The United States Air Force has opted for smaller aircraft to fly American and New Zealand researchers out of Antarctica for the winter, due to soft snow on the runway there.
Starting next week, about 1000 researchers and support personnel will be taken off the ice before the onset of winter when flying to and from the continent becomes impossible.
Normally the job is done by C-17 Globemasters, but due to softer than normal snow it's been handed over to seven ski-equipped LC-130 cargo aeroplanes.
