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NEWS | AW169 in CN CHINARE

CHINARE AW169 MedEvac in Antarctica

An Australian, USA and Chinese joint 5-day medical evacuation operation completed at Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) Davis research station in East Antarctica involving ships, planes and also an AW169 helicopter from the Chinese Antarctica Research Expedition (CHINARE)





CHINARE AW169 MedEvac in Antarctica
Australian Antarctic Program, December 29, 2020 - The Australian Antarctic Division has successfully completed a complex and challenging medical evacuation of an Australian expeditioner from Antarctica.

The medevac was a multinational effort involving the Australian, United States and Chinese Antarctic Programs, using a logistical network of ships, helicopters and planes covering thousands of kilometres in east Antarctica.

AAD Director Kim Ellis said the five-day operation reflects the very best of international cooperation in Antarctica.

“Antarctica really brings nations together to support each other in our operations,” Mr Ellis said.

“We’ve been doing these medevacs for a long time, but this particular operation was in the very best spirit of that multinational cooperation.”

Fortunately for the operation, the Chinese icebreaker MV Xue Long 2 was in transit to Zhongshan station, near Davis research station. The ship’s helicopters were deployed to transfer a team from Davis to a site 40 kilometres inland to build a ski-way, before transferring the patient.

A United States ski-equipped Basler aircraft flew 2200 kilometres from the US station McMurdo to Australia’s Wilkins Aerodrome, near Casey station, where it picked up an Australian doctor.

The plane then flew to the ski-way near Davis station, a 2800 kilometre round trip, to transfer the patient and return to Wilkins Aerodrome.

Australia’s Airbus A319 flew from Hobart to Wilkins Aerodrome to pick up the patient, returning to Hobart on the afternoon of 24 December.

Australia does not have small ski-equipped intra-continental aircraft this summer, due to concerns over introducing COVID-19 to Antarctica.

“We’re extraordinarily grateful to the Chinese and US Antarctic Programs for the fact that they were able to change their operating models and come to our assistance,” said Mr Ellis.

“I’m particularly grateful to the Australian expeditioners who displayed courage and resilience and skill, deploying to remote airfields and ski-ways and working in tough conditions.”

“The synergy of operating capabilities, incredible expertise and a favourable weather window enabled us to bring the patient back from Antarctica to Australia within a week,” he said.

The patient’s medical condition is not COVID-19 related. For reasons of medical confidentiality, no further information about the patient will be provided.

Antarctic Ice Runways Under Construction For Medevac


Australian Antarctic Program - December 21, 2020 - Work has begun on constructing two Antarctic ice runways to use in the medevac of a patient from Australia’s Davis research station.

Late yesterday a team of five, with more than 1000 kilograms of equipment, was flown by Chinese helicopter to the ski landing area, on the ice plateau behind Davis station.

The expeditioners will spend three to five days building the two kilometre ski-way to receive a Basler aircraft later in the week.

1400 kilometres away at Australia’s Wilkins Aerodrome, near Casey station, another crew of eight is preparing a three-and-a-half kilometre glacial runway.

Australian Antarctic Division Director, Kim Ellis, said this medevac is taking place across thousands of kilometres of the Antarctic continent, with the support of the Chinese and United States Antarctic Programs.

“We are really pleased this first stage of this multi-phased operation, involving helicopters, planes and ships, is underway,” Mr Ellis said.

“Both runway teams will be proof-rolling and tillering the landing surface, to ensure there is enough friction for planes to land.”

Australia does not have its own small intra-continental aviation this summer season due to COVID-19 precautions.

“A United States Basler will be used in the medevac, flying from McMurdo station to Wilkins Aerodrome in the next few days.”

“An Australian doctor will then join the crew, before flying a return trip to Davis to pick up the patient.”

“Of course overlaying this entire operation is the factor we can’t control, which is the Antarctic weather, but we are hoping the weather windows at both locations will line up.”

Once at Wilkins, the patient will either be transferred to Australia on the Airbus A319 and flown back to Hobart, or if the ice temperatures are not cold enough for a larger plane to land, return by ship in January.

Precautions to prevent the introduction of COVID-19 to Antarctica are being taken including periods of quarantine, social distancing and deep cleans of the aircraft being used.

The medical condition is not COVID-19 related.


CHINARE AW169 MedEvac in Antarctica
MV Xue Long 2 Chinese Antarctica Research Expedition (CHINARE)


CHINARE AW169 MedEvac in Antarctica
Australian Antarctic Division (AAD Davis research station





helicopter
Aircraft mentioned in this article :
AW169 B-70C0     ( CHINARE )

Location : AQ Davis Station

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AW169 in CN CHINARE




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