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Coordinates: 77°57′48″S 166°31′28″E / 77.96333°S 166.52444°E / -77.96333; 166.52444
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Has been replaced. Link Black Island. Avoid duplication of information which properly belongs on Phoenix Airfield as it is related more to the development of that airfield.
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'''Pegasus Field''' {{airport codes||NZPG}} was an airstrip in [[Antarctica]], the southernmost of three airfields serving [[McMurdo Station]]. It closed due to excessive melting in the summer season caused by warmer temperatures combined with dust and dirt blown in from nearby [[Black Island (Ross Archipelago)|Black Island]]. The last flight was on December 8, 2016<ref>[https://newsroomplus.com/2016/12/09/nzdf-airlift-missions-renew-lifeline-for-scientists-in-antarctica/ NZDF Airlift Missions Renew Lifeline For Scientists In Antarctica]</ref> and it was replaced by [[Phoenix Airfield]] {{airport codes||NZFX}}<ref>http://www.gcmap.com/airport/NZFX</ref><ref name=USAPIAOM>[https://www.usap.gov/logistics/documents/FY16_Air-Operation-Manual.pdf US Antarctic Program Inter-agency Air Operations Manual - United States Antarctic Program]</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.usap.gov/News/contentHandler.cfm?id=4212 | title=A New Runway for McMurdo Station is Named| publisher=National Science Foundation| date=7 April 2016}}</ref> with flights expected to start in February 2017.<ref>[https://www.usap.gov/logistics/documents/FY16_Air-Operation-Manual.pdf US Antarctic Program Inter-agency Air Operations Manual - United States Antarctic Program]</ref>
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'''Pegasus Field''' {{airport codes||NZPG}} is an airstrip in [[Antarctica]], the southernmost of three airfields serving [[McMurdo Station]]. Pegasus was originally conceived as a blue ice runway capable of handling wheeled aircraft year-round, but as it was developed, it was enhanced with a 4-inch layer of compacted snow on top—thus more properly characterizing it as a white ice runway.
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<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.amc.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-151105-042.pdf | title=Operation Deep Freeze--50 Years of Air Force Airlift in Antarctica 1956-2006 (page 265)| first=Ellery D.| last=Wallwork| date=October 2006 }}</ref> The other two are the snow runways at [[Williams Field]] {{airport codes||NZWD}} that are limited to ski-equipped aircraft, and the [[Ice Runway]] <!-- This is not a description this is the Airport's Name -->{{airport codes||NZIR}} on the sea-ice available during the summer Antarctic field season.


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Pegasus was originally conceived as a blue ice runway capable of handling wheeled aircraft year-round, but as it was developed, it was enhanced with a 4-inch layer of compacted snow on top—thus more properly characterizing it as a white ice runway.
The airstrip is set to be replaced by [[Phoenix Airfield]] {{airport codes||NZFX}}<ref>http://www.gcmap.com/airport/NZFX</ref> in 2017.<ref name=USAPIAOM>[https://www.usap.gov/logistics/documents/FY16_Air-Operation-Manual.pdf US Antarctic Program Inter-agency Air Operations Manual - United States Antarctic Program]</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.usap.gov/News/contentHandler.cfm?id=4212 | title=A New Runway for McMurdo Station is Named| publisher=National Science Foundation| date=7 April 2016}}</ref>
⚫
<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.amc.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-151105-042.pdf | title=Operation Deep Freeze--50 Years of Air Force Airlift in Antarctica 1956-2006 (page 265)| first=Ellery D.| last=Wallwork| date=October 2006 }}</ref> Other local runways are the snow runways at [[Williams Field]] {{airport codes||NZWD}} that are limited to ski-equipped aircraft, and the [[Ice Runway]] <!-- This is not a description this is the Airport's Name -->{{airport codes||NZIR}} on the sea-ice available during the summer Antarctic field season.


The field is named after ''Pegasus'', a C-121 [[Lockheed Constellation]], still visible there in the snow after crashing in bad weather on October 8, 1970. No one on board was injured.
The field was named after ''Pegasus'', a C-121 [[Lockheed Constellation]], still visible there in the snow after crashing in bad weather on October 8, 1970. No one on board was injured.


On September 11, 2008, a United States Air Force [[Boeing C-17 Globemaster III|C-17 Globemaster III]] successfully completed the first landing in Antarctica using [[night-vision goggles]] at Pegasus Field.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/features/contenthandler.cfm?id=1544 | title=Air Force successfully tests new capability to fly any time of year to McMurdo| work=Antarctic Sun|first=Peter| last=Rejcek| date=September 26, 2008}}</ref> Previously air transport in the permanent darkness of the winter was only used in emergencies, with burning barrels of fuel to outline the runway.
On September 11, 2008, a United States Air Force [[Boeing C-17 Globemaster III|C-17 Globemaster III]] successfully completed the first landing in Antarctica using [[night-vision goggles]] at Pegasus Field.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/features/contenthandler.cfm?id=1544 | title=Air Force successfully tests new capability to fly any time of year to McMurdo| work=Antarctic Sun|first=Peter| last=Rejcek| date=September 26, 2008}}</ref> Previously air transport in the permanent darkness of the winter was only used in emergencies, with burning barrels of fuel to outline the runway.

