The objective of this mission was to measure
non-persistent contrails and radiation
over the ARM CART Site;
and overfly ground-based instrumentation at the ARM CART site for
comparison of ER-2 downlooking with surface based uplooking instruments.
In addition, an aircraft (ER-2, DC-8, T-39) coordination
exercise was scheduled.
ER-2 launch at 1745 UTC; ER-2 recovery at 2045 UTC. ER-2 flew
2 1/2 revolutions of a racetrack pattern (headings 345 and 165 degrees)
with flight lines roughly 100 nm. Starting on eastern leg (heading
165), the ER-2 overflew the ARM CART site (36 36.6'N 97 34.8'W) at center
of eastern leg. Total of 3 overpasses of ARM CART site were made
(1854, 1926, and 2001 UTC).
Skies were mostly clear at ARM CART site with increasing scattered
boundary layer cloud formation on 2nd and 3rd overpass. DC-8 (on
racetrack oriented 330/150 degrees) was unable to complete it's
racetrack pattern due to air traffic control (ATC) vectoring of
DC-8. This complicated aircraft coordination exercise, however
ER-2 pilot reported verbal exchange placed ER-2 and DC-8 within
about 30 seconds (~3 nm) of each other at CART site (1854 UTC).
ARM CART site Central Facility coordinates provided for DC-8 and
ER-2 flight plans did not agree. Coordinates being verified for
next flight.
