November 1, 1996

Helicopter Training Course.

Today, I reported to the helicopter pad for a course in helicopter safety and training. In this, I was joined by a mix of Navy and other support personnel, who would be doing some flying in and around the McMurdo Sound area and particularly out to the McMurdo Dry Valleys, on the western side of the Ross Sea. Helicopter support is an essential aspect of field work in Antarctica.

As the Navy is gradually phasing out its presence in Antarctica, more of the logistical support for the US Antarctic Program is being contracted out to private hands. This year, the Navy no longer provides helicopter, or helo, support. Through the government's Office of Aircraft Services, a Louisiana-based company called Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. has taken over this task. They provide a modest fleet of 4 helos: one Bell 212 (pictured at the top of this page), which is a civilian version of the military's Huey and 3 smaller French A Star AS 350 B2 helos. Each aircraft has only one pilot and no crew; we are the crew for any given flight. So, a certain amount training was in order.

The instructor for the course was John Burke. John is a helo-based firefighter from Alaska with many years of bush experience; it is his first trip to the ice. John brings an enthusiasm for helos and for flying that is obvious in his instruction. We covered various aspects of helo flight procedures, loading, safety and crash protocols as well as basic principles of how these machines fly--what they can and cannot do. Most of us had had some prior flight experience, although mine was in childhood and, as we face the prospect of being our own crew, we were attentive to the details and information that was passed on to us!

John Burke in front of a French A Star AS 350 B2 helo.