SCOTIA, N.Y. — Maintenance problems have delayed the start of a New York Air National Guard unit’s annual mission to the South Pole.
National Guard officials say an LC-130 cargo plane and its crew from the 109th Airlift Wing were scheduled to depart Friday morning from Stratton Air National Guard Base in Schenectady County.
They now say the departure has been delayed because of maintenance problems with the aircraft.
From the archives: Operation Deep Freeze wraps up
The unit will be heading for McMurdo Station in Antarctica, where the unit will support the National Science Foundation for the 28th season of Operation Deep Freeze.
The 109th is the only unit in the U.S. military that flies ski-equipped LC-130s capable of landing on snow and ice. During the South Pole mission, a total of seven “Skibirds” and about 500 airmen are expected to be deployed, with 330-plus missions planned.
