| Summary: | Progress Code: completed Statement: See the report for further information. The values provided in spatial coverage are approximate only. AUSLIG is now known as Geoscience Australia. Aerial Photography Yet another unsuccessful attempt. If aerial photography of this island is to be considered a priority for the Mapping Program's support of the scientific community it is evident that a different approach is required. Attempting to acquire systematic coverage of this island during a four or five day resupply visit will always be a high risk activity owing to the brevity of the stay and the emphasis given to cargo operations. Possible options include : - Leaving suitably equipped aircraft on the island for a short season, - During a short ship visit placing one of the aircraft under the control of the mapping program so that cargo operations do not compromise attempts at aerial photography, - Engage a contractor to acquire photography on a 'pay on results' basis. As all who visit Macquarie Island know there is persistent low level cloud over all or some of the island every day of the year. Under such conditions it is optimistic to expect to photograph the island in one mission during a four day visit let alone when cargo operations are being undertaken. If aircraft were dedicated to the aerial photography it would be possible to 'nibble at it' as the weather allowed and without having to install the photography system ( 1-2 hrs work ) every time the aircraft became available. General Some of the survey team were based on the ship which, with the uncertainty of their arrival and departure times, compromised the whole teams productivity owing to the need for both parties to work together. The loss of the first day to helicopter operations owing to barge operations also impacted on the amount of work carried out, as only three survey personnel and a small quantity of equipment went ashore in the afternoon of that day. It is also worth noting that the first day of the re-supply was blessed with fly-able weather. ...
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