Ice Pilots: Ski Birds

From Greenland to the Antarctic, Ice Pilots follows the crew of the 109th Airlift as they battle the elements to connect the far polar reaches with the outside world. The workhorse of the US Air Force's ice fleet is the Hercules LC-130 operated by the men and women of the 109th Airlift Wing - the only US Air Force unit flying Hercules with specially adapted skis. Flying personnel, supplies, mail and equipment to the world's harshest and most remote locations, thousands of miles from any major point of civilisation is no easy task and for those working on the ice, the 109th team are far more than just a courier - they are a lifeline to the outside world. The job of the Hercules crew is one of the most dangerous in the Air Force. Not only do they navigate and pilot these unwieldy aeroplanes, but must also fly them in temperatures so low, the fuel can thicken in the hoses and the seals can fracture with the cold.