Wilkins Aerodrome is an established ice runway, located 70kms from Casey Station. The site was selected because it is over 700 metres above sea level and remains at temperature below freezing. After completing ‘proving’ and certification flights during the 2006/07 summer and earlier in the 2007/08 summer - the A319 landed at Wilkins Runway at 11:45pm on the 10th of January 2008. This was the first official intercontinental flight carrying passengers to land on the Australian Antarctic Territory.
The following link is the media release of that auspicious day
Also facts about Wilkins Aerodrome
1 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
Ginger at the Casey Skiway - 2 Casa 212’s were used to fly passengers and baggage to and from Wilkins - 7:59pm 10th January 2008
The Casa 212 was first introduced into the Australian Antarctic flying program during the 2004/05 summer. The planes were named Gadget and Ginger by Australian school children after two huskies that served with Australian scientist and polar explorer Douglas Mawson on his 1911–1914 expedition.
2 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
Readying Ginger and Gadget at the Casey Skiway - 2 Casa 212’s were used to fly passengers and baggage to and from Wilkins - 8:05pm 10th January 2008
The Casa 212 was first introduced into the Australian Antarctic flying program during the 2004/05 summer. The planes were named Gadget and Ginger by Australian school children after two huskies that served with Australian scientist and polar explorer Douglas Mawson on his 1911–1914 expedition.
3 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
Gadget at the Casey Skiway - 2 Casa 212’s were used to fly passengers and baggage to and from Wilkins - 8:07pm 10th January 2008
The Casa 212 was first introduced into the Australian Antarctic flying program during the 2004/05 summer. The planes were named Gadget and Ginger by Australian school children after two huskies that served with Australian scientist and polar explorer Douglas Mawson on his 1911–1914 expedition.
4 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
After a short 70km flight the Casa 212 landed at Wilkins Runway - 9:44pm 10th January 2008
5 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
After a 4 hour flight from Hobart the A319 is on final approach to Wilkins Runway - 11:43pm 10th January 2008
6 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
The A319 touched down on the Wilkins Runway at 11:45pm, then taxied to the very end of the runway before turning around then making it’s way back along the 3.5km length onto the groomed apron near the Wilkins camp - 11:55pm 10th January 2008
7 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
The A319 came to a stop, then the ground crew brought the stairs to the rear aircraft door so passengers could disembark - 11:58pm 10th January 2008
7 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
At 00:05am the door to the A319 opened and the first person to walk down the stairs was Peter Garrett who was the Minister for the Environment. He was followed by an entourage of dignitaries, journalists and 7 scientists . After touring the Wilkins camp Peter, media and AAD staff boarded a Casa 212 and took off for a hour long flight over the Totten and Vanderford glaciers - 00:34am 11th January 2008
9 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
View from the stairs up against the A319 - 01:42am 11th January 2008
10 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
View from the A319 through a port side window - looking across the park apron at the Wilkins camp - 01:45am 11th January 2008
11 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
The sun rises just above the horizon. The temperature was -16º C (3º F) with a 30 to 35 km/h easterly wind - 11:49am 11th January 2008
12 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
The Casa 212 with dignitaries and media journalists on board return to Wilkins - 01:50am 11th January 2008
12 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
Casa 212, Expeditioner, Hägglunds and the A319 silhouetted agains the sunrise - 02:07am 11th January 2008
14 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
Casa 212 (Gadget) basks in the golden sunrise glow on the Wilkins Runway apron - the runway markers and windsock can be seen to the right of the aircraft - 02:15am 11th January 2008
15 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
The A319 in the golden glow of sunrise - 02:16am 11th January 2008
16 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
Me - Barend (Barry) Becker, in front of the A319 at Wilkins Runway - 02:17am 11th January 2008
17 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
The A319 in the golden glow of sunrise at Wilkins Runway - 02:18am 11th January 2008
18 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
The A319 in the golden glow of sunrise at Wilkins Runway - 02:19am 11th January 2008
19 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
After a group photo in front of the A319 Peter Garrett signed an expeditioner’s guitar - 02:20am 11th January 2008
20 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
The sun low on the horizon casts a golden glow over the A319 - 02:23am 11th January 2008
21 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
After the group photo I had the opportunity to have my picture taken with Peter Garrett - 02:24am 11th January 2008
22 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
Just before his departure Peter was given Antarctic expeditioner status by one of the Casey crew - 02:25am 11th January 2008
23 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
Getting ready for departure from Wilkins Runway of the A319’s inaugural passenger carrying flight to Wilkins - 02:27am 11th January 2008
24 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
The A319 took off from Wilkins Runway and headed back to Hobart - 02:47am 11th January 2008
25 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
After the A319 left the Casa 212 (Gadget) made a trip to Casey skiway with the 7 newly arrived scientists. Gadget returned to Wilkins and we loaded her up with Cargo - 04:27am 11th January 2008
26 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
After loading Gadget, 5 of us boarded her and we took off from Wilkins just after 04:40am. It was a perfect morning for flying. Took this photo of the crevasse field on the ice - 04:51am 11th January 2008
27 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
On the flight from Wilkins to Casey skiway - this photo shows the distant ‘road’ from Casey Station to Wilkins Runway with the other ‘road’ heading south to Robinson Ridge and beyond - 04:55am 11th January 2008
28 - Inaugural flight of the Airbus A319 to and from Wilkins Runway
After landing at the Casey skiway we unloaded the plane and then after loading the Hägglund we made our way down to the Station. Arrived back at 05:45am. I had commenced my Forecasting shift at 7am the previous morning. So ended an amazing and memorable 24 hours - this pic 05:04am 11th January 2008
