LC-130's

The Lockheed Martin LC-130's of the New York Air National Guard (NYANG) in Antarctica.

The primary mission of the LC-130 is supporting the scientific community in Antarctica by transporting cargo and personnel from the McMurdo Station to field stations and camps, including the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

LC-130

Take off from the skiway (snowpacked runway).

Sitting on the wheels, with the ski's up.

Sitting on the ski's with the wheels up.

 

 The cockpit, Control Central, crew of 6.

Cargo bay with web seating on the sides for passengers.

The toilet.

The tail from the inside. The bottom ramp (front)

 goes down and the top (back) raises up.

The tail with ramps closed.

Tail of Skier #96

Jet assisted Take off rocket bays.

Used for heavy loads or bad skiway conditions.

The aircraft are equipped with retractable skis that allow the aircraft to land on snow and ice as well as on conventional runways. The aircraft have provisions for using jet-assisted-takeoff (JATO) rockets, four on each side of the aircraft, that are used when the LC-130 operates from rough, unprepared snow surfaces or when shorter takeoff runs are needed.

The Navy Antarctic Development Squadron Six (First designated VX-6, then VXE-6 from 1969) originally operated the LC-130 aircraft.  VXE-6 was home based at the Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island and later at the Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. Operation of the aircraft was transferred in the late 1990s to the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard when Navy support of the Antarctic program was terminated.

Currently all LC-130 aircraft are operated by the New York Air National Guard (NYANG) and are based at the Air National Guard's facility at Schenectady County Airport.  

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport aircraft. Hercules serve with more than 60 nations.

The C-130 entered service with U.S. in the 1950s. The C-130 family has the longest continuous production run of any military aircraft in history. The C-130 is also the only military aircraft to remain in continuous production for 50 years. The newest version is the updated C-130J Super Hercules. Production of C-130's is in Marietta, Georgia, where over 2,300 have been built through 2009.