ACASS flies maiden flight to Antarctica in Falcon 8X
ACASS has completed its first mission to Antarctica using a Dassault Falcon 8X. The flight from Cape Town, South Africa to Wolf’s Fang Runway, Antarctica took place on October 28th.
“Flights to and from Antarctica are exceptionally rare and complex due to the extreme environmental conditions, logistical challenges, and regulatory coordination required,” said Derek Holter, vice president of Operations, ACASS.
The flight transported eight team members from luxury holiday company White Desert Antarctica and a San Marino CAA inspector. The maiden flight is the first of seven scheduled for the ACASS-operated Falcon over the 11-week Wolf’s Fang operating season. Only 10 business aviation flights are scheduled for the whole season.
Holter explained the complex planning undertaken by ACASS, White Desert, San Marino and South African aviation authorities, and other stakeholders before the flight could take off. “Multi-jurisdiction coordination and the unique flight environment of Antarctica make this operation a significant milestone for ACASS,” said Holter. “Along with our international experience and commitment to safety, we pride ourselves on operating in the most challenging regions of the world. But Antarctica was the one continent we hadn’t conquered. With the expertise of our outstanding crew and fantastic support from White Desert, now we have.”
Meanwhile, in May the business aviation services revealed it had grown its managed fleet with the addition of four new aircraft: a Praetor 500, a Citation X, a Gulfstream G700 and a Global XRS.
