Pictured is Snow Eagle 601, which landed on the ice sheet near Zhongshan Station in the early morning hours on January 1, 2018. Photo: Xinhua

Snow Eagle 601 overlooks the unloading of Xuelong, China’s icebreaker, near the Zhongshan Station on January 1, 2018. Photo: Xinhua

Snow Eagle 601 overlooks Zhongshan Station on January 1, 2018. Photo: Xinhua

China’s first fixed-wing aircraft Snow Eagle 601 equipped with members of China’s 34th Antarctic expedition team conducted a scientific investigation over the Zhongshan Station on January 1, 2018. The expedition team members riding in the Snow Eagle 601 greeted the first rays of sunlight of 2018 in Antarctic and experienced a different kind of New Year celebration on January 1.