An LC-130 at South Pole. When these planes
are unloading and loading, they never turn off their engines. They might
not be able to start them again if they do. (I presume they do shut
off their engines if they are significantly delayed, of course. I'm
sure there are procedures for warming the aircraft back up. They just
aren't usually worth the effort).
Almost everything - material, personnel,
fuel - is brought to the Pole by LC-130s, though occasionally a few
Baslers (a modified DC-3), Twin Otters, and - rarely - overland transport
bring in people and supplies. But the LC-130 is the workhorse.
Nov 2007
