2014-07-21 (Flight #2041) |
Aircraft Flight SummaryDate: 2014-07-21 |
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Flight Mission Details
This was P-3B the third flight out of Bloomfield Municipal Airport, Colorado. The aircraft took measurements over the six D-AQ sites: Fort Collins/site-1, Platteville/site-2, Golden NREL/site-3, BAO Tower/site-4, Denver/La Casa/site-5, and Chatfield Park/site-6.
Key instruments on P-3B include:
1. LARGE (Langley Aerosol Research GroupE): aerosols.
2. PDS (Project Data System): base meteorological and navigational measurements.
3. TD LIF: NO2, HNO3, PNs, ANs;
4. DLH (Diode Laser Hygrometer), H20.
5. DACOM (Differential Absorption CO Measurement): CO, CH4
6. DFGAS (Difference Frequency Generation Absorption Spectrometer): CH20
7. Chemiluminescence (NCAR 4-channel Chemiluminescence Instrument): O3, NO2, NO, NOy
8. PTR-MS (Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometer): non-methane hydrocarbons.
9. AVOCET (Atmospheric Vertical Observations of CO2 in the Earth's Troposphere): CO2.
10. CAR (Cloud Absorption Radiometer): scattered light and surface radiance that is reflected off of surfaces.
11. Fast Ethane Spectrometer: ethane, methane.
Flight Path, Timing, and Measurements
Approximate time in UTC (Colorado, -6 hours). Activities during CAR flight 2039 on July 20, 2014 out of Bloomfield Municipal Airport. Observations by CAR operator/PI, Charles Gatebe, accompanied by Bryan James, CAR engineer.
12:00 -- Preflight checks performed by Kurt Rush, Bryan James and Rajesh Poudyal. All systems were tested. Only issue - CAR data sync problem, but it resolved itself on subsequent attempts.
13:30 -- tested CAR door open functionality. Found ok, but not so smooth as expected.
13:39 -- aircraft engines power on.
13:40 -- P-3 door closed.
13:51 -- taxing.
14:00 -- take off.
14:04 -- CAR power on and fully functional.
14:05 -- cryopump power on.
14:06 -- CAR in the starboard. Forgot to request permission from the pilot.
14:08 -- flying low. Alt. 1983m. Thick cloud above.
14:11 -- filter wheel channels unstable.
14:12 -- Fort Collins/site-1. Spiral up.
14:14 -- cloud deck above.
14:15 -- filter wheel still unstable.
14:20 -- filter wheel still unstable.
14:21 -- filter wheel power off.
14:23 -- filter wheel power on again.
14:30 -- end of the spiral. Alt. 5616m.
14:33 -- overcast sky.
14:34 -- over Platteville/site-2. Spirals cancelled by air traffic controllers. Relocated to a different location.
14:36 -- overcast sky. Nav temp. 18°C.
14:38 -- over Denver, headed back to Greeley.
14:39 -- filter wheel channel almost stable.
14:41 -- overcast sky.
14:49 -- overcast sky.
14:51 -- missed approach over Greeley/Weld County airport.
14:53 -- overcast sky.
14:58 -- overcast sky. Flying low. Alt. 1803m.
15:04 -- over Denver city. Alt. 2019m.
15:05 -- over Golden/site-3. Spiral up.
15:07 -- filter wheel at 1.6µm. Overcast sky.
15:16 -- overcast sky.
15:18 -- very clean air. Overcast sky.
15:21 -- end of spiral.
15:28 -- BAO towers/site-4. Spiral down.
15:30 -- overcast sky. Not so hazy as compared to the previous day.
15:38 -- end of the spiral.
15:40 -- perform missed approach at Parkland airport. Filter wheel not stable. Dark current seem to be a problem.
15:42 -- NO2 and particle count increasing.
15:45 -- Denver LaCasa/Site-5. Spiral up. Overcast sky.
15:58 -- end of spiral.
16:01 -- filter wheel signal much improved.
16:04 -- filter wheel dark current problem. Over Chatfield/site-6. Overcast sky.
16:10 -- overcast sky.
16:12 -- filter wheel stable. Dark current problem not visible.
16:14 -- end of spirals.
16:23 -- computer 2 monitor problem.
16:25 -- restart computer 2.
16:27 -- computer 2 running well.
16:28 -- cloud deck above. Horizon looks clear.
16:29 -- dark current problem again. Headed toward Fort Collins.
16:31 -- missed approach at Christman Field. Spiral up at Fort Collins. Generally cloudy.
16:36 -- sky almost overcast, but clouds starting to thin.
16:37 -- dark current spikes.
16:51 -- computer 2 crashes.
16:53 -- computer 2 restarted.
16:56 -- over Platteville/site-2. Alt. 5239m. Start descent/spiral.
16:57 -- sky overcast.
16:58 -- LabView program crash.
17:08 -- low ozone values. Other pollutants show high values.
17:09 -- absorption peak. End of spiral.
17:11 -- dark current spike. Computer 2 crash.
17:13 -- restart computer 2. Ozone increasing.
17:15 -- dark current spike again. Nav temp. 27°C. Alt. 1750m.
17:17 -- overcast sky.
17:20 -- CAR pointing in the wrong direction.
17:30 -- Nav temp. 32°C. Sky overcast.
17:31 -- at Golden site/site-3. Spiral up.
17:38 -- Alt. 5350m. Low ozone and Formaldehyde concentrations.
17:40 -- overcast sky.
17:41 -- flying straight and level.
17:45 -- over BAO tower/site-4.
17:59 -- end of spiral. Perform missed approach at Parkland airport.
18:05 -- over Denver laCasa/site-5. Spiral up. Filter wheel set at 2.2µm. Sky overcast.
18:12 -- pollution concentration decrease above 3900m.
18:17 -- end of spiral.
18:23 -- over Chatfield/site-6. Start spiral down. Last spiral of the day. Overcast sky.
18:30 -- pictures over Chatfield Lake/overcast sky.
18:34 -- end of spiral.
18:37 -- prepare for CAR shut down. CAR door closed.
18:41 -- landing.
18:47 -- engine off.
