ER-2 Flight: 96110

Date: May 02, 1996

Mission Objectives

Observe the effect of DC-8 aircraft exhaust and contrails on wave clouds.

Flight Track

Flight Summary

Take-off time was 1630 UTC. ER-2 followed the DC-8 to SE Wyoming. No set patterns were flown. The ER-2 followed the DC-8 south again. The ER-2 flew several runs behind the DC-8. ER-2 pilot reported heavy turbulence at flight altitude. The ER-2 flew over contrails and was level in a run at a NOAA overpass at 2035 UTC.

Highlights

Runs for wave cloud near Boulder, CO.

Instrument Status

• MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS): Operated. Good data collected.
• Cloud Aerosol Lidar System (CALS): Operated. Good data collected.
• High-Resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS): Operated up to 1935 UTC. Failed apparently due to shaking from turbulence and problems in reset procedure.
• Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer(MIR): Operated. Good data collected.
• Tilt Scan CCD Camera (TSCC): Operated up to 1910 UTC.
• Radiation Measuring System (RAMS): Operated. Good data collected.
• RC-10 Camera: Operated (black and white visible film- 6 inch lens).

Additional Pilot Notes: Highly turbulent flight.