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PEM Tropics-B P3-B Status Updates
P3-B
Photo Gallery
(updated 4/1/99)
(For slow connections, click
here)
Updates:
4/1/99,
3/31/99,
3/22/99,
3/17/99,
3/12/99,
3/8/99,
2/27/99,
2/19/99 Planning Meeting,
2/19/99,
2/15/99,
2/6/99,
2/2/99,
1/25/99
Status
1/25/99- The P-3B was
delayed by 10 days in returning to Wallops from the Lockheed maintenance
facility in South Carolina. The P-3B was originally scheduled to return
to Wallops on January 6, but arrived at Wallop Friday evening, January
15. Under our original schedule installation of probes, inlets, etc.
were scheduled to begin on the 6th and would have been nearly completed
prior to beginning rack upload. More importantly, the modification to
the power distribution system was scheduled to begin on the 6th and be
well underway by now. The current estimate is that the power panel mods
will require from 2 to 3 weeks to complete. This work is required
because the new power distribution system will be about 500 lb. lighter,
more reliable, and will generate less heat. The lighter weight of the
new power distribution system has already been assumed in our current
estimate of the aircraft zero fuel weight and we are still slightly over
the weight limit. The power panel mods are critical for this deployment.
Wallops management has been briefed on the delay in return of the P-3B
and its potential impact on the integration and deployment schedule.
They have agreed to make sure that resources are available in an attempt
to make-up the lost time and we will plan on a 7-day workweek during the
integration period.
Another issue adding uncertainty to the P-3B schedule is the fact that
two of the P-3Bs engines are currently operating below the minimum
acceptable power rating and a third is operating just at the minimum
power rating. Over the weekend the Wallops folks, along with personnel
from the company that recently installed turbine blades in these three
engines, were scheduled to conduct ground power tests to resolve the low
engine power. Unfortunately these tests were delayed until late Monday,
25 January. Tests will in all probability continue through Tuesday.
Rack upload and instrument installation is underway. The forward racks
(Eisele and Clarke) and racks along the right side of the aircraft have
been installed (Project Data, Blake, and Talbot), along with many of the
inlets. Racks along the left side of the aircraft will begin loading
after the aircraft is returned from the ground tests. Mods to the power
converters were delayed over the weekend and will continue to delay
getting aircraft power to the instruments.
It's not entirely clear what impact all of the above will have on the
deployment schedule. We do have some constraints that limit the options
we have in revising the deployment schedule. The return date for each
aircraft is fixed, as per the current return dates, we have only a
3-week window (March 1 - March 23) on Christmas Island with sufficient
hotel rooms to accommodate the P-3B deployment team. While there are
still some major uncertainties associated with the P-3B that may
severely delay our deployment, it appears on paper that if all goes well
we may be able to make our March 1 arrival date on Christmas Island.
This will require a slightly accelerated test flight schedule,
shortening the packing schedule, and only two nights in Hilo on the way
to Christmas Island. However, if one takes a more pessimistic (or
realistic) view, then our arrival on Christmas Island may be delayed by
up to a week. |
| 2/2/99- Ground test
of the P-3B's engines were completed late on the evening of 28 January,
1999. The results indicate that one engine will have to be replaced
(i.e. overhauled). A replacement engine is currently in the process of
being overhauled and is anticipated to be shipped to Wallops by February
12, 1999. Installation of the engine is anticipated to be completed by
February 20, followed by a Functional Check Flight (FCF) on February 22.
Assuming, that the P-3B is returned to flight status after the FCF,
integration will proceed as per the updated
P-3B integration and
deployment schedule posted on
the PEM-Tropics B Home Page.
Integration of the instrument payload has moved very smoothly over the
weekend with all racks now in place. The few remaining installation
issues include internal bracing for the Talbot probes, improved cooling
ducts around several racks, exhaust pluming, and completion of the power
converter mods. We anticipate that installation of all instruments and
the power panel mods will be complete by the end of this week. |
| 2/6/99-As reported
earlier,the P-3B's deployment schedule has been slipped by one week as a
result of the requirement to replace one of the engines on the P-3B.
