Dick Smith To Challenge Antarctic

Dick Smith’s Aerial Calypso

Not content with his achievements to date, Australian adventurer Dick Smith has found another Australian aviation explorer from the ‘Golden Age’ of flying to emulate. Little known Australian, Sir Hubert Wilkins, one of the earliest fliers in Arctic and Antarctic regions, is Dick’s latest hero.

After evaluating possible types which were not pressurized, rugged, well proven and which used jet fuel, Dick settled upon the DHC Twin Otter as the best aircraft for the job and was able to purchase one (N999PG) in Nairobi for US$1. 1 million from the British company Geosurvey. Virtually unused after a three year modification programme by De Havilland Canada, the airframe has only 500 hours amassed. Specific survey gear was removed before the purchase as unnecessary.

Initial use of the aircraft will be on demonstration flights in the Australian Antarctic Territories for the Australian Antarctic Division to show them how versatile the aircraft is and to encourage public interest in Antarctica. The major costs will be borne by Dick and these flights are being carried out this November/ December. The aircraft will also be used at this time to establish a fuel dump between the coast and the South Pole to supply Dick’s helicopter flight to the Pole in December, but this flight has been postponed for up to a year because of the scientific work required by the Antarctic Division.

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