T-5 days: SOFIA photos, part 3

[posted for Michael Person]

Michael Person is in New Zealand getting ready to fly on SOFIA, and he sends these photos of the preparations there.

SOFIA in the Christchurch airport on 6/24

Ooh!  Is there going to be food service on the flights?  Sadly no,
this 747 truck is used to move instruments in and out of the aircraft.

Air New Zealand provided our passenger boarding steps.

Removing FORCAST, the camera that has been
working the first few flights of the NZ deployment.

Same

Even though we have a somewhat private part of the airport, it's
still and active flight area and everyone must
wear these bright vests anywhere on the tarmac.

Panorama of the US Antarctic Center's portion of the Christchurch airport.

SOFIA with clouds.  This is exactly why we have a telescope on
a plane, so we can just fly above the clouds whenever needed.

USAP building.

USAP HQ down here.

These are the guys who will come rescue us "in the unlikely event
of an emergency water landing" after we've put on our life preservers.