One year after making history as the first Dreamliner to land on Antarctica’s unique blue ice runway at Troll Airfield, Norse Atlantic Airways has successfully completed its second charter for the purpose of scientific research on the continent.

On November 15, 2024, at 10:55 local time, Norse Atlantic’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner, registered as LN-FNC, and named “Everglades”, successfully touched down, carrying 10,5 tons of research equipment and scientists for the Norwegian Polar Institute and Aircontact.

The journey followed the Oslo-Cape Town-Troll Airfield-Cape Town-Oslo route similar the airline’s historic first landing last year, including a stop in Cape Town, South Africa, before the final Antarctic leg.

Norse Atlantic is set to complete a total of four charters to Antarctica dedicated to support scientific research. This accomplishment reflects the airline’s growing reputation of operational excellence, demonstrated by the expertise of its highly trained pilots and crew and its state-of-the-art Boeing aircraft.

The Dreamliner, uniquely suited for long-distance flights, is renowned for its fuel efficiency, enabling it to complete a round trip from Cape Town to Antarctica without refueling—delivering both cost and environmental benefits. Its large cargo hold allowed for the secure transport of significant volumes of research equipment vital to operations at remote scientific research stations.

“Returning to Antarctica with our Dreamliner reaffirms Norse Atlantic’s ability to handle complex logistical operations. We’re proud to demonstrate the capabilities and efficiency of our aircraft and operational excellence of the Norse Atlantic charter team, from meticulous planning to precise execution, demonstrating our role as a trusted for missions to even the most remote destinations”, expressed Mette Birkedahl, Director of Charter and ACMI at Norse Atlantic Airways.

“Landing such a large aircraft for the second time is an important milestone for us in Antarctica. It opens up new opportunities for logistics at Troll, as we can transport both more cargo and more people in the same flight, which will also help strengthen Norwegian research in Antarctica,” says Director of Operations and Logistics John Guldahl at the Norwegian Polar Institute.

Daniel Carey, Air Broker and Spokesperson for Aircontact, one of the oldest air brokers globally, specializing in providing aviation services and serving as an important link for aviation missions, highlighted the Drealiner’s capacity and the importance of involving civil aviation authorities for operational quality and security and securing their approval ahead of the mission.

“To have Norse Atlantic Airways with the B787-900 as an ACE in the deck for the operator to Troll to support Norwegian Polar institute is a unique value in terms of not needing fuel and the cargo capacity that the B787-900 brings. Additionally, having Norse as a Norwegian operator under the Norwegian CAA adds another valuable asset.”