contractors

Kenn Borek of Calgary, Alberta, has done that work for years. Their website is www.borekair.com.

 

[340drvr]

Above info is correct, C-130's flown by NYANG, Twin Otters by Kenn Borek, helo ops contracted by PHI out of Louisiana, no longer VXE-6. They run Astars, Bell 206 and maybe a 212. C-141, C-17, C-5, USAF. That's the New Zealand-McMurdo side, don't know about the Punta Arenas ops, but I think Adventure Network runs a DC-6 or a Convair, and I've heard about smaller stuff flying on that side. ANI's website shows Borek Twin Otters, too. One season there was a Basler turbine DC-3 at McMurdo, and another season an NZ turbine Commander was doing aerial mapping stuff, but I think that was a fluke. Not much opportunity for US civilian fixed-wing. Too bad, I'd go back in a flash for a flying gig (used to run heavy equipment in airstrip support ops).