Twin Otter aircraft

The Twin Otter is a high-wing, twin-engine, turbo-prop aircraft. They are used all over the world and are known for their rugged construction, reliability and short take-off and landing performance. In other parts of the world, Twin Otters are often termed a ‘bush’ aircraft as they are designed for remote environments.

BAS Twin Otter VP-FAZ seen close to Rothera Research Station, clearly showing the ski configuration

The Twin Otters are extremely versatile and can be modified to allow airborne surveying and other scientific equipment to be fitted.

The aircraft can be operated single pilot and with a long-range fuel tank. Double cargo doors provide good access for installing instrument racks.

The version operated by BAS is the wheel/ski-equipped aircraft which lands on snow, ice or any other type of hard runways in remote areas.

Unloading science kit from a BAS Twin-Otter aircraft at the SLE field site

Role

The De Havilland Canada Twin Otters (DHC-6) are a vital part of BAS Antarctic operations. In general they work in the Antarctic from October through to March each year depending on projects.

During a typical season they will transport people, fuel, skidoos, sledges, food and scientific equipment to remote camps, landing on skis on unprepared snow. The planes will also lay depots and stockpile fuel for field science parties.

In addition to its role ferrying people and supplies between Rothera and the Falkland Islands or Punta Arenas, the Dash-7 also lands on the blue-ice runway at Sky-Blu – a staging post for deeper forays into the continent.

During the Antarctic summer one of the Twin Otters is based at Halley Research Station to support projects in the eastern sector of BAS operations, covering an area up to 800km from the station.

These versatile aircraft support the following areas of science

• Remote sensing of land, ice and sea
• Meteorology and measurement of aerosols in clouds
• Airborne geophysics research capabilities using an instrument suite includes ice-penetrating radar, gravimeter, magnetometers and laser scanner

1. International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration

   The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration unites global scientists to study Antarctica’s most vulnerable glacier, predict sea-level rise, and inform climate action worldwide.

   Read more of: International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration

   

2. Southern Ocean Clouds

   Southern Ocean Clouds improves climate models by studying cloud processes over the Southern Ocean to reduce global prediction errors. 

   Read more of: Southern Ocean Clouds

   

3. Aerial survey of Pine Island Glacier

   BBAS-AGASEA used airborne surveys to map the landscape beneath Pine Island Glacier and assess its potential instability due to climate change.

   Read more of: Aerial survey of Pine Island Glacier

   

4. Aerogeophysical survey of the Wilkes Subglacial Basin

   WISE-ISODYN was a joint UK-Italian project to provide new boundary conditions to input into ice-sheet and paleoclimate models predicting the past and future stability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.

   Read more of: Aerogeophysical survey of the Wilkes Subglacial Basin

   

5. Exploring Antarctica’s Ghost Mountains

   AGAP was an international effort to explore the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains in the center of East Antarctica.

   Read more of: Exploring Antarctica’s Ghost Mountains

   

6. Geological History Constraints on the Magnitude of Grounding Line Retreat in the Thwaites Glacier System

   GHC will gather information about past ice sheet behaviour and relative sea level change in the Thwaites Glacier system. Determining the timing and magniture of past episodes of thinning and retreat and subsequent re-advance is important to provide a context for the current and future behaviour of Thwaites Glacier.

   Read more of: Geological History Constraints on the Magnitude of Grounding Line Retreat in the Thwaites Glacier System

   

7. Geophysical Habitat of Subglacial Thwaites

   GHOST is an ice-based project which will examine the bed beneath the Thwaites Glacier, to assess whether conditions are likely to allow rapid retreat, or if the retreat may slow or stop due to a ridge 70 km inland.

   Read more of: Geophysical Habitat of Subglacial Thwaites

   

8. GRADES-IMAGE

   The aim of this programme was to image englacial layering and bedrock topography over this sensitive catchment of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and Antarctic Peninsula.

   Read more of: GRADES-IMAGE

   

9. ICEGRAV

   The primary aim of the project is to carry our airborne gravity observations across hitherto unexplored parts of Antarctica.

   Read more of: ICEGRAV

   

10. PolarGAP

    PolarGAP is an ambitious international mission to capture new and critical data about the Earth’s global gravity field.

    Read more of: PolarGAP

    

11. Surveying West Antarctica’s unstable ice streams

    This project investigated the ice streams of West Antarctica’s Weddell Sea sector through airborne surveys.

    Read more of: Surveying West Antarctica’s unstable ice streams

    

12. Understanding changing Arctic sea ice

    physicists, chemists, biologists, economists, and sociologists from 21 institutes in 11 countries across Europe assess the rapid retreat and collapse of Arctic sea-ice cover

    Read more of: Understanding changing Arctic sea ice

    

13. Air Infrastructure

    The Rothera Air Infrastructure project is part of the Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme (AIMP) future phases.

    Read more of: Air Infrastructure

    

1. Carbon sink or carbon source?

   Science flights over the changing Amazon Rainforest

   Read more of: Carbon sink or carbon source?

