[In this post (Part I), I hope, you partake of my (travel) adventure, below, told via text and (SIM) images, or, at least, enjoy the set of images, (after all, who doesn't like a few pictures of the classic and magnificent (Douglas) "BIG EIGHT" quad-jet...🙂...]

The motivation for this post (bit of an ambitious one, you'll see) occurred, to me, first, from the fact that I've  not flown the (marvelous) Aerosoft DC8, more than a couple of times, in 6-7 months of owning it, and that too, never with a full Cold & Dark start-up procedure. Second, the Earth's Poles are always among the most exotic and fascinating destinations (RW or virtual), the last frontiers, so to speak, combining elements of desolate (natural) beauty, extremely hazardous aviation challenges, and unique scientific explorations. Third, the (RW) DC8, just like other earlier era jets (e.g. B707/B742), is no stranger to (pioneering) Polar and Arctic Flight Plan Routes in commercial aviation. When the jet age began, e.g. SAS was able to fly one-stop over the pole, with DC-8 jets, from Copenhagen to Tokyo via a fuel stop in Anchorage. To the DC-8's credit, we note, too, that in 1961, it became the first civilian jetliner and the first commercial transport of any kind to break the sound barrier (16 secs of supersonic flight). The supersonic trailblazers, Tu-144 and Concorde, would make their first flights, years later, in 1968/1969, respectively.

The scientific aspects of this virtual adventure are inspired by NASA's unique (airborne missions) program, "Operation IceBridge", that I've been a bit aware of for sometime, and a description of which starts like this, "Success in science takes many things. Dedication and hard work are just a couple, but one thing that airborne science requires that other disciplines don’t need is aircraft. Without aircraft, airborne science would just be science." And, recently, I caught a picture of the actual aircraft (the NASA Douglas DC-8) engaged in "Operation IceBridge" missions, with registration (N817NA), an (AS DC8) exact livery of which, I found, has been (thoughtfully) already created by one of the painters. The aircraft, based at the NASA Armstrong (Earth Science) Flight Research Center facility in California, (see print on the fuselage screenshots below), is used to collect data for the world's scientific community, including from Antarctic flights. One of the operation’s final (and one of the most technically complex) tasks was to carry out a suite of flights that would help calibrate the instruments for NASA’s Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2, which launched in September 2018. It meant flying in tandem with the satellite, following a narrow, precise track, while accounting and correcting for wind-driven changes to the ice pack to remotely probe the frozen but ever-flowing terrain below. The (RW) Airborne mission DC8 is equipped with a (dual) laser system that fires at 10,000 pulses per second in a circular motion, capable of (accurately) measuring the changes in ice-surface elevation.

So, the plane, on this mission, has to fly, in a straight line, under the satellite’s path, across Antarctica's ice pack of the Weddell Sea which is (partially) enclosed by the (curious) northernmost extension/tail, called the Antarctic Peninsula, see Top-Down Globe shot, below. At the end of path, the satellite then moves on to complete its orbit of the Earth and the (RW) DC8 turns around and heads back to its starting position to await the satellite’s return. This gives the crew the chance to see the same sunrise twice...!

Keeping the (RW) DC8 (or similar jets) precisely under the Satellite's trajectory, is essential, so, that the measurements from both, of the surface ice-thickness, can be calibrated against each other. Such formation flying, is apparently common among (orbiting) satellites, but, not so common, between a plane and a (fast moving) satellite. Though it sounds a bit impractical, it is indeed feasible, and understood, as follows: Assume, for simplicity, a (low orbit) Satellite altitude of 200 kilometers, and a jetliner flying altitude of 33,000 ft (10 kilometers). The Satellite orbiting speeds are typically 7000 mph. So, because, the jet would be flying at one-twentieth the height from Earth, it has to travel at (about) only one-twentieth this speed, to stay aligned with the Satellite. So, that yields ~350 mph, as the required speed, whereas the DC8 has a top speed in excess of 550 mph. And, once the jet gets in line with the satellite, delicate steering is then demanded to guide it along the specified trajectory. In the words of the DC8 crew, “We make the aeroplane think it is lining up with a runway to land, as we generate a signal...in a way, we hack the autopilot.” Sounds easier said than done, surely...! [Side Note: I've included, below, a screenshot of the DC8's Pedestal with the "basic" (Sperry 30 Series, I believe) Autopilot Panel, on the Pedestal, typical of planes of that era.] INS navigation in this (SIM) DC8 is easily activated by flipping a RADIO/INS switch on the front cockpit, and then selecting AUX/NAV mode on the Autopilot Selector knob (both can be seen in one [VC] shot, below). In this flight, I've activated INS shortly after lift off, making the plane bank right, please see screenshots, (southward, towards the Drake Passage, dreaded by "Ships"...) from the (original) eastern heading of Rwy 07. Successful activation of the INS, is always an exciting point of the INS-based navigation in the SIM...provided it works, as expected...which it did here nicely...]

