Russian aircraft field training trip, Saturday 26th July 2014
This week at Mawson three outdoors-people were selected from the small pool of eligible expeditioners to do a day trip to the mangled Russian aircraft that lies in a crevasse field approximately ten or so kilometres from station. The day trip was to be used as a form of crevasse field travel training.
The Aircraft, a Lisunov Li-2T, was brought to Antarctica by the Soviet Antarctic Program in 1958 and was utilised for about ten years until two days before Christmas in 1968 when, while taxiing for a takeoff from Rumdoodle, the aircraft was caught by a strong gust of wind and damage to a wing and propeller ensued. The aircraft was unserviceable and shortly after was blown to its current resting place during a blizzard. It is rumoured that the pilot was dismissed from the Soviet Antarctic Program and sent to Siberia for a month, a cruel punishment for such a small mistake. His fate beyond that is unknown.
Below I have included the trip plan for the excursion:
From waypoint RUSS0 it is just under one kilometre to the Russian Aircraft.
Walking time — approx one hour each way therefore allow two and a half hours for a return trip Hägglunds to Hägglunds.
Weather outlook: Fine, SE 10–15 knots, −25°C to −28°C
Meet at 0830 and check everyone has all personal gear below and lunch/snacks etc for the day.
Depart Mawson at 0930 in Hägglunds for waypoint F14. Drive to waypoint RUSS0 using caution and park here. On route training will be more around pointing out the hazards and what to look and listen for while also fine tuning walking as a roped party. Turnaround time will be 1400 on the plateau. Drive back to Mawson and be back on station by 1730.
Comms: everyone to carry a radio plus spare battery. Will radio upon leaving station on CH7, radio in at waypoint GWAMM on CH20 to VLV Mawson for a radio check. Notify VLV Mawson on arrival at waypoint F14. Will notify VLV Mawson if we do drive to waypoint RUSS0 and park there. Will radio VLV Mawson once back at Hägglunds / waypoint RUSS0 or waypoint F14. Notify VLV Mawson on arrival back on station. Will carry a SAT phone with us also.
Equipment
Personal gear each:
- Personal technical search and rescue equipment
- Pack large enough to carry gear, and comfortable
- Spare warm gear
- Rigid plastic boots
- Crampons
- Thermos
- Water bottle
- Spare warm clothes
- Lunch/snacks
- Survival equipment
- Goggles/warm face gear
- GPS + navigational aids
- Radio + spare battery
- Pee bottle
Group gear:
- Glacier rope x 1
- Snow stakes x 3
- First aid kit x 2
- Satellite phone
- GPS + navigational aids
- Radio + spare battery
- Pee bottle