The Antarctic is the coldest, harshest and most isolated environment on the planet. Even in the summer only a few thousand people inhabit the continent and there are vast distances between research stations. Geographically, Antarctic is also isolated from the rest of the world, the nearest civilization is five hours away by air. Flying in the Antarctic is a BIG challenge.

Matevz planned his flight to the Antarctic very carefully. The primary role of thorough preparation is to study weather conditions between *Ushuaia* and the small airport at *Base Marambio*. The weather conditions determine, if he will be able to fly. Every morning before take-off Matevz has to check the weather forecast for the entire route. Weather at the planned routh sometimes deteriorates at mid-flight and the pilot has to return to the Ushuaia and wait till weather improves. This can take several days sometimes.

GLWF team

On behalf of Matevz Lenarcic and GreenLight WorldFlight team, We would like to thank you Petra Kezman from Slovenia Embassy in Argentina. We would like to thank you for your professional and dependable guidance through the process of getting a permit to fly to Antarctic. Your comprehensive knowledge of the area diplomacy in Argentina helped us very much!

We would also like to thank you Dr. Rómulo Chiesa, Director General Legal, Técnico y Administrativo Administración Nacional de Aviación Civil (ANAC) from Argentina.If it wasn't for him, Matevz would never have had the permit for Antarctica.

Thank you again for your support.

GLWF team

Friday afternoon Petra Kezman from Slo. Embassy - this time - shocked me with very good news. She managed with great help of Mr. Romulo Chiesa, director general of ANAC to organize a meeting with Transito Aereo, where they clarified some misunderstanding regarding aircraft capabilities. After I e-mailed some additional documents I got assurance that we will get permission to fly towards Antarctic soon. So the plan was to fly into Ushuaia as soon as weather permits. Forecast was not very good, with cold front coming from west and strong winds. After discussed with Domen, Roxanna and Jonathan Selby from Ushuaia I decided to wait till evening to calm down. Pedro Skvarca and Oscar Bellini who accompanied me to the airport and got me through all the difficult doors and papers, helped me with refuelling and with big and heavy hangar doors. I would not believe if…… Pedro Skvarca legendary glaciologist at 69 and Oscar Bellini, doctor, andinist, pilot with broken arm – they both worked really hard to got me ready on time. Hasta luego amigos. This will not be possible to forget.

Evening air was very turbulent all the way to Rio Gallegos, after it calm downed a bit along the Atlantic coast towards Rio Grande, then picked up again when I headed direct to Ushuaia. It was late, quite high mountains in front with dark clouds around, so I thought this is going to be fun. If I will not manage through the mountain range, I can’t get back as Rio Grande airport just closed the doors. It was dark and veeerrrry turbulent, low over the ground and in between high icy picks and then finally lights of Ushuaia came into sight. Lighted runway, controller spoke English very well and Roxanna made life even brighter. It was chilly outside, close to freezing, but Roxanna greeted me in t-shirt... amazing. I was instructed to move aircraft to Aeroclub runway, so I took off again and barely found unlighted runway perpendicular to international one. Landing wasn't really by the book, but worked out well and my little one got his roof in big military hangar. Roxanna and Jonathan took over me (http://www.rvdiaz.com/ , www.xaxero.com ). Both are active sailors with great experiences in Antarctic weather, so now I am quite confident to find weather window in this difficult part of the world.

It was time to move towards south and continue the 20th stage of the WGLF. Matevž left El Calafate at 22.00 UTC, to reach Ushuaia he needed about two hours and 30 minutes. The distance was 580 kms. The mountains near Ushuaia created some bumpy flying conditions, also the landing at Ushuaia is not for everybody. Matevž did a wonderful job. Bravo, Matevž!
Now you are closer to Antarctica. We keep fingers crossed!
WGLF team

Friday afternoon Petra Kezman from Slo. Embassy shocked me with very bad news. Transito Aereo from Buenos Aires refused to issue permission to fly to Antarctic because the aircraft has no deicing equipment on board. Although we have already got permit from ANAC (Administracion Nacional de Aviacion Civil Argentina) and have got official explanation that this allowed me to fly to Antarctic, we are now in position to change the plans. 