Punta Arenas, Chile, is the origin Airport of the DC-8 for "Operation IceBridge". Flying at night is essential, because correct calibration of the satellite orbiting above depends on avoiding interference from the Sun’s rays. So, in this (virtual) flight, yours truly, has also lifted off, with the AS-DC8, from Punta Arenas, Chile, (SCCI), in the middle of the night. You'll see that I'm also headed directly to/across the Weddell Sea, intending to reach the end of this Sea, and the beginning of the main Antarctic landmass (or, should I say, icemass), at which point, the (travel) object of this mission completed, I, then, plan to divert westward across the (ice) continent all the way to the (nearest) human habitation Airport of McMurdo Station's Ice Runway (NZIR), on Ross Island, >1500 miles away (see MAP). McMurdo Station is at the extreme left of my FSC map.

At SCCI, I've performed a (Tutorial) based Cold & Dark start-up of this DC8, to the best of my ability. Frankly, it wasn't easy, at all, for this simmer, this being my first attempt at it, and, in all fairness,...🙂...those were the days, mind you, of 3-person crew (Captain, First Officer, and Second Officer or Flight Engineer), abbreviated (C/FO/SO), in the (AS) Tutorial. Anyway, I managed to complete the procedure and got the the plane flying, without any sirens blaring or master caution lights flashing...🙂...(though, for sure, I need more practice...). For this Part I navigation, I've simply used 4 (nearly) equidistant LAT-LONG WPTs [0(SCCI/Alignment)->1->2->3] manually entered into the left of the two on-board (well simulated) INS systems. This on-board INS has faithfully guided my DC8, from soon after lift-off at Punta Arenas, all the way into the Weddell Sea (HDG mode or GPS navigation has not been used, at all, for this part). The right INS is left to continuously display Position, often cross-checked with FSX [Shift Z] display. Just past the Antarctic Peninsula (having already descended (from 31,000 ft) to ~10,000 ft altitude and speed reduced to ~250 knots, with two notches of flap applied, see wingview (last) shot), over the pristine (but starkly desolate) waters of the Weddell Sea, I've encountered the most beautiful sunrise, over my left wing (see ending images).

What awaits me, next, across the Weddell Sea, is the entry into the vast (and seemingly endless) whiteness of the Antarctic mainland, marked by no sign of life/habitat, no radio beacons, and no Runway/Airport within thousands of miles distance....so, we'll see...(while I dream on in the virtual SIM world, here...🙂....). So far, the AS-DC8 has performed flawlessly, and, I do expect my (finicky) system to survive the prolonged "Pause" of the SIM and the (very long) remaining flight ahead...but, do wish me luck...(immediately, now, there are a few household chores, to attend to, that are (already) overdue...🙂...)...

Thanks for your interest and comments...!! Happy flying....!!

[AS (DC8/Antarctica/FSC), AS Community (NASA DC8 Repaint), REX]*

* I don't recall using so many AS products in one post, ever,...And, this (featured) NASA DC8 (N817NA) is actually a DC-8-72, built >50 years ago in 1969, and first delivered to Alitalia. I invite you to view the 2 minute video of the (RW) plane landing, please search for "49 YEARS OLD! NASA DC8 *N817NA* Landing at Ramstein Air Force Base", and, of course, keep the audio volume up, to feel the rumble...🙂...

Edited January 30, 20215 yr by P_7878

I thought it was brutally cold here today, but looking at these pictures (and contemplating the flight path) I'm shivering even more.

John

Edited January 30, 20215 yr by John F

Great post, P_7878. I didn't know of this NASA activity, so thank you very much for another lesson in aviation history

Very nice set of pics!

Wow, I just learned something new again! Great shots of a pretty remote corner ot this planet and very interesting info, 👍

Thanks a lot, folks...!!

Brutal cold weather...over there, John....? Stay warm...! I recall, from decades ago, a road-trip from Columbus (OH) to the Beaver Stadium, in late Football Season, for witnessing a game, it was so (brutally) cold, there, I regretted the decision...🙂...[And, yes, even from the comfort of this DC8 cockpit, I too felt a chill...around these pictures...🙂...]

BTW, duesenwerni: Yes, lots of interesting things around this (remote) part of the world....just crossed the International Date Line...🙂...on the way (westward) to NZIR/Ice Runway...all going well, so far,...(finding and landing on that Ice Runway will be tricky...still...hope to make it to DEST tonight...🙂...)...

Fantastic!! DC-8....WOW...What a Awesome Throwback!!