This extraordinary event unfolded at Troll Airfield, where a “blue ice runway” measuring 3,000 meters (9840 feet) in length and 60 meters (100 feet) in width, crafted from the surrounding snow and ice, played host to the Dreamliner’s touchdown.
This momentous landing occurred during the bright sunlight of the southern hemisphere’s summer. It marks the inaugural arrival of a Dreamliner, a widebody aircraft capable of accommodating up to 330 passengers depending on the model, on the continent of Antarctica. However, it’s essential to note that this flight, numbered N0787, was not your typical passenger route. On board were 45 passengers, including scientists from the Norwegian Polar Institute, who had chartered the flight to transport both themselves and a significant 12-ton cargo of research equipment to the Troll research station in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica.
The journey was no mere hop across the ocean; the plane embarked on its expedition from Oslo on November 13, with a layover in Cape Town before its final push southward for the historic landing. The Dreamliner’s substantial cargo capacity made it the perfect choice for this mission, as Daniel Carey of Aircontact, the flight’s broker, pointed out. Furthermore, the aircraft’s fuel efficiency played a crucial role, enabling the Dreamliner to complete the round trip from Cape Town to Antarctica without the need for refueling.
Norse Atlantic Airways CEO Bjørn Tore Larsen expressed his pride in achieving this momentous feat, stating, “It is a great honor and excitement on behalf of the entire team Norse that we have achieved together a momentous moment of landing the first 787 Dreamliner.” Larsen added, “In the spirit of exploration, we are proud to have a hand in this important and unique mission. It is a true testament to our highly trained and skilled pilots and crew, and our state-of-the-art Boeing aircraft.”
Camilla Brekke, the director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, emphasized the environmental significance of using larger and more modern aircraft for this mission. “The most crucial aspect is the environmental gain we can achieve by using large and modern aircraft… [which] can help reduce overall emissions and the environmental footprint in Antarctica,” she stated. “Landing such a large aircraft opens up entirely new possibilities for logistics at Troll, which will also contribute to strengthening Norwegian research in Antarctica.” This remarkable achievement marks a significant step forward in the pursuit of sustainable exploration and research in the pristine continent of Antarctica.