The Australian federal budget for 2005-6, released last week, includes A$46.3 million ($35.3 million) to establish an intercontinental air link between Australia and Antarctica.
The funding will allow construction of an ice runway to support long-range aircraft landings and take-offs and the cost of leasing a suitable aircraft. Sydney-based Skytraders, which has the contract to operate EADS Casa 212-400s on transcontintental flights for the Australian Antarctic Division, has proposed a Dassault Falcon 900EX for the flights between Hobart, Tasmania and the Antarctic base of Casey.
The budget also included $54.7 million spread over four years to boost search and rescue services for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). The funding will allow AMSA to replace fixed-wing piston-engine aircraft with turbine-engine aircraft from mid-2006, to provide a faster and longer-range search and rescue service, with all-weather and night operations capability. Australia provides search and rescue capability over 53 million km2 (20.5 million miles2) or 10% of the Earth's surface.
Source: Flight International