   

2. Studying methane emissions in Bolivia

   Dr James France has just completed a week-long flying campaign using one of the BAS Twin Otters fitted with scientific instrumentation. Find out more about his experience.

   Read more of: Studying methane emissions in Bolivia

   

3. ANTARCTIC BLOG: Journey to the Polar plateau

   Our journey to the Antarctic Polar Plateau, where we will be spending the next few weeks as part of the ISOL-ICE research project, began on 7 December. We boarded a […]

   Read more of: ANTARCTIC BLOG: Journey to the Polar plateau

   

4. ANTARCTIC BLOG: Science from the air #5

   Wrapping up I have started several of my blog posts saying I am writing in various odd/unusual/uncomfortable locations…the back of a Twin Otter, or in a mountain tent high on […]

   Read more of: ANTARCTIC BLOG: Science from the air #5

   

5. ANTARCTIC BLOG: Science from the air #3

   One week on from departing Rothera into the field and the first leg of the PolarGAP survey at FD83 is almost over, I get to sit back, relax a bit […]

   Read more of: ANTARCTIC BLOG: Science from the air #3

   

6. ANTARCTIC BLOG: Science from the air #2

   The altimeter in the front of the Twin Otter aircraft is showing 8500 ft as we cruise due south from Rothera research station for the next leg in our PolarGAP […]

   Read more of: ANTARCTIC BLOG: Science from the air #2

   

7. ANTARCTIC BLOG: Polar guide flies into the field – #4

   A week after iBeam departed, our aircraft arrived at Sky-Blu from Rothera to take us further into the field, to our winterised vehicles, to our start point. The call sign […]

   Read more of: ANTARCTIC BLOG: Polar guide flies into the field – #4

   

8. ANTARCTIC BLOG: Tales from a polar guide – #1

   It’s four AM and I’m wide awake, staring at the deep blue and black shadows on the ceiling of my bedroom. I allow myself just this once to indulge in […]

   Read more of: ANTARCTIC BLOG: Tales from a polar guide – #1

   

9. ANTARCTIC BLOG: Extreme Geology #1

   Science team goes deep field to Marie Byrd Land

   Read more of: ANTARCTIC BLOG: Extreme Geology #1

   

1. New Year Honour for British Antarctic Survey’s Head of Air Unit 

   Rod Arnold, Head of the Air Unit at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list for services to Polar Science and Aviation in British Antarctic Territory. 

   Read more of: New Year Honour for British Antarctic Survey’s Head of Air Unit 

   

2. Cloud scientists take to the skies to solve climate uncertainty

   A project looking at how clouds affect climate change in Antarctica starts its second year of field research this month. The Southern Ocean Clouds (SOC) project, which is part of the CloudSense programme, will carry out research on the RRS Sir David Attenborough and at Rothera Research Station in Antarctica.

   Read more of: Cloud scientists take to the skies to solve climate uncertainty

   

3. British Antarctic Survey completes Antarctic field season

   The 2022/23 Antarctic field season has ended, marking the conclusion of another successful year of scientific exploration in one of the world’s most remote and challenging environments. This field season, […]

   Read more of: British Antarctic Survey completes Antarctic field season

   

4. Arctic flights to shed light on sea ice and storms link

   Scientists are flying research aircraft through the heart of Arctic storms this summer to better understand how weather systems are affecting polar sea ice. Arctic cyclones are the main type […]

   Read more of: Arctic flights to shed light on sea ice and storms link

   

5. New aircraft investment supports polar science

   On 17 March 2022, Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of the British Antarctic Survey, Nigel Bird, Director of Major Programmes at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Brian Love, Chief […]

   Read more of: New aircraft investment supports polar science

   

6. UK takes vaccines to Antarctica

   A consignment of AstraZeneca vaccines has been received by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Rothera Research Station in Antarctica – the furthest south any British Covid-19 vaccine has yet travelled. […]

   Read more of: UK takes vaccines to Antarctica

   

7. BAS field season underway

   The BAS field season is underway. Since the RRS James Clark Ross departed the UK in November last year, it has safely delivered summer and wintering staff and essential cargo […]

   Read more of: BAS field season underway

   

8. Cloud study aids climate predictions

   British Antarctic Survey’s Twin Otter aircraft takes to the skies over Barbados as part of a major international research campaign to enhance understanding of the behaviour of clouds and their […]

   Read more of: Cloud study aids climate predictions

   

9. Air unit awarded prestigious aviation award

   The British Antarctic Survey Air Unit have been awarded the Johnston Memorial Trophy for 2017 by The Honourable Company of Air Pilots. This is a considerable acknowledgement of the regard held […]

   Read more of: Air unit awarded prestigious aviation award

   

10. Impact of giant Antarctic iceberg – update on Larsen-C

      The largest remaining ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula lost 10% of its area when an iceberg four times the size of London broke free earlier this month. Since […]

    Read more of: Impact of giant Antarctic iceberg – update on Larsen-C

    

11. Giant iceberg set to calve from Larsen C Ice Shelf

    A huge iceberg, roughly the size of Norfolk, looks set to break away from the Larsen C ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula.  Larsen C is more than twice the size […]

