 Jun 11 The Beginningmcintyrej, Ink and Bytes 
The 109th is based in Scotia at the Stratton Air National Guard base. They fly the C-130 Hercules aircraft, a four-engine, turbo propeller behemoth that can carry loads in excess of 150,000 lbs. The difference between the 109th and other units with the C-130s is the skis. The only planes of this type with skis are here and only here. This is why this unit is so important to missions in the Arctic and Antarctic... Continue Reading Jun 14 Flying with the 109th Video Prologuemcintyrej, Ink and Bytes
This is an introduction to the 109th and its planes.
Jun 16 The Waiting is the Hardest Partmcintyrej, Ink and Bytes  I am still trying to figure out this video thing. I will try to be a bit more descriptive when I am shooting. This is not something I am used to. As a journalist it is easy to write something and if you don’t like it, you change it. Video does not have the same ease of change. If you re-shoot the scene, the feel is gone. If you don’t re-shoot it you are stuck with what you may have said or forgot to say. I need to finish packing... Continue Reading Jun 17 Less than 12 hours to gomcintyrej, Ink and Bytes
Well, the bags are packed and I just need a final equipment check and I am ready…..I think.
I have a bag full of granola bars, some flavored water, a crap load of chewing gum, peanut butter, jelly and a loaf of bread. I used to live on this diet in College, but now it will fill in the gaps while flying. 05:30 is the “show time” (two words, not the movie channel) at the base tomorrow morning. Aren’t you glad that this is not a live blog? Each time the 109th flies, passengers and all crew must show up for briefings. The actual take off from Stratton will be around 8 a.m. See you tomorrow Jun 18 We are off and heremcintyrej, Ink and Bytes
We took off from Stratton just after 9 a.m. and touched down in Greenland around 3:30 p.m.
My comments about the ride: smooth sailing, but very loud. I will post video of the flight later tonight, when the Internet becomes available. I shared a compartment with 50,000 pounds of cargo and 20 people. My first impression of Greenland is: Lots of land, but not much green. The land is dotted with glacial lakes and fiords. We can see the Ice Sheet off in the distance. The temperature is about 60 degrees and the sun will not go down today... Continue Reading Jun 19 Day 2 – How do you know it is day?mcintyrej, Ink and Bytes  Because we are so close to the North Pole, the sun never sets. The longest day of the year means 24-hour a day sunlight. The Greenland population celebrate the longest day, June 21, as a national holiday similar to the US’s 4th of July. Kangerlussauq (pronounced Kanger-loose-waak) is made up of almost all Airport. What was the former Sonderstrom Air Force base became Kangerlussauq Airport Athority in 1992 when the US Military turned it over to Denmark. Although still a territory of Denmark, Greenland is governed by home rule. They have their own parliament and ministries of Government... Continue Reading
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Jun 20 Day 2 – Ravenmcintyrej, Ink and Bytes  The 109th’s load masters were busy yesterday morning preparing the C-130 cargo for runs to Summit (center of the ice cap) and North Grip (closest research station to the North Pole) for the National Science Foundation. The only problem is when the cargo arrived from NSF, the pallets were 50 percent heavier than expected. After rearranging cargo and balancing fuel amounts, the flight to summit took off. We found out later why the interaction between pilots, crews, maintenance and loaders is so important. At 1 p.m. crews had the plane to Raven ready for departure. Raven is only 80 miles from Kangerlussuaq just above the Arctic circle... Continue Reading Jun 20 Video- Day 2 Camp Ravenmcintyrej, Ink and Bytes
We traveled to the ice cap to practice landings, drop off supplies and pick up equipment. New snow and low visibility shortened the stay...
Continue Reading Jun 20 Day 3 - Staying in Kangerlussuaqmcintyrej, Ink and Bytes
Sometimes things are not meant to be. We could not go to Summit due to extra cargo needed at summit. We are shooting for tomorrow.
I am still processing all the video and pictures from yesterday. Still to come, pictures from the foot of the icecap as well as video. Jun 21 Day 3 – Hanging in Kangermcintyrej, Ink and Bytes  When temperatures are warm, the snow has a higher moisture content, or the skiway is not packed down enough the skis stick to the ground. The C-130s have rockets mounted on the outside of the plane to give it more speed down the skiway. Sometimes even extra thrust does not work. When traveling to the Ice Cap, an overnight stay is always a possibility. All crew and visitors have a cold-weather bag with arctic climate clothes. This is the lifeline of any crew. Yesterday the snow at Camp Raven was sticky and it took more than three miles of skiway to lift the plane off the ground... Continue Reading Jun 22 Day 4 – Summitmcintyrej, Ink and Bytes  The weather in Kangerlussuaq was about 55 degrees and sunny. Summit was not that warm. Say 7 degrees F and 25-45 Mph winds. It took two attempts to land on the skiway before we touched down. Visibility was poor at best. It took two tries to get off the Ice, but we made it out. Video to come. We leave tomorrow at 0800 Greenland Time. Today is a national holiday in Greenland for the longest day of the year. It was sunny at Midnight... Continue Reading Jun 23 Video - Part 4 - LC-130 Takeoffmcintyrej, Ink and Bytes
Here is a Takeoff from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The flight was going to National Science Foundation's Summit research station on the ice cap. We were going to go on this flight, but load changes and a possible medical situation, kept us in Kanger. We will go to summit tomorrow...
Continue Reading Jun 23 Part 5 - Kangerlussuaqmcintyrej, Ink and Bytes
This is a panoramic view of the town. This is a big place in greenland.
Jun 25 Part 6 The Summit Adventuremcintyrej, Ink and Bytes
This is the National Science Foundation research station at Summit. It is in the middle of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The elevation is over 10,000 ft.
Jun 25 Part 7 The Glaciermcintyrej, Ink and Bytes
This is the Russell Glacier at the edge of Greenland's ice sheet. It is an active ice shedder and is very entertaining to watch. Don't try to walk to it though. That would be a very long and buggy walk.
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