The range of a Twin Otter (fully loaded) is about 1,125-km. The distance from Resolute to the Ice Team (who will be travelling along 140° Longitude) is 1,100-km.

There is therefore the need for a re-fuelling point, at some point along the plane's return journey, hence the two Ice Bases.

The Ice Bases will be manned by personnel who have experience of Arctic conditions. The job of these personnel will be to inform pilots of weather conditions, on the ground, and to mark out and maintain a suitable runway.

Ice Base staff need to keep an eye on the state of the ice runway, which needs to be 305m in length and at least 60cm thick in order for the Twin Otters to land.

Fog also starts to become an issue in the later stages of the expedition, as the slightly warmer temperatures meet the cold open water exposed by the ice break-up. Flying in such conditions is particularly dangerous, making re-supply runs that much more difficult to complete and the role of the Ice Base staff that much more critical.