Flight Number: RF6 / 970204
Date: 970204
Proposed T/O Time (UTC): 0530
Primary Mission: Systematic Survey
Aircraft Crew:
Scientific Crew
Chief Scientist: Hildebrand, Wakimoto
Doppler Scientist: Lee, LeMaitre
Cloud Physics Scientist:
Observers: David Kristovitch
Observer: Nicolas Viltard,
Observer: Cheng Liu, Huachenq Qui,
Aircraft ID: Electra N308D
Base of Operations: Shannon
Alternate Mission: --
Flight Crew
RAF Project Manager: Friesen
Pilot: Boynton
Co-Pilot: Gentslinger
Flight Engineer: Brandon
RAF Tech: Ta, Phinney, Irwin
ELDORA Engineer: Walther
Location: Shannon
Mission Briefing (including proposed flight patterns):
Systematic survey on low 28.
Take off Time (UTC): 053940 Landing Time (UTC): Location: Shannon
Official Mission Duration: 7 hours (from Flight Director)
FASTEX Aircraft Chief Scientist Event Log
Flight Number: RF6 / 970204 Page 1 of 1
Date: 970204 Aircraft ID: Electra N308D Scientist taking flight notes: Hildebrand
Event Log
Time Position Events & Comments
(UTC) (Lat, Lon)
053940 52.7, -8.9 Takeoff Shannon.
Climbing to 2961. Noted inversion at about 2000m, with increase in winds
from 18 m/s below 2000m, and 30 m/s above 2500m. Wind direction constant at
260 deg.
0615 We are slowing by about 5 min to allow the C130 to catch up. Will be at
waypoint 1 at 0700.
0700 51.83 / Waypoint 1: start of leg 1. We are turning to the SSE. Hdg=151 deg,
-14.56 alt=2954m, msl.
0720 DPTC is oscillating, use DPBC.
0755 48.53 / Waypoint 2: end leg 1. We are turning right to hdg=256.
-12.05
0810 48.3 / 20 dBZ returns off to the left (south) by > 10 km and right (north) by > 25
-13.25 km.
0814 48.31 / returns to the left have dissipated; returns to the right remain constant,
-13.43 but are now closer (>10 km).
0817 48.26 / Waypoint 3: start leg 2.
-13.71
0818 48.31 / rainband with 30 dBZ reflectivity to the left (west).
-13.77
0820 48.40 / We are in an area of broad 20-25 dBZ returns. Flying through rainbands,
-13.76 which extend to 7 km.
0825 48.72 / Bright band is clearly visible below us at about 2.5 km altitude.
-13.74
0826 48.78 / Into the clear, here and to the west.
-13.74
0829 49.03 / We can see the cloud bands at multiple levels curving around the low
-13.77 pressure center and are passing over one now. It is much clearer ahead, with
only high and low clouds; virtually no radar returns, except off the cirrus
shield at 6.5 km.
Sea surface visible below.
0915 51.90 / Waypoint 4: end leg 2. Interesting variations in wind speed during leg 2,
-14.15 with large scale changes of 6-9 m/s, but constant wind direction.
0934 51.62 / Waypoint 5: start leg 3. Turning to hdg=152. There is scattered cloudiness
-15.82 in the area, but only the cirrus at 6 km are presently giving radar returns.
0940 P-3 reports blob of precip (cloud head) and suggests moving pattern 3 deg
east. 50 / -16.5. Ops center low 48/ -24 at 06Z
0949 50.74 / We are flying in a stratus deck (3-6 km alt). The winds have picked up from
-15.07 12 to peak at 22 m/s in the band, and are now dropping off as we pass south.
1005 49.81 /
-14.41
1014 P-3 changing their track for leg 4 to 40 km west of our track. Their new
track will be 48:02 / -15:30 to 51:35 / -15:50.
Miniature cyclone located 100 Nmi to the NW of the current P-3 location. The
next two bands should cover this. The 49:40 / -15:30
We are adjusting the end of leg 3 to be 4 minutes past the current location,
on the same heading (166 deg). Waypoint 7 will be adjusted accordingly to
the south to be at 47.75 / -14.8.
103330 48.08 / At new waypoint 6: end leg 3.
-13.17
1047 The P-3 reports their belly radar observes a NE-SW-oriented squall line
located at 49:20 / -15:40 with peak reflectivities of 45 dBZ. Our track
should be to the east, but it appears to be moving to the SE, so possibly
near our track. The C130 reports they are overflying the line now and the
cloud tops in the line are to 18-20 \kft.
1052 C130 reports a second line to the southwest of the afore-mentioned line.
1056 47.75 / At new waypoint 7: start leg 4.
-14.80
110140 48.04 / At old waypoint 7. The P-3 reports the convective band lies across our path
-14.94 at about 49.2 N
1112 48.73 / The convective line is visible to the north at about 50 km, running SW-NE,
-14.94 with peak reflectivities to 40 dBZ.
1125 Beginning to pass through the line. Peak reflectivities to 50 dBZ in the
rainshaft, in most locations in the core of the line. As we went through the
line, the winds increased gradually over many km, peaking at 32 m/s near the
line. Light to moderate turbulence to the north of the line.
1135 50.18 / The turbulence has died out now.
-15.17
120000 51.69 / Waypoint 8: end leg 4. Returning to Shannon.
-15.38
130640 52.694, Landing.
-8.925