20070501 Flight Status

From Bob Wells:

In view of sub-satellite track locations and weather conditions Tuesday was declared a no-fly day. The WB57 scientists kindly arranged a most interesting tour of the NASA aircraft and pressure suit facility. A Vomit Comet and a team of Michigan University students with zero-g experiments were using the same hanger as the WB57.

Dave Tiddeman reported that the problem with aircraft e-mail had finally been traced to a change in the Met Office system last week and it is fervently hoped that these communications and position reports will be restored for Wednesday’s flight to observe during the METOP and AQUA passes over the Oklahoma ARM site.
Here is the input for our desired flight tomorrow.

From Allen Larar (WB-57 NAST-I scientist)

Objective: Daytime flight over OK (CART site region) to
underfly both Metop (1126 local) and Aqua (1452 local) satellites.

Takeoff: 1015 local (Note that + 10 mins might be necessary to ensure
flight duration needed to cover both satellites; one hour has
been sufficient to get to this area in previous flights.)

Pre-flight brief: 0715 local (Southwest Services)

Instrument hands-on: 0545 local
hands-off: 0645 local

Tow out: 0715 local

Way Points:

E: EFD
A: 35 deg 35.0 min N, 97 deg 29.10 min W
B: 37 deg 35.0 min N, 97 deg 29.10 min W
C: 37 deg 35.0 min N, 97 deg 35.50 min W
D: 35 deg 35.0 min N, 97 deg 35.50 min W

Flight Plan: E -> A -> B -> C -> D -> A. Continue
same race track pattern for target scene duration, i.e.
until time to RTB.

Constraints: maintain constant altitude during racetrack pattern;
be on racetrack pattern during both satellite overpass events
(i.e., 1126 and 1452 local); try to minimize a/c pitch angles.

Mission abort conditions: we require either NAST-I or S-HIS
to be operating nominally for mission continuation, so if both
fail (and are unable to be re-booted via checklist procedures)
then mission should be aborted. Instrument teams will monitor radio
communication until after all sensors are operational, then
can be reached via cell phone during flight.

Any needed mods to the plan above will be communicated at the morning
brief, i.e. associated with any changes with latest weather
observations/forecast and BAe 146 plans.

See you in the AM at Southwest Services.

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