Summit Station Skiway Cost Analysis

Summit Station, Greenland, is home to a 5120.6 61.0 m (16,800 200 ft) skiway that acts as the lifeline for research conducted for the National Science Foundation. The LC-130 aircraft is the primary airframe depended on, each season delivering over 400,000 lb of cargo, personnel, and fuel to this remote location. A majority of the research activities takes place from mid-April to August while the station is open for the summer season. Over the past three seasons, the skiways ability to handle this frequency of flights has increased with the implementation of new equipment and techniques, resulting in fewer jet-assisted takeoffs and longer periods of maximum allowable cargo loads. To explore further skiway improvement and cost saving techniques, this report reviews alternative maintenance and construction options based on other skiways located in Greenland and alternative available aircraft that currently operate in this region. Additionally, we were provided the entire seasons total labor associated with the skiway operation and data for the cost associated with the skiway, which allowed us to quantify the current and available options. This is the first time that these metrics have been recorded and analyzed.