13/01/2006 - Two helicopters
carrying engineers have reached the grounded
aircraft in Antarctica.
The Squirrel helicopters carrying two engineers,
repair equipment and additional supplies
arrived on site just before 4pm Australian
Eastern Summer Time today.
The engineers will assess damage to the
CASA 212 aircraft, which became grounded
around 400 nautical miles inland from Davis
station, after sustaining damage during
take-off eight days ago (5 January 2006).
The three people on board the aircraft
- the pilot, first officer and aircraft
ground support officer - are fine with all
the necessary equipment and supplies for
the conditions.
The helicopters left Beaver Lake at 1.45pm
AEST when the previously troublesome weather
conditions cleared enough to allow the flight
to go ahead.
Earlier today additional fuel supplies
had been ferried to Beaver Lake, 180 nautical
miles from the grounded CASA, in anticipation
of the flight.
The Australian Antarctic Division's Air
Transport Manager Charlton Clark said that
it would take some time to properly assess
the damage to the aircraft.
