Here's what it's like being a helicopter pilot in Antarctica. Deep-pocketed tourists pay up to $26K for the experience.
31.12.2024 - 11:51
/ insider.com
Quark Expeditions helicopter pilot Jonathan Mutch is working his third season in Antarctica, flying high-paying tourists to some of the planet's remotest places.
Mutch told Business Insider that flying helicopters across the seventh continent is no easy feat.
It takes a team of pilots, flight engineers, mountain guides, and expedition leaders to run the operation safely. Quark says it has strict environmental parameters to avoid affecting wildlife.
"It's a lot more complicated than it looks," Mutch said. "We'll start with a study of our maps and charts and previous experience with the weather, and we'll brief over the preceding days."
He said that because Antarctic weather can be harsh and unpredictable, guests must have realistic and flexible expectations.
Helicopter flightseeing excursions are included in all Antarctic itineraries on the Ultramarine, the luxury vessel where Quark guests live during their voyage and where the helicopters take off and land.
Mutch said Quark prioritizes getting everybody a 15-minute flightseeing trip, followed by potential landings.
Pricing for the 2025-2026 season starts at about $14,000 per person and includes flightseeing, meals, housing, and other activities. Helicopter landings are $530 extra.
Deep-pocketed tourists can also pay up to $26,000 per person for a more helicopter-focused tour that includes landing near an Emperor penguin colony.
Mutch said Quark has two Airbus-made H145 helicopters, which are fitted with safety technology to operate in the polar south, such as a redundant two engines and advanced autopilot.
The helicopters are stored and maintained in hangars on top of the ship. Here, guests board and disembark, the aircraft are refueled between trips, and the crew plans flights.
Mutch said both helicopters are needed to prep the landing sites before taking passengers. Pilots and engineers ensure things like lighting and recirculating snow won't impact safety or vision.
Veteran expedition leader Jake Morrison told BI that a flightseeing operation requires at least 13 employees, or 20 or more for ice landings.
Experienced mountain guides test the landing ice thickness and ensure the sites are safe for walking and void of crevasses.
"We won't get airborne if the experience is going to be lackluster or if there's any risk of leaving anybody out there," Mutch said. He added that Quark operates to the same standards as airlines, and the ships' crew will always follow the helicopter's location.
Mutch said Quark pilots are trained beyond minimum standards, including twice a year in a flight simulator, and have a background in complicated flying.
"We'll put the aircraft into white-out conditions and test the pilots' decision-making," Mutch said, speaking