December 14 - Team is on the Ice

Unloading the Ilyushin jet on the Blue Ice RunwayThis is Wally Berg from the BAI office again.  I am happy to report that our team was off early this morning in the Russian Ilyushin Jet for Antarctica .  At 14: 20 local time they were “on deck” (they had landed) on the Blue Ice Runway at Patriot Hills.                                  

A short time later Bud Allen called his wife Terri in Georgia and reported that they had a “perfect flight”.  He sounded excited and kept talking about what an amazing, overwhelming experience it was to land on the ice and step out of the plane into the interior of Antarctica

Enjoying a bird's-eye view in the cockpit of the Ilyushin jetAt this time the team is waiting to be informed whether they will be flown directly to Vinson Base in a Twin Otter aircraft this afternoon.  We know they are busy as well as excited and we will wait until later when they get a chance to call in with more news.

For the time being we are thrilled for the team and knowing that Dave, Peter and Bud are in Antarctica and underway makes this an exciting time for all of us.  We will post news and updates from the team as they come in.