Leaving on an Ilyushin

20/11/2010

12:30am

We have just taken off on the Ilyushin. The six hour journey to the frozen continent and the second leg of my journey has commenced. And what a take off!!! I will be posting the footage on Youtube one day but until that footage hit's the internet I can only describe to you in good old fashioned prose what the take off was like. I should really begin by describing this classic Russian freighter.

The Ilyushin 67TD as used by ALCI (Antarctic Logistics Centre International) is a converted transporter used to move freight and people to and from the Russian base Novo in east Antarctica. ALCI is a non profit making organisation and it's all about the countries who have signed up to the Antarctic Treaty pooling resources to get the job done. Cash does change hands (it cost £12k to put me on this flight) but there is some political 'horse trading' that takes place too. So BAS utilise the Ilyushin service to get their people and some freight into Antarctica.

The TD variant of the Ilyushin was built in the 80's as a commercial / military freighter so it's inside was hollow and cavernous and there was minimal noise proofing except for that given by the actual skin of the fuselage. The ALCI conversion has seen the installation of 80 seats, two chemical toilets of the music festival persuasion and some national flags of the treaty signatories that pull the whole room together. There has been no effort to implement sound proofing and I write this with a pair of ear plugs wedged well and truly into my ear canals and, to be honest, they're really not making that much difference. There are no passenger windows on the 67TD so, to compensate, ALCI have implemented a nose cam. A digital projector and screen have been set set up to display the take off and landing.

So, the take off. The aircraft is marshalled from it's stand and proceeds to the runway piano keys. It's a unique opportunity to be given the chance to see a 'pilots eye' view of this manoeuvre. On the piano keys the Ilyushin then proceeds to throttle up to full power whilst on it's brakes. The noise is absolutely deafening! When full thrust is achieved and maintained (for what seems to be an age) the brakes are released and the freighter shoots off down the runway with a fair amount of acceleration pushing the passengers well into their seats. And all this is relayed via the nose cam for the customers enjoyment. Unbelievably, one of my colleagues whom is sitting to my right slept through the whole thing.

Next stop Novo.

17:30

The Ilyushin landed at Novo at 3.20am. The ice landing was spectacular and exhilarating. As it was an ice runway the actual 'landing strip' could not really be defined. Nobody was breathing as the aircraft hit the ice and seemed to take an age to come to a standstill. Once the aircraft stopped the pilot was awarded a huge cheer from the passengers. It was a unique experience.

We then disembarked on to the ice. I had arrived. I still can't believe that I'm here. The fact that it was so bloody cold reminded me that I was. A slight though cutting wind was also present. It was a beautiful morning though with the sky a clear blue. It goes without saying that you would be blind without the sun shades on. The glare without them is unbearable.

The aircraft was then unloaded and we were eventually shown to our transit accommodation where we may be staying for up to three days before a weather window appears that will allow us to fly into Halley. Then again, we may leave tomorrow. Until we do we shall be twiddling our thumbs. We're trying to arrange a visit to the Russian and Indian bases to keep us busy if our stay at Novo is extended. The Ilyushin will be taking off at 9.30pm so that should be a spectacle.