British pilot offers stranded Australian fuel

A British pilot forced by bad weather to abandon her attempt to fly around the world over both poles said today that an Australian aviator stranded at a research station on the Antarctic coast could use fuel she stored there for her trip.

The offer by Polly Vacher ended a diplomatic spat between Australia and its two closest allies – the United States and New Zealand – who had refused to refuel Jon Johanson’s home-made plane, which he flew over the South Pole last weekend before getting stuck on an ice runway in Antarctica without enough fuel to get back to New Zealand.

Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer appealed to New Zealand or US authorities to refuel Mr Johanson’s plane, which is stranded at McMurdo-Scott base on the frozen continent’s coast, but they refused.

Mr Johanson got a frosty reception because of a long-standing policy at some Antarctic research stations of refusing to sell fuel to adventurers.

“The US actually don’t run a gas station in Antarctica… and nor does New Zealand,” said Lou Sanson, chief of Antarctica New Zealand, a government-funded research outfit.

In a press release, Mr Sanson contrasted Ms Vacher’s meticulously planned expedition with that of Mr Johanson.

“Polly’s trip was well organised and properly planned. She and her staff spent two years preparing for her flight with significant advice from national Antarctic programmes,” he said.

“It is ironic that she is now assisting a stranded pilot who embarked upon an ill-prepared and secret flight over the South Pole.”

Mr Johanson denies he was ill-prepared and said he gave authorities advance warning of his plan.

Earlier today, authorities said they did not even have the correct type of fuel for Mr Johanson’s plane.

The bases have petrol with an octane level of 87, significantly lower than the 120-140 level used in aviation fuel.

“We would be risking his life and possibly our own staff lives if there needed to be a rescue mission,” said Antarctica New Zealand communications manager Shelly Peebles.

Authorities had offered to fly Mr Johanson back home on a supply plane and ship his single-engined aircraft back to New Zealand, but following Ms Vacher’s offer he was expected to fly back to Invercargill on South Island some time Saturday.

Mr Johanson left Invercargill, a chilly town on the southern tip of New Zealand, on Sunday, and flew his home-made RV-4 airplane 5,880 kilometres for 26.5 hours to cross the pole.

He was forced to land at the US-New Zealand McMurdo-Scott base in Antarctica after high winds foiled his plans to fly on to Argentina.

Ms Vacher was left stuck on the other side of Antarctica for similar reasons earlier this month.

The intrepid 59-year-old grandmother was forced to turn back a flight heading over the South Pole toward McMurdo-Scott when high winds meant she did not have enough fuel to complete the trip.

She gave up her historic flight because of delays in getting fuel to the British Rothera base.

“This is a positive solution to a difficult situation and hopefully highlights the harshness of operating in the Antarctic environment,” Mr Sanson said.