The Polar 6 view...

...standing on the ground, a longing view to the sky... it's Polar 5 taking off while the Polar 6 scientists still need to wait for their first research flight. Due to the technical problems with the aircraft we still need to be patient to get airborne. But this can always happen and in the meanwhile the time was used to optimize and calibrate the scientific instrumentation inside of Polar 6. Of course we want to be ready as soon as the aircraft is.

Today the spare part is supposed to arrive in Longyearbyen. Being lucky, the aircraft will be ready by saturday and if weather is good the first joint flight of P5 and P6 might happen...finally :-)

Survival Suits

During take-off and landing and also during low level flights, the survival suit has to be worn. In the case of an offshore emergency landing the suit protects the wearer from the cold and harsh sea. It is getting really warm inside these suits, therefore they aren't the first choice of clothing but they are important and necessary. Also everyone wearing it looks like an astronaut or an orange jet pilot. Some critics say you just look funny.

Second flight Polar5

Today was the second flight of Polar5. At the beginning of the flight we passed the Ny-Alesund. During the flight we had an  opportunity to observe glacier and different kind of clouds. Several dropsondes were launched during the flight providing the data. Almost everything works with the instruments on Polar5. The first flight of Polar6 is planned for Saturday.

Glacier in Arctic

Launching dropsonde

Find Polar5

Something for the C-Cluster ...

Polar 5 in test flight - short film

One of the test flights of Polar 5 took place in Bremen in February 2017. The long training will surely pay off now!

First Flight of Polar 5

Polar 5 scientists during flight in 10,000ft (~3,000m) height

This morning was the first take-off of Polar 5. The flight took around 5 hours and provided the first promising measurements. As usual for the first flight not all measurement instruments showed the performance which is wanted. Therefore tomorrow will be used for maintenance work for getting 100% of the data out of the next flights.


Aside from the science part, the flight today was really impressing. Polar 5 flew over an hour in just 200ft height.  So there was a great opportunity to enjoy the Arctic ice and the beautiful landscape. But everyone has to wear his survival suit to be prepared for the unlikely case that an emergency landing is needed.

Pick the right pair

Because of snow in winter and mud in summer, Svalbard people thought it would be a good idea not to bring any of both with your boots into houses. Nobody wants to clean this mess... So in allmost all buildings you have to put off your shoes when entering the door. One of our houses at Coal Miner Cabins is now complitely filled what you can easily conclude in the evening, when everyone is in the house. In the morning you only have to remember type, color and size of your own boots.

Now you can imagine, that changing houses such as going to breakfast becomes a little effort. Boots on and off for 20 seconds. The best strategy... do not tie your shoelace.