DALLAS — Norse Atlantic Airways (N0) has achieved another historic milestone by completing the first-ever nonstop flight from Norway to Australia.
The journey, chartered by Albastar S.A. and arranged by Scandinavia's premier air broker, Aircontact, showcased the capabilities of N0's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and the expertise of their charter operations team.
The flight departed from Oslo Gardermoen Airport on August 3rd at 6:30 AM and touched down at Darwin International Airport on August 4th at 6:00 AM local time.
Covering a distance of approximately 14,730 kilometers, the journey lasted 16.5 hours, demonstrating the impressive range and efficiency of the Dreamliner aircraft.
Mette Birkedahl, Director of Charter and ACMI at Norse Atlantic Airways, emphasized the significance of this accomplishment, stating that it reflects the airline's commitment to excellence in charter services.
Birkedahl also highlighted the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner's suitability for ultra-long-distance flights, praising its performance on this pioneering route.
Milestones to Expand Global Presence
On November 15, 2023, N0 achieved the first-ever landing of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Antarctica. Landing at Troll Airfield (QAT), the aircraft, designated 'Everglades', was a Boeing 787-9 registered LN-FNC.
Together with the Norwegian Polar Institute and Aircontact, Scandinavia's largest airbroker firm, flight N0787 transported 12 tons of essential research equipment, including 45 scientists, to the remote Troll research station in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica.
The historic journey began 48 hours prior to reaching the southernmost continent and the site of the South Pole. On November 13, the aircraft departed from Oslo Airport (OSL) and had a lengthy 40-hour layover in Cape Town (CPT), South Africa. LN-FNC took off from Cape Town at 23:03 on Wednesday and reached QAT at 02:01 local time on the same day.
Due to the absence of traditional paved runways in the Antarctic region, the 787-9 touched down on a "blue ice runway," which spans 3,000 meters in length and 60 meters in width.
The Season 5 premiere of The Airways Podcast features an informative conversation between Airways’ Chris Smith and Olov Lindström, the Norse Atlantic Airways (N0) Fleet Chief Pilot and the first person to captain a Boeing 787 to Antarctica.
By pushing the boundaries of long-haul travel, first to Antarctica and now to Australia, N0 demonstrates its readiness to explore new charter opportunities and leverage its modern fleet.
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Exploring Airline History Volume I
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David H. Stringer, the History Editor for AIRWAYS Magazine, has chronicled the story of the commercial aviation industry with his airline history articles that have appeared in AIRWAYS over two decades. Here, for the first time, is a compilation of those articles.
Subjects A through C are presented in this first of three volumes. Covering topics such as the airlines of Alaska at the time of statehood and Canada's regional airlines of the 1960s, the individual histories of such carriers as Allegheny, American, Braniff, and Continental are also included in Volume One. Get your copy today!
December 2024
