Why don t planes fly over the Antarctic?
Why don t planes fly over the Antarctic? Thanks to the low visibility and undeveloped infrastructure, flying over Antarctica is extremely difficult. Specifically, because of the strong magnetic fields that surround the polar regions, navigating there, no matter how well-equipped the airplane is in terms of instrumentation, can be particularly challenging.
Can you legally go to Antarctica?
Travelers do not need permission to go to Antarctica, but tourism operators must hold a valid permit. First, a bit of background on why it is legal to visit Antarctica. Antarctica is not a country. The continent is protected by the Antarctic Treaty, which preserves it for peaceful and scientific use.
Has a plane ever crashed in the middle of the ocean?
As the Boeing 747 flew over Mauritius in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the pilot reported smoke in the cabin. A few minutes later, the plane crashed into the ocean, killing all 159 passengers and crew.
Has a plane ever ditched in the ocean?
Has a plane ever ditched in the ocean? 23 November 1996: Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 (a Boeing 767-260ER), ditched in the Indian Ocean near Comoros after being hijacked and running out of fuel, killing 125 of the 175 passengers and crew on board.
Has anyone flew over Antarctica?
American explorer Richard Byrd and three companions make the first flight over the South Pole, flying from their base on the Ross Ice Shelf to the pole and back in 18 hours and 41 minutes. Richard Evelyn Byrd learned how to fly in the U.S. Navy and served as a pilot in World War I.
Do any commercial flights go over Antarctica?
Unlike the north polar region, which is preferred especially for flights between Asia and North America, it is not possible to come across passenger planes over Antarctica.
Why do planes fly over the North Pole but not Antarctica?
There are no economically significant routes that would require flying over Antarctica. The southern hemisphere has a much smaller population than the northern, and there's almost no permanent habitation more than 45 degrees south.
Why can you fly over the North Pole but not south?
Historically, flying close to or over the South Pole was ruled out by Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards rules. ETOPS governs how far away twin-engine jets can fly from an airport they can land at. Over land with many airports, this is no problem.
What is the longest flight over water?
The longest over water route in the world is the stretch between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii. Even between Hawaii and Tokyo there are alternate airports available, such as Midway Island (hence the name “Midway”). Going across the North Atlantic, alternates include Iceland and Greenland.