Not many options remain. Chile authorities has already issued permission all the way to French Polinesya, but it is limited from 12. to 15th of February. Over the weekend there is not much to do, so decided with Peter Skvarca to fly in the mountains as the weather seems to cooperate late evening. Although it was extraordinary experience with "whooow" views it was to much for my not so good health in last days, so I am staying today in the hotel with strong cold and some fever. Hope for the best.

Upon arrival in Calafate Matevž was greeted by Peter Skvarča and many other friends.  Many many thanks for this warm welcome!
Below please find the link, which is showing Matevz's arrival to El Calafate.

http://www.ahoracalafate.com.ar/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11245:vuela-alrededor-del-mundo-con-un-mensaje-de-conservacion-ambiental&catid=37:locales&Itemid=90

( Source  AhoraCalafate )

Click on the link below and have a look at first anniversary of GLACIARIUM.

http://www.ahoracalafate.com.ar/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11276&catid=37&Itemid=90

Less than a year ago, Matevž asked me to join his project – flight around the world. I didn’t need much persuasion, since I knew his projects and we share a passion for flying. He needed someone to help him plan the flights and to deal with the papers and permissions. At that point I couldn’t possibly imagine what a demanding and interesting project GreenLight WorldFlight would turn out to be.

This is how the story began…

From Ljubljana to Morocco and Dakar we didn’t have any problems. The first issue emerged with the plan to cross the Atlantic – the HF antenna got stuck and Matevž informed me about the problem via the satellite phone. Our only option was to send him the SAR and AIS numbers in Dakar and Brazil. At the same time I notified the authorities and Matevž continued his flight.

During the flight from Natal, Cayenne, the instrument, called the “stormscope” broke down. The stromscope is equipped with sensors for electrical charges and can give you the approximate position of lightning storms. Since the instrument didn’t work I had to constantly update Matevž about the weather. My job was to monitor the radar data and warn Matevž  if he was near a center of a storm so that he could avoid them. The weather conditions change rapidly and the route was very long – almost 2000 km and the accurate data about the wind are crucial. One mistake related to flying at the wrong altitude can elongate the flying time for almost two hours. That is why I am constantly informing Matevž about the weather and try to save him some time.

South America was very demanding for someone who is in charge of the papers. At first Matevž managed to deal with the problems himself and when I was almost sure, that the flight from Mexico to Costa Rica would go smooth, I received a satellite call from Matevž. He said: “Domen, I have a small problem. I can’t reach Costa Rica, because they didn’t send me the papers on time. Nicaragua is our only option but I don’t have permission to land, since the landing wasn’t planed.”

It would be much easier to solve our problems if the flight wouldn’t take place on a Sunday. I had to dial almost ten different phone numbers with little success. When I was at the verge of giving up, I finally got someone from the Honduras navigational services on the phone. Fortunately I got hold of an English speaking person, who was also wiling to help me with the permissions. The permission to land was issued 25 minutes before the landing was planned. That was closeJ.

We were also planning to fly over Bolivia, but the flight didn’t happen. The authorities were stubborn and ignored all our e-mails and phone calls. At some point our embassy in Brazil got involved but despite their good relations with Bolivia, they weren’t successful either. In the end Matevž decided to enter Brazil from Argentina and avoid Bolivia despite the longer flight.

When he left Brazil for the second time, the situation relaxed a bit, and we focused on the weather conditions. The permissions to fly over Argentina were arranged by the Slovenian embassy in Argentina and the permission to fly to Antarctic should be enclosed. So I am gathering strength and relaxing but at the same time I expect the next liftoff eagerly.

Domen, GLWF team

Matevz has explained on the interview, that he expects to overfly more than 60,000 miles around the world. In that time he is expected to fly over 60 countries. Project GreenLight WorldFlight  is not just a publicity stunt. It is hoped the data he collects will help climatologists studying the role of these particles in global climate change.
» I want to make people understand that this world is the only one we've been given and if we destroy it, we and our descendants will be losing it for good.«

Matevz Lenarcic said:"The world is not as big and indestructible as it seems. It is worth seeing it in all its diversity. Physical conditions enabling the life of humans are in a very fragile balance on our planet. The substrate of our survival can be preserved only by those who are aware. The GreenLight WorldFlight shows the possible development of the thinking of new generations - away from the epic victories or huge technological achievements with the purpose of subordination. The future lies in moderation, cooperation, and balance. That is why I will use a small, ultra-light aircraft with the minimum use of fuel on a journey around our only planet."