Equipped for polar flights
Equipped for polar flights
The polar research aircraft POLAR 5 of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Maritime Research (AWI) is equipped for flights under the extreme environmental conditions of the polar regions. The aricraft can take off and land on concrete, gravel and snowbound surfaces using a combined ski- and wheel-fitted undercarriage. De-icing systems, heating mats for batteries and engines, and advanced navigation systems allow it to carry out missions in very difficult weather conditions and at temperatures as low as –54 degrees Celsius. In August 2018, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) installed a modular aerial camera system (MACS) for optical remote sensing on board the aircraft.
