ER-2 Flight: 96111

Date: May 03, 1996

Mission Objectives

Observation of DC-8 and 757 contrail over the CART site.

Flight Track

Flight Summary

ER-2 left SLN at 1715 UTC and returned on 2215 UTC. The DC-8 and 757 flew a E-W racetrack over the CART site. The ER-2 flew the same track but in the opposite direction of the DC-8. One flight track was flown in the solar plane at the beginning of the mission. Most of the E-W track was cloud free except may be non persistent contrails generated by the 757 and DC-8. Broken stratus clouds were observed on the eastern track.

Highlights

NOAA 14 satellite overpass at 2025 UTC.

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 1751 UTC.
• Radiation Measuring System (RAMS): Operated. Good data collected.
• RC-10 Camera: Operated (black and white visible film- 10 inch lens).

Additional Pilot Notes: Highly turbulent flight.