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-   -   Sighting Antarctica (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qantas-frequent-flyer/1123182-sighting-antarctica.html)

QF Lad Sep 4, 2010 6:29 am

Sighting Antarctica
 
I am currently planning a RTW trip. The trip is over December - January, ie. over the Southern Hemisphere summer. I am planning to visit South America and South Africa on this itinerary.


I would be interested in atleast seeing Antartica. As a passenger, are you able to see Antarctica on QF17 SYD-EZE or QF64 JNB-SYD?

patgarrett Sep 4, 2010 6:51 am

I highly doubt it on JNB-SYD, because the route I'm sure would be too far north. Not sure about SYD-EZE.

Himeno Sep 4, 2010 7:02 am

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=SYD-EZE,+JNB-SYD
You might see Antartica on QF17, but are very unlikely to on QF64.

og Sep 4, 2010 8:34 am

SYD-EZE will be near the Antarctic coast but quite possibly cloudy or patchy cloud which kills the sightseeing opportunities. Gut feeling says about 1 in 4 chance of getting a view that goes to the ground. Sit on the right side of the plane for this run.

babs Sep 4, 2010 12:15 pm

Possible on QF17, I think there was a trip report that had photos out the window and also showed the flight map over Antarctica

I remembered this one so with a little searching

thanks Kiwi Flyer

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...l#post10837872

Kiwi Flyer Sep 4, 2010 5:17 pm

Highly dependent on weather conditions. I've seen it on SYD-EZE quite clearly, less so EZE-SYD and very vaguely SYD-JNB. Not at all for JNB-SYD.

There are also a handful of charter Antarctica sightseeing flights by QF over summer, and these have by far the best views since actually over the continent at lower than cruise altitudes. See my trip report for more info.

serfty Sep 4, 2010 5:29 pm


Originally Posted by Himeno (Post 14601686)
http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=SYD-EZE,+JNB-SYD
You might see Antartica on QF17, but are very unlikely to on QF64.

Actually, it may be possible on QF64 (/QF63).

See here (from a TR Blog published by gardyloo):

http://home.comcast.net/~gardyloo/flights_5.htm

http://home.comcast.net/~gardyloo/QF63Antarctica1.jpg

kpc Sep 4, 2010 5:58 pm

Maybe...but I didn't see anything!

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a0...D550/ry%3D400/
Taken midway through my Eze-Syd flight in March...

og Sep 7, 2010 1:25 am

Just got off QF64 JNB-SYD and we flew way north of the Great Circle Route. So far north that we overflew PER and ADL. The run towards PER was from the WNW direction as far as could be determined from the flight map. Huge tailwinds and got ground speed at 1113 Km/h or so North West of PER. This was a quite a detour over the expected but must have worked out cheaper for fuel burn? We left on time and arrived slightly earlier than scheduled.

justin_krusty Sep 7, 2010 1:59 am

Massive winds atm as is usual for this time of year - SYD-PER is taking 5.5 hours in the air (not cool in a 738), PER-SYD 3.25 hours.

screech Sep 7, 2010 3:43 am

Depends on winds of course but generally QF63 SYD-JNB passes close to Antarctica but the return QF64 JNB-SYD is usually further north.

og Sep 7, 2010 5:13 am


Originally Posted by justin_krusty (Post 14613877)
Massive winds atm as is usual for this time of year - SYD-PER is taking 5.5 hours in the air (not cool in a 738), PER-SYD 3.25 hours.

That'd be right. Flight duration was showing 3 hrs 30 min to SYD when we were still way out to sea from PER.

ojala Sep 9, 2010 1:47 am

I think we saw Antarctica on our EZE-SYD flight 2009 January (after returning from an Antarctica cruise :)

http://watersid.asiakkaat.sigmatic.f...ey04-large.jpg

http://watersid.asiakkaat.sigmatic.f...9-Sydney02.jpg


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