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Embry-Riddle Duo Lead Daring Antarctic Rescue

The air temperature hovered at 60 degrees below zero and visibility was diminishing rapidly as aircraft commander George "Rob" McAllister (BAST'84) and copilot Dave Koltermann (BAST'85) searched for flags marking the ski way on Antarctica.

The two Embry-Riddle alumni -- members of the New York State Air National Guard -- were flight leaders on a hazardous mission last October to rescue Dr. Jerri Neilsen, who had been diagnosed four months earlier with breast cancer. Her wait was almost over.

The four-man crew was composed of hand-picked volunteers because the extreme risks surpassed those associated with most military missions, McAllister explains. "Everyone had at least a dozen years' experience in these types of conditions. Only the best were asked."

The extreme cold presented a long litany of potentially disastrous outcomes: "brittle" metal snapping; fuel crystallizing, which could cause engine flameout; seals breaking; and hydraulics lines rupturing. Hydraulics control the skis and propeller angle. A loss of any of these vital systems could spell immediate disaster.

At a staggering 30,000 pounds, the LC-130 they flew is the heaviest plane capable of landing on skis. "Normally, you just don't fly in those kind of conditions," Koltermann says.

Waiting for the warmer temperatures only added to the tension in the cockpit. The crew had sat for two days in Christchurch, New Zealand, and another two days at McMurdo Station on the coast of Antarctica, where the weather is far more temperate than at the South Pole. It was ironic that as clouds began to move in -- creating warmer land temperatures -- the overcast conditions made the mission more difficult.

Koltermann confides that while he was nervous as they searched for the flags that would lead them to the landing zone, he also felt a strong sense of confidence because McAllister was a fellow Embry-Riddle graduate. "I knew Rob had the same strong foundation in aviation and aeronautical knowledge," Koltermann says. "Embry-Riddle is the first choice for those interested in aviation careers -- we were both trained by the best."

As they neared the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Research Station, McAllister knew the conditions would allow only one landing attempt. "The landing kicks up so much debris and contrails (frozen jet exhaust), that it would have been extremely difficult to circle around for another try," he recalls.

Once the first flags were spotted, McAllister left the instruments to copilot Koltermann, the engineer, and the navigator. Normally, he explains, the pilot shifts his vision from the instruments to the outside view and back as landing progresses. However, the white-on-white conditions forced him to focus entirely on the blowing snow so that his eyes could remain acclimated to the extreme brightness.

McAllister described the experience as tense as the three other crewmen took turns reciting crucial information to him. As the huge plane descended from 300 feet to 100 feet, and finally to 10 feet, the engines created an exhaust cloud of snow and ice, further obscuring his ability to see. "It's like landing inside of a ping-pong ball," he says. "You're just threading a needle. There's probably not a more difficult place in the world to perform such a rescue. And if you screw up, there's no 911 to call."

When they touched down, the crew celebrated. "We were psyched -- high-fiving," McAllister recalls. "We had done it! It was like a big weight being lifted off."

The plane quickly taxied to the research station, where nearly 40 researchers of the U.S. National Science Foundation waited to help load and unload. Within 20 minutes, Dr. Neilsen and two others were safely aboard, and the giant plane was airborne.

When the crew returned home, they were shocked at the media attention that greeted them. Koltermann described what followed as a "media road show" of radio and television interviews, including an appearance on the Today show. The two Glenville, N.Y., residents also received Meritorious Service Awards from New York Governor George Pataki.

McAllister and Koltermann, who studied at the Daytona Beach, Fla., campus, both credit Embry-Riddle with giving them the strong foundation in aviation and aeronautics that launched their careers. "Riddle really made it happen for me," Koltermann says. "You're surrounded there by people who love airplanes. Everyone shares something in common."

The extensive civilian and military background of the faculty especially impressed Koltermann. "They were awesome -- top notch. There were no ivory tower theories. They've been there, which I have tremendous respect for."

McAllister also takes pride in being an Embry-Riddle graduate. "I've referred many aspiring pilots and aviators to Riddle," he says. "It's the place to go -- they're all pros."

By Rob Rothman