Late this week it was learned that an additional engine will also be
replaced. Both engines are currently at the facility performing the work
and both are scheduled to be returned to Wallops by Feb 16, and
installed on the P-3B by February 20. These are the dates that were used
to developed the revised P-3B
schedule that was posted on the
PEM-Tropics B home page late
last week. The additional engine change is not expected to have an
impact on the revised P-3B schedule. |
2/15/99-As a result of the
slip in the P-3B deployment schedule, we have lost the military cargo
airlift originally scheduled to transport PI supplies and spare parts to
Christmas Island. We are now exploring options for contracting with a
commercial carrier to provide this transport duty. A dedicated cargo
flight from Wallops-Hilo-Christmas, then Christmas-western Samoa-Tahiti,
and finally from Tahiti-Honolulu-West Coast-Wallops is planned. Since
the cargo flight from Wallops will be a commercial outfit, it will not
have permission to land at Dryden. We anticipate that the P-3B will stop
over at Dryden with the cargo flight at some close-by airport.
Wallops reports that the replacement of the two engines on the P-3B is
on schedule, however replacement of the second engine will not take
place until later in our test flight schedule. One engine will arrive at
Wallops February 16, and will be used as a replacement for the engine
that during the ground test indicated output power well below the
acceptable level of 95%. This engine is anticipated to be installed by
February 20, followed by a Functional Check Flight and the Engineering
Check Flight as currently posted on the
P-3B
integration schedule.
The second engine scheduled for replacement prior to the P-3Bs
deployment tested at 95.8% output power during the ground power checks.
The current plan is to conduct the first PI test flight on February 24,
after completing replacement of one of the engines, but with the 95.8%
engine in place. The replacement for the 95.8% engine is expected to
arrive by the 24th and would be installed between the 1st and 2rd PI
test flight. It is anticipated that the 2nd test flight may be slipped
by at least one day.
The in-hanger full power check out is scheduled for February 18th, and
a flight planning meeting is scheduled to be convened 9:30 am, February
19, 1999 at Wallops. |
2/19/99- Late Thursday
afternoon, Wallops flight personnel were notified by Al Diaz, GSFC
Director, that all aircraft operations at Wallops were terminated until
"…reports of potential continuing concerns with safe
operations of aircraft…" are reviewed. No information
concerning the nature of the "reports", nor the process to
review the reports is available at this time.
Replacement of two the P-3B's engines is continuing with an estimated
completion dated of about February 26/27, 1999. Assuming the issues
raised by the Diaz letter can be resolved and the P-3B returns to flight
status by the 27th, a deployment date on or about March 10 is projected.
The P-3B deployment team will continue with a previously scheduled
meeting on Friday, February 19 to discuss flight priorities for the
remainder of the P-3B deployment. |
2/19/99- Minutes of Planning
Meeting: The P-3B flight planning meeting was convened at the
Wallops Flight Facility, 9:30 am, Friday, February 19, 1999. The initial
purpose of this meeting was to review and recommend flight
options/objectives for the P-3B deployment in view of the pending 2 week
delay in the deployment schedule. Late on the afternoon of the 18th, the
Wallops Flight Operations Branch received a letter from the Director of
the Goddard Research Center stating that due to "…reports of
potential continuing concerns with safe operations of aircraft out of
Wallops Flight Facility…", all flight operations at Wallops
were terminated until the reports could be investigated. As of COB
Friday afternoon, no time schedule, nor understanding of the review
process was available. As a result of this stand-down order, discussions
at the flight planning meeting were expanded to consider options for a
one year slip of the Christmas Island component of PEM-Tropics B.
The meeting was opened with a review of the projected integration/test
flight/deployment schedule based upon current estimates for completion
of the engine replacements. The P-3B team agreed to reduce the number of
test flights to 2, with the provision that the DFRC/Hilo transit flights
also be considered test flights. The integration and deployment schedule
adopted at the conclusion of the meeting, pending installation of the
engine and resolution of the stand-down order from the Goddard Center
Director, is currently posted on the PEM-Tropics B home page.
The stand-down order was introduced, but since virtually no information
was (or is) available on the source of the "reports" noted in
the letter nor the resolution process, it was difficult to do more that
speculate on the date that order would be rescinded noted that the
engine replacement and PI access to instrumentation onboard the P-3B
would not be impacted by the stand-down order.
