Overview

• An IL-76 operated by DROMLAN departed Goa’s Mopa airport on 2 October carrying roughly 18 tonnes of equipment, medicines, and provisions.
• The cargo is destined for India’s Bharati and Maitri research stations, with the flight routing via Cape Town before heading to Antarctica.
• NCPOR said air freight was chosen after repeated delays in sea shipments but cautioned the option may not be used every year due to expense and coordination needs.
• The IL-76 is suited to blue-ice runways in Antarctica, which operate seasonally from about October to early March and require highly trained pilots.
• Antarctic flight operations face minimal ATC support and weather-driven windows, with some flights waiting in Cape Town for conditions to improve.