    Read more of: Giant iceberg set to calve from Larsen C Ice Shelf

    

12. NEWS STORY: Ocean life triggers ice formation in clouds

    Researchers from the Arctic Research Programme, managed at British Antarctic Survey (BAS), have shown for the first time that phytoplankton (plant life) in remote ocean regions can contribute to rare […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: Ocean life triggers ice formation in clouds

    

13. PRESS RELEASE: Ice shelf at double risk

    New study shows Antarctic ice shelf is thinning from above and below A decade-long scientific debate about what’s causing the thinning of one of Antarctica’s largest ice shelves is settled […]

    Read more of: PRESS RELEASE: Ice shelf at double risk

    

14. NEWS STORY: Data recovered in Antarctica

    BAS recovers American scientific data in Antarctica Staff from the British Antarctic Survey have recovered crucial scientific data from a giant helium balloon which came down in west Antarctica. The […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: Data recovered in Antarctica

    

15. NEWS STORY: Events in Cambridge and Manchester

    ‘Ice-Spy in the Antarctic’ Thursday 19 February 11.00 – 11:25 14:00 – 14:25 Cambridge Science Centre, Jesus Lane, Cambridge How do you track the ice that floats in the polar […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: Events in Cambridge and Manchester

    

16. NEWS STORY: Glacier project on stamps

    Stamp of approval for iSTAR The iSTAR programme, which is looking at the stability of Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica, is featured in a new set of British Antarctic Territory […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: Glacier project on stamps

    

17. NEWS STORY: New iSTAR season starts

    Scientists head to Pine Island Glacier for new research season A team of twelve scientists and support staff has arrived on Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica in the second […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: New iSTAR season starts

    

18. NEWS STORY: Staff head into deep Antarctica

    British Antarctic Survey field season is underway On the eve of the centenary year of Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition the ship which bears his name is playing a crucial role […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: Staff head into deep Antarctica

    

19. NEWS STORY: Mapping Antarctica’s last frontier

    Mapping of remote Antarctic frontier will help model its reaction to climate change and unlock secrets of Earth’s ancient supercontinents. For the first time scientists have begun mapping one of […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: Mapping Antarctica’s last frontier

    

20. NEWS STORY: UK policy document on Arctic

    New UK report shows that respect for Arctic states, local people and the environment is fundamental to Arctic engagement Today, for the first time, the UK Government has set out […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: UK policy document on Arctic

    

21. NEWS STORY: Ice melt rates measured

    Antarctic research details ice melt below massive glacier An expedition of international scientists to the far reaches of Antarctica’s remote Pine Island Glacier has yielded exact measurements of an undersea […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: Ice melt rates measured

    

22. NEWS STORY: Twin Otter at schools day

    Antarctic Twin Otter features in Duxford Education Day Around 600 schoolchildren from across Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire attended a special STEMNET (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network) Education Day at the […]

    Read more of: NEWS STORY: Twin Otter at schools day

    

23. PRESS RELEASE: Buried mountain range mapped

    Gamburtsev Mountains enigma unraveled in interior East Antarctica The birth of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains buried beneath the vast East Antarctic Ice Sheet — a puzzle mystifying scientists since their […]

    Read more of: PRESS RELEASE: Buried mountain range mapped

    

24. End of the Rothera winter and arrival of the first aircraft

    Marking the end of the Rothera winter, Rothera had its first visitors since the departure of the Ernest Shackleton in March. On Tuesday a Kenn Borek Air (KBA) Twin Otter […]

    Read more of: End of the Rothera winter and arrival of the first aircraft

    

25. PRESS RELEASE: New discovery from “ghost mountains”

    Ice structures found among hidden Antarctic mountains The discovery of numerous large ice structures within Antarctica’s Dome A region, the site of the buried ‘ghost mountains’, reveals new understanding about […]

    Read more of: PRESS RELEASE: New discovery from “ghost mountains”

    

26. An International Feel to Antarctic Research

    There is a distinctly cosmopolitan feel around British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research Station this month (February). Science teams from eight countries enjoyed Rothera’s hospitality as they passed through on their […]

    Read more of: An International Feel to Antarctic Research

    

27. PRESS RELEASE: Aircraft achieve high standard

    British Antarctic Survey achieves registration for the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has achieved registration for the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO). Following […]

    Read more of: PRESS RELEASE: Aircraft achieve high standard

    

28. Latest news from the AGAP teams

    Since leaving home a few weeks ago the international science teams investigating Antarctica’s hidden world have been at the Australian Davis, US McMurdo and South Pole research stations preparing themselves […]

    Read more of: Latest news from the AGAP teams

    

29. PRESS RELEASE: Mission to buried mountain range

    Challenge to discover Antarctica”s hidden world Later this month teams of scientists, engineers, pilots and support staff from British Antarctic Survey (BAS), USA, Germany, Australia, China and Japan will join […]

    Read more of: PRESS RELEASE: Mission to buried mountain range