Lear 36 FASTEX Flight Number 5 Summary
Aircraft: Lear36/ N12FN (Call Sign FNT 212)
Date: 4 February 1997
Take-off: 1209 UTC (YYT - St. John's, Newfoundland)
Landing: 1739UTC (YQX - Gander, Newfoundland) to refuel
Return to YYT (Take-off:1925 UTC YQX, Landing: 1957 UTC YYT)
Pilots: Gordon Stevenson and John Huchowski (both of Flight International,Inc.)
Navigator: Gordon Stevenson
Crew #1 (on board scientist) : Michael C. Morgan (Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)
Crew #2 (dropsonde operator): Dean Lauritsen (NCAR)
Proposed Flight Plan
Take-off : 1200 UTC 4 February 1997
1) St. John's
2) Turn Point #1 48N 40W
3) Turn Point #2 54N 32W
4) Turn Point #3 54N 44W
5) St. John's
One drop at each turning point and 4 along each leg (19 total drops)
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Synopsis:
The first two and one-third legs of the proposed four leg flight were
completed. Due to stronger than anticipated head winds (approximately
40 to 50 knots higher than expected), a decision was made to return to
YYT directly following drop 11. Drops were continued at approximtely
15 minute intervals until drops were terminated due to air traffic below
flight level. Drops 1 through 11 were at 27000', Drops 12-16 were at
31000'. Weather and runway conditions at YYT led to decision to
land at YQX.
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Summary of drop times, locations ( in degrees (d)) , flight level (FL) data
drop/time(UTC)/FL(hundreds of feet)/FL(temp C)/FL wind (ddd@ff)/lon/lat
01) 1228 270 -48 244@90 49d57.24' 48d00.67'
02) 1240 270 -46 250@104 47d29.96' 48d45.12'
03) 1253 270 -45 252@94 44d59.39' 48d06.88'
04) 1306 270 -44 261@96 42d29.15' 48d04.89'
05)* 1320 270 -43 256@93 39d47.22' 48d03.64'
06) 1333 270 -43 249@155 38d20.06' 49d26.46'
07) 1344 270 -45 250@150 36d57.95' 50d41.55'
08) 1356 270 -46 256@139 35d28.95' 51d38.79'
09) 1406 270 -46 250@153 34d03.77' 52d39.43'
10)* 1422 270 -48 261@147 32d09.24' 54d01.17'
11) 1441 270 -50 220@120 34d33.74' 54d06.54'
12) 1459 310 -51 228@92 36d53.15' 53d55.06'
13) 1514 310 -52 218@110 38d44.05' 53d22.94'
14) 1529 310 -51 221@113 40d33.32' 52d48.37'
15) 1547 310 -52 213@148 42d33.34' 52d07.89'
16) 1600 310 -52 204@118 43d56.65' 51d36.27'
Notes: 1) (*) Drops 5 and 10 were turning points. These drops were
made after the turn was completed
2) Drops 1-15 were successful, drop 16 provided no wind data.
3) Winds are reported in knots
Summary of relevant ATC communications
1) 1323 UTC request to ATC to ascend to FL 410 (41000') was denied.
2) 1428 UTC a request to ascend to FL410 (due to stronger than expected
head winds) and head directly back to YYT (concern over fuel reserves)
3) 1442 UTC ATC offers either FL310 with drops, or FL410 and no drops
4) 1455 UTC cleared for travel direct to YYT at FL310
5) 1519 UTC ATC requests that we advise them of future drops as new
traffic has entered the area.
6) 1550 UTC request to ascend to FL 410 (with no further drops) denied as there
are 3 planes at FL330
7) 1620 UTC ATC advises that military aircraft are at FL250.
All drops terminated
8) 1641 UTC request to proceed to YQX approved. (weather at YYT
and low fuel reserves, lead to decision to land at YQX.
*******
Appended observations/notes
Observations from plane at each drop (starting with Drop 3; drop times
noted above)
03) 100 % undercast with altocumulus
04) Cirrus overcast and altocumulus undercast
05) multi-layered clouds below
06) undercast, altocumlus
07) altocumulus below
08) altocumulus below
1402 UTC (white caps seen below, skies have cleared somewhat with scattered
cumulus seen below)
09) scattered cumulus below
1411 UTC (appears to be a combination of white caps and "pieces" of ice below)
10) broken undercast - cumulus/ altocumulus
11) broken undercast - cumulus
12) scattered cumulus, stratocumlus seen to south (whitecaps? and "pieces"
ice seen below)
13) altostratus undercast
14) altostratus undercast
15) altostratus undercast
16) altostratus undercast (no winds reported from drop)