In recent seasons, Pegasus has been plagued with warmer temperatures combined with dust and dirt blown in from nearby Black Island, causing excessive melting making the runway unusable at the end of the summer season. Accordingly, Pegasus, and the Ice Runway (which has not been consistently used in recent years), were planned to be replaced with a new "Alpha Runway" which will be near Williams Field and be constructed using compressed snow technology. A search for a replacement site began in 2014; serious construction began during the 2015-16 summer. The new runway is about 3 miles northwest of Pegasus, to be out of the wind patterns for the Black Island dust. It is based completely on compacted snow, rather than the "blue ice" base under Pegasus. On 7 April 2016 the National Science Foundation officially announced that the new runway would be named the Phoenix Airfield<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.usap.gov/News/contentHandler.cfm?id=4212 | title=A New Runway for McMurdo Station is Named| publisher=National Science Foundation| date=7 April 2016}}</ref> after the name of a propeller-driven C-121 Constellation transport plane which was flown between Christchurch and McMurdo by the U.S. Navy VX-6 squadron during the 1960s through 1971.

Pegasus Airfield closed after the last flight on December 8, 2016.<ref>[https://newsroomplus.com/2016/12/09/nzdf-airlift-missions-renew-lifeline-for-scientists-in-antarctica/ NZDF Airlift Missions Renew Lifeline For Scientists In Antarctica]</ref> Phoenix Airfield is expected to open on February 1, 2017<ref>[https://www.usap.gov/logistics/documents/FY16_Air-Operation-Manual.pdf US Antarctic Program Inter-agency Air Operations Manual - United States Antarctic Program]</ref>


==Gallery==
==Gallery==

Revision as of 15:22, 13 January 2017

Pegasus Field
White ice runway at Pegasus Field
Summary
LocationMcMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica
Elevation AMSL18 ft / 5 m
Coordinates77°57′48″S 166°31′28″E / 77.96333°S 166.52444°E / -77.96333; 166.52444
Map
NZPG is located in Antarctica
NZPG
NZPG
Location of airfield in Antarctica
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
15/33 10,000 3,048 Ice
08/26 10,000 3,048 Ice

Pegasus Field (ICAO: NZPG) was an airstrip in Antarctica, the southernmost of three airfields serving McMurdo Station. It closed due to excessive melting in the summer season caused by warmer temperatures combined with dust and dirt blown in from nearby Black Island. The last flight was on December 8, 2016[4] and it was replaced by Phoenix Airfield (ICAO: NZFX)[5][6][7] with flights expected to start in February 2017.[8]

Pegasus was originally conceived as a blue ice runway capable of handling wheeled aircraft year-round, but as it was developed, it was enhanced with a 4-inch layer of compacted snow on top—thus more properly characterizing it as a white ice runway. [9] Other local runways are the snow runways at Williams Field (ICAO: NZWD) that are limited to ski-equipped aircraft, and the Ice Runway (ICAO: NZIR) on the sea-ice available during the summer Antarctic field season.

The field was named after Pegasus, a C-121 Lockheed Constellation, still visible there in the snow after crashing in bad weather on October 8, 1970. No one on board was injured.

On September 11, 2008, a United States Air Force C-17 Globemaster III successfully completed the first landing in Antarctica using night-vision goggles at Pegasus Field.[10] Previously air transport in the permanent darkness of the winter was only used in emergencies, with burning barrels of fuel to outline the runway.

  • United States Air Force C-5 Galaxy being off-loaded at Pegasus Field.
    United States Air Force C-5 Galaxy being off-loaded at Pegasus Field.
  • RNZAF Boeing 757 lands at Pegasus Airfield on the Ross Ice Shelf during its maiden flight to Antarctica.
    RNZAF Boeing 757 lands at Pegasus Airfield on the Ross Ice Shelf during its maiden flight to Antarctica.

References

  1. ^ Template:WAD
  2. ^ Airport information for NZPG at Great Circle Mapper. Source: DAFIF (effective October 2006).
  3. ^ USAP.gov US Antarctic Program Inter-agency Air Operations Manual
  4. ^ NZDF Airlift Missions Renew Lifeline For Scientists In Antarctica
  5. ^ http://www.gcmap.com/airport/NZFX
  6. ^ US Antarctic Program Inter-agency Air Operations Manual - United States Antarctic Program
  7. ^ "A New Runway for McMurdo Station is Named". National Science Foundation. 7 April 2016.
  8. ^ US Antarctic Program Inter-agency Air Operations Manual - United States Antarctic Program
  9. ^ Wallwork, Ellery D. (October 2006). "Operation Deep Freeze--50 Years of Air Force Airlift in Antarctica 1956-2006 (page 265)" (PDF).
  10. ^ Rejcek, Peter (September 26, 2008). "Air Force successfully tests new capability to fly any time of year to McMurdo". Antarctic Sun.
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