Coronavirus once again ends a longstanding area tradition.
For the last 32 years, the 109th Airlift Wing at the Stratton Air National Guard base in Scotia has supported National Science Foundation research in Antarctica by flying people, supplies and equipment around the continent. Now because of Coronavirus concerns, the National Science Foundation is limiting the number of people who set foot on the continent to prevent the introduction of coronavirus on Antarctica. The planes of the 109th will be on standby in New Zealand. That is a five hour flight if they need to respond to an emergency.