the flight schedule

P005R: that's Laura's flight number. It would be the fifth (005) LC-130 return (R) mission to the South Pole (P). Unfortunately, this flight has had some significant setbacks. The first day, November 3, they were canceled due to weather at the Pole. Day two was a Sunday and therefore a no-fly day.

Day three started with a cancellation of the C-17 flight from Christchurch. Then a mechanical delay on the Pole flight. Then it flew and made it to the Pole, but couldn't land due to weather and had to boomerang back. Two other flights that day came back to McMurdo and couldn't land here, either, so they had a free night's stay at the Italian-run Mario Zuchelli Station at Terra Nova Bay (good scenery, great food, and fantastic Italian wine).

Day four, Tuesday, the C-17 was cancelled again in New Zealand and after a multitude of delays, so were the Pole flights.

Tomorrow we hope to send some flights down again. Weather has been bizarre. It's fun to have a variety of cloud patterns fly through the area, but not when it prevents my sister from arriving here, too! I've woken up nearly every "day" while I'm sleeping to find out what the flight status is. I have also been adjusting my plans for meeting Laura between finding her on the Ice Runway while she's transferring planes, or arranging to have an evening to spend with her on Station depending how soon they have her fly North on a C-17. I still can't wait to catch a glimpse of Laura sometime soon!