A U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III returned to Christchurch, New Zealand, after receiving a notice warning of potentially hazardous space activity during a flight to Antarctica. The aircraft had departed Christchurch International Airport on a routine resupply mission and landed back at the airport about two and a half hours later, according to Defense News.
The warning reached the aircraft through a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM, issued by New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority. The authority had received information from Russia’s Air Traffic Management Corporation about a planned missile launch and an associated potential hazard to international airspace within New Zealand’s Oceanic Flight Information Region.
In response, the Civil Aviation Authority established a danger area and issued the NOTAM to alert aircraft operators. The notice did not prohibit aircraft from flying through the area. Instead, it provided information that operators could use in making decisions about flight planning and whether to proceed.
The authority described issuing such a notice as normal practice when an airspace authority or air traffic service provider receives information about a potential hazard. Much of New Zealand’s Oceanic Flight Information Region is over international waters, where the country has limited control over activities. The region covers about 30 million square kilometers across the South Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean and Tasman Sea.
Flight-tracking data cited by Defense News shows that the C-17 departed Christchurch at about 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday under the call sign ICE28. The aircraft landed back at Christchurch at approximately 11:30 a.m. The flight was en route to Antarctica when it turned around for New Zealand.
U.S. Pacific Air Forces described the mission as a routine resupply flight scheduled for this time of year. Christchurch is a base for U.S. Air Force and New Zealand Defense Force operations and logistical support connected to Antarctic science programs, the command said.
The return took place during the U.S. Air Force’s annual Winter Fly-in period, known as WinFly. The seasonal operation generally occurs toward the end of August and delivers teams, equipment and cargo to McMurdo Station and Scott Base in Antarctica before the main research season. Pacific Air Forces did not say whether this particular flight was directly supporting WinFly.
A 2012 Air Force release described WinFly as an operation that delivers advance teams and cargo to prepare a remote research center for the main season of Operation Deep Freeze. That operation supports the U.S. Antarctic Program, managed by the National Science Foundation, and its continuing scientific research in the region.
The C-17A Globemaster III is a cargo aircraft capable of transporting troops and loads to main or forward operating bases. It can also perform tactical airlift, airdrop and aeromedical evacuation missions. The 2012 Air Force account cited by Defense News said a C-17 mission delivered more than 300 passengers and 230,000 pounds of cargo to Antarctica during that year’s WinFly.
The incident illustrates how a hazard notice can affect an Antarctic support flight without formally closing the airspace. New Zealand’s authority issued information about the potential danger, while the flight operator made the decision to return to Christchurch.