Antarctic flight RV8

[VH-MEU]

For those interested I recommend you visit www.skypilot.org. Retired Spanish pilot Captian Michel Gordillo is currently on a 2200nm (est. 20hr) leg in his home built RV8 from the Italian Antarctic Station (Zucchelli) across the South Pole to the Argentinian Antarctic Station. As the Antarctic plateau is over 9000ft, icing & -35C plus are real issues as the RV8 doesn't have deicing. I assisted Michel for the leg Hobart to Zucchelli last week, only a 16.5 hr flight. The first 8hrs to abeam Macquarie Isd below 3000ft & 14hrs over the wild southern ocean before a rough 11,000ft flight to Zucchelli. EC-XLL can hold 750lts of Avgas & at 33lts/hr planned has a little more range than my M5! The flight can be followed real time via Spidertrack which I find brilliant technology. Also have a look at the windytv world weather site, this is being used by Michel for his Pole to Pole world flight planning.

[DeltaRomeo]

The link to sky pilot.org you provided returns a "not authorized" error code. There is a log in required?

[VH-MEU]

Apologies, finger trouble again the web site address is www.skypolaris.org No password required. Michel is currently 10,000+ft transiting the Shackleton Coast

[22Tango]

The Antarctic summer is just starting. The weather would still have a winter element to it.

I spent 3 years being flown about the Antarctic in T'wotters. The conditions are harsh. Forecasting an art there and weather windows can be tight. I spent many days waiting for aircraft....

Is the RV ski equipped? Not many blue ice or gravel runways.

[VH-MEU]

I'm currently watching XC-XLL on spidertracks, approx. 15min out of Maramabio Base on the Argentina Peninsular. The RV8 left Zucchelli Station at 6:20am yesterday approx. a 20+hr flight! Skis were fitted for the flight Hobart Zucchelli but knocked off 15 Kts due drag so the were removed for the leg over the south pole. You're right about Antarctic weather, Michele Gordillo had a week waiting at Zucchelli until conditions were right for todays leg. All done a pretty gutsy effort. I can tell you there's not a lot of room in the RV8 when carrying 750 lts of Avgas!The auto pilot is u/s for the first 8hr due CofG

[RT]

So has this guy already flown over the South Pole?

[VH-MEU]

Michel Gordillo crossed Antarctica via the south pole 9th Nov'16. He's currently near Soa Paola, Brazil and will be shortly crossing from Brazil to Africa then back to home base Madrid, Spain. Check www.skypolaris.org for his North pole & South pole flight details.