Regional Express (Rex) recently submitted a proposal to the Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) to become the next operator to fly researchers from Australia to the Antarctic.
“The next season’s program is the most ambitious ever in AAD’s history, with the goal to bring all highly specialized aerial operations under one operator’s command. As such, the AAD wants to use “one large intercontinental passenger jet capability, four intracontinental turbo-prop aircraft able to operate on skis, four twin-engine helicopters which can operate both on land and on the Division’s flagship the RSV Nuyina, plus a significant scaling up of Uncrewed Aerial System or UAS capability for the Division’s operations during the Antarctic Austral Summer (October to March),” Rex said in a statement.
Rex has also assembled an Antarctic Advisory Panel (AAP) comprising the foremost experts in this field with in-depth and practical knowledge of actual aerial operations to the Antarctic to deal with the challenges arising from participating in the eventual Request for Tender (RFT) in November 2023.
The panel’s expertise includes knowledge of how to adapt aerial platforms with skis that would be suitable for landing on the terrain in the Antarctic.
“This ambitious and challenging Program requires an operator that has deep knowledge of aviation across a whole range of platforms as well as proven organisational excellence in operating special missions,” said Craig Martin, Antarctic project manager, Rex.
“We believe there is no better Australian candidate than the Rex Group with its expertise in operating a fleet of 150 aircraft in every State, ranging from Boeing 737-800NG, Embraer E190 airliners, De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprops, over 55 Saab 340 turboprops, one of the largest fleet of Beechcraft King Air aircraft in Australia, and the recently introduced Pilatus PC24 jets,” Martin added.
“Rex intends to lead a consortium of industry partners that will operate some aspects of the Program that require more specialised expertise,” the airline concluded.