Big John wrote:
Been a small flame and here is some fuel for a big flame.

A lot of people posting need to research the Treaties, rules and
regulations for any type operations in Antarctica. Also if one reads
old and current history there are multitudes of stories about the Wx
changes within 10-15 minutes with very high winds coming up and zero
visibility lasting for days. Wx forecasting down there is more of an
art than a science. With any sense you don't fly into that area
without lots of backup and alternate options. Particularly in a GA
bird.

Way back when I was just a tadpole on my pappy's knee, he was an aviator
in VX-6, the Navy's Antarctic Exploration Squadron (formerly known as
the Puckered Penguins, which had a cool patch that showed a shnockered
penguin with a bottle of XXX in one flipper and a cigar in the other,
which they then changed later to a kinder/gentler "Ice Pirates", which
sure sounded a little too much like A-- Pirates to me). Those guys flew
down to "the ice" in their DC-4s, with a few weather ships stationed
along the way, and their spinning compasses, etc. Once there after many
turnbacks at the point-of-no-return, they would lose a few planes each
season, as they went where no man had gone before. High adventure, baby!
I have a special place in my heart for Antartic aviators.

I applaud our Aussie friend for going for it, treaties and weather be
damned. Rules are for regular people. He took the big odds in a
calculated risk. Power to him. I can just imagine hour after hour over
the loneliest, most unfriendly to life terrain on this planet, bar no
other. Like an endless 0/0 night carrier landing. In a homebuilt that
could have come out of my garage, if I had half the cajones. I salute
you, my friend.

Mike