Lynden goes (way) down under to serve 7th continent [VIDEO]

It’s often impressive when a carrier or freight forwarder can say it is large enough to provide air cargo service to five or six continents across the globe. But how many can say they have flown goods to all seven?

At the end of November 2018, in the long daylight hours of the Southern Hemisphere’s late spring season, Seattle-based charter carrier Lynden Air Cargo completed a month-long project, carrying supplies from New Zealand to two Antarctic stations – the Italian-owned Mario Zucchelli Station and the American McMurdo Station.

“Antarctica was the final continent on our checklist,” said Rick Zerkel, president of Lynden Air Cargo. “Now we can cross it off.”

To supply the coldest, driest and most remote continent on Earth, Lynden began its mission on Oct. 30, at Christchurch International (CHC) in New Zealand, setting off on a 2,000-mile, 7-hour journey to the Zucchelli airfield in Antarctica’s Terra Nova Bay. Phoenix Field, at McMurdo Station, is another 300 miles and another hour farther south. Between Oct. 30 and Nov. 30, the cargo manifests included such varied items as two Squirrel helicopters, scientific equipment and food provisions to last through the brutal Austral winter.

To prevent fatigue, the mission was staffed by nine people – two captains, one first officer, three flight engineers, a loadmaster and two mechanics – all based in CHC, said Lynden’s Captain Pat Madland.

“With 98 percent of the continent covered in ice, there are no cities or villages,” said Adam Murray, Lynden’s director of business development and marketing. “We hope to provide this service next year and on an ongoing basis if possible.”

We know a lot of charter cargo carriers manage tough landings in remote locations, but check out this video from ItalAntartide, showing one of Lynden’s Lockheed L-382 Hercules freighters approaching the frozen runway at Phoenix Field:

https://www.facebook.com/italiantartide/videos/248446789184592/