AIRFIELD FOR ANTARCTIC

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28261, 26 April 1957, Page 13

AIRFIELD FOR ANTARCTIC

Views Of Admiral Dufek (N.Z. Press Association Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 24. Rear-Admiral George Dufek said today that it would be pos- ’ sible to build a permanent airfield in the Antarctic at a cost of 50,000,000 dollars. Admiral Dufek, chief of support operations for the United States Antarctic programme, told a National Press Club lunch that construction of an Antarctic airfield would take five years. He said that the Americans now used the icefield in McMurdo Sound for landing their planes but because of the possible disintegration of the airfield, reconnaissance was made of the continent beyond the' sound. The experts came to the conclusion that an airfield could be built on the continent itself. He was asked if he favoured such a project. “As a private citizen, I would say yes,” he replied. “The Antarctic is the last frontier on the earth’s surface.” But Admiral Dufek emphasised that he was in no position to speak for the Government on the policy issue. He said he knew of no present United States plan to undertake the project.

Admiral Dufek said the position of the United States in the Antarctic now was “about where we were in the Arctic 25 years ago. “Now there are airlines across the Arctic,” he said, “and some day there will be air routes on great circle routes in both Polar regions.”