12 May 2008

Preparing for the plane to arrive

The Flexmobil tracked vehicle drags a planing device, the groomer, behind it.

The Flexmobil tracked vehicle drags a planing device, the groomer, behind it. Photo: Thomas Overly, NEEM team.

We now have a cleaned-up camp.

All the buried pallets with cargo were pulled over to the cargo line, where the pallets were emptied and subsequently stacked in a pile. Nets and straps were collected so that pallets, nets and straps can be returned to Kangerlussuaq for re-use. The deep holes in the snow, left behind by the pallets were then filled in and the flags marking the sites removed. At the end of the day, the camp looked tidier than ever.

The flight operation areas for the Hercules planes: skyway (landing strip), taxi ways, and apron were groomed.

Sverrir opened his own driving school. He had to practice reversing with one of the heavy sledges to be sure he will be able to reverse up behind a parked aircraft to receive cargo which is rolled out the rear of the plane. As target he used two bamboo flag poles.

The weather has been collaborative again. Some wind but sunshine throughout the day, people enjoyed working outside.

Gaël treated the crew with a vegetarian pasta meal. After dinner we exchanged stories and listened to some of Jim’s music.

What we have done today:

  1. Cleaning up the whole camp. All pallets now collected.
  2. Grooming skiway, taxiway and apron is finished.
  3. Practising manoeuvres with a heavy cargo sled.

Weather at 11:00L: -21.9°C, blue sky, 3.5 m/s from 190 M, unlimited visibility.

Field Leader, J.P. Steffensen

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