From the Seattle Times:
For McChord Air Force Base pilots who ferry cargo and people all over the world, one of the most challenging missions is flying a hulking C-17 to Antarctica to serve the National Science Foundation station there.
Weather is the wild card.
In less than an hour, skies can turn from blue to milky white as 80 mile-per-hour winds, unforeseen by forecasters, gust across the southernmost continent.
“If you take your eye off Antarctica, it can kill you in a heart beat,” said Lt. Col. Jim McGann, deputy commander of the 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord, which is located south of Tacoma. “The pilots we choose to fly down there are the absolute best, and this really pushes them to their limits as far as their skills and decision-making.”
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