'Last dance vibe': After 100 years, the International Ice Patrol is winding down N.L. iceberg flights

A program founded over 100 years ago, spawned by the sinking of one the most famous vessels in history — the RMS Titanic — is quiet‐ ly winding down.

Over the next couple of years, staffed flight missions of the International Ice Pa‐ trol will become a thing of the past as satellites and drones become more advanced.

"I think we're towards the end of the era of the aviation mission and soon the satel‐ lites will be doing all of the work," tactical comman‐ der Lt. Alex Hamel told CBC News during a recent flight.

"It's a shame to let go of the aircraft, for sure, but this aircraft is multipurpose, multi‐ mission and can easily be re‐ assigned to do other things that could be more important — search and rescue, fish‐ eries, law enforcement. I think that will be the direction of this aircraft."

The U.S. navy started the program in 1914 — soon after an iceberg collision sank the Titanic — to track icebergs off Newfoundland's coast and deliver up-to-date informa‐ tion to ships trying to safe‐ ly navigate the north Atlantic.

WATCH | Check out the crew's amazing view, and meet the last member of the International Ice Pa‐ trol to be screeched-in while stationed in St. John's:

These days the monitoring happens from the air — a sev‐ en-person joint mission be‐ tween Canada and the United States, flown by the U.S. coast guard in a C-130 air‐ plane based out of St. John's.

Hamel, who hails from New England, de‐ scribes his job to family at home as "unique" and "lucky."

He expects to fly at least one more full iceberg sea‐ son before the manned por‐ tion of the mission calls it quits.

"The group of us that has been here for a few years and maybe a few years more, we definitely sense the sun set‐ ting," Hamel said.

"The biggest thing that we will lose is the ability to con‐ firm if water is actually empty — confirm the absence of ice‐ bergs. That is not something that the satellites do well."

Aircraft commander Lt. William Hasbrook of North

Carolina is in charge during the flights.

He's also a photographer who takes the opportunity to collect photos for himself from the best seat in the house: the cockpit.

"I love to share it all with the crew and share the experi‐ ences with my friends and family at home," Hasbrook said.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime ex‐ perience. It's awesome to go out with a crew."

And while the mission winds down with a few flights left on the clock, it's Has‐ brook's last season regard‐ less.

"I'm due to transfer up to Kodiak, Alaska, this summer so this is probably going to be my last International Ice Pa‐ trol flight. It definitely does have a 'last dance' vibe for me," he said.

"For the local crowd in St. John's cheering us on, I can‐ not thank you enough for your hospitality. Each time we come here we're always wel‐ comed with open arms, and the people are incredible."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador