Australia-Antarctica air link opens

[alferret]

A historic passenger jet flight from Australia to Antarctica touched down smoothly on a blue ice runway Friday, launching the only regular airlink between the continents.

Some half a century since the idea of a runway on Antarctica was first raised, the Airbus A319 from Hobart landed at Wilkins near the Australian Antarctic Division's Casey Station.

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There they go to study among other things global warming and in doing so dump tons of Co2 right in the heart of the area where ozone levels are the lowest

[foreverwar]

It's CFCs that (mainly) cause the problems with the Ozone layer.

CO2 absorbs infra-red, which can contribute to a rise in temperatures.

And as the article states -
"means Australia has joined other Antarctic nations, including the United States, that have regular air contact with scientific bases there.
It also heralds a new era of Australian research in the Antarctic, with a 4.5-hour flight now an alternative to a five-week sea voyage."

[WHISTLED]

I read earlier the run way was made/cut using lasers - Now i bet thats an expensive bit of kit

[Osem]

Ironinc really since our antipodean 'friends' are some of the world's worst polluters.

[Xaccers]

Originally Posted by WHISTLED

I read earlier the run way was made/cut using lasers - Now i bet thats an expensive bit of kit

They used lasers to ensure it was level, like those laser spirit levels you get from B&Q.
They didn't carve the ice with lasers.

[lostandconfused]

Originally Posted by WHISTLED

I read earlier the run way was made/cut using lasers - Now i bet thats an expensive bit of kit

i would imagine it would depend if they attatched them to sharks or not...