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Pegasus Field

Coordinates: 77°57′48″S 166°31′28″E / 77.96333°S 166.52444°E / -77.96333; 166.52444
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77°57′48″S 166°31′28″E / 77.96333°S 166.52444°E / -77.96333; 166.52444

Pegasus Field
White ice runway at Pegasus Field
  • IATA: none
  • ICAO: NZPG
    Location of Pegasus Field in Antarctica
    Location of Pegasus Field in Antarctica
    NZPG
    Location of airfield in Antarctica
Summary
LocationMcMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica
Elevation AMSL18 ft / 5 m
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
15/33 10,000 3,048 Ice
Source: DAFIF [1][2]

Pegasus Field (ICAO: NZPG) is an airstrip in Antarctica, the southernmost of three airfields serving McMurdo Station. Pegasus is a blue ice runway capable of handling wheeled aircraft year-round. The other two 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 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.

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.[3] Previously air transport in the permanent darkness of the winter was only used in emergencies, with burning barrels of fuel to outline the runway.

Pegasus and the Ice Runway are planned to be replaced with a new "Alpha Runway" which will be near Williams Field and be constructed using compressed snow technology[citation needed]

  • 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 lands at Pegasus Airfield on the Ross Ice Shelf during its maiden flight to Antarctica.
    RNZAF Boeing 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. ^ 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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