Joe McNeal opened the discussion on the P-3B options by stating that
the Christmas Island deployment was the core component of the P-3B's
science objectives and that the an important part of the teams
deliberations would be to determine if the number of flights projected
for Christmas Island warranted the time and expense of continuing the
P-3B deployment. He emphasized that it was the team's decision to
determine the minimum number of flights they felt would be required from
Christmas Island. He then discussed an option for slipping the Christmas
Island deployment by one year. He noted that funds saved by slipping the
current P-3B deployment plus funding currently ear marked for a nitric
acid intercomparison tentatively scheduled for early FY 00, would make
it possible to fund a one year slip in the Christmas Island deployment,
with the potential to expand the study by including a ground based
component. Joe further noted that the P-3B team could, at the meeting,
elect to slip the Christmas Island deployment by one year rather than
continuing with an already shortened Christmas Island deployment, or the
team could elect to proceed on the assumption that we could deploy and
conduct the minimum number of flights at Christmas Island as defined by
the team. A decision to slip Christmas Island to CY00 would almost
certainly preclude the availability of the GTE Program to fund the P-3B
in the TRACE-P mission, tentatively scheduled for CY01. Joe further
noted that, in the event that the P-3B does not receive the return to
flight order in time to conduct the minimum number of flights at
Christmas Island, he would strongly question the scientific rationale
for continuing the P-3B deployment to Tahiti, even though he recognized
the importance of the combined P-3B/DC-8 flight opportunities that are
scheduled at Tahiti. He based this remark, in part, on the assumption
that funding would not be available for a P-3B deployment to Tahiti and
a one-year slip in the deployment to Christmas Island.
After some general discussion the P-3B team concluded, that in the
event that a minimum number of Christmas Island flights could not be
conducted, the option to slip the Christmas Island deployment by one
year would be favored over continuing with the Tahiti portion of the
deployment if it jeopardized a CY00 re-deployment to Christmas Island .
Joe noted that the issue regarding funding for both the Tahiti portion
of PEM-Tropics B and a CY00 P-3B deployment to Christmas Island would be
resolved as soon as possible. Joe also noted that the PEM-Tropics B
Science Team was comprised of the P3-B and DC-8 investigators. A slip in
the deployment of the P-3B would not alter this, and that data from the
DC-8 deployment would be available to all Science Team members as per
the data protocol, and likewise, data from a P-3B deployment in CY00
would be available to all Science Team members.
Prior to proceeding with the flight planning, the following Wallops
flight rules were reviewed and discussed:
(1) Any flights in excess of 8 hours will require an augmented crew
consisting of 2 additional flight personnel. Depending on our final seat
count, which will depend upon the aircraft zero fuel weight, one or two
investigator seats will be required to accommodate an augmented crew.
(2) Our request to flight a split flight totaling 9 to 10 flight hours
(e.g. a 5 hour morning flight-land-4 to 5 hour afternoon flight) has
been tentatively be approved with the provision that there be at least 3
hours separating the morning touch-down and the afternoon take-off, and
the total crew/PI duty time does not exceed 20 hours.
(3) A non-work day is required after every 13 continuous duty days.
(4) The flight crew duty is restricted to 40 flight hours per 7 days.
After a brief break, Doug Davis lead the discussion to define the
science rationale for the flights projected for a Christmas Island
deployment, and to define the minimum number of flights from Christmas
for a scientifically viable deployment. The menu/objectives of flights
presented by Doug are:
· Transit to Christmas: (Coordinated with the DC-8) - Cloud
in-flow/out-flow ITCZ (Inter-hemispheric mixing) - Mid-altitude gas to
new particle formation
· Christmas Island Locals:
(1) Focused sunrise-to-midday flight (HOx/sulfur/BL/Buf study)
(2) Focused midday-to-post sunset flight (HOx/sulfur/BL/Buf study)
(3) Split Flight - sunrise-to-midmorning/mid-day-to-afternoon
(HOx/sulfur/BL/BuL study)
(4) Time History (Sulfur Survey Flight)
(5) Buffer Layer/Free Troposphere (HOx/Sulfur/gas-to-new particle
formation study)
· Transit to Samoa (BL O3/HOx flight 2oN to 13oS)
· Transit to Tahiti (BL O3/HOx flight)
Doug emphasized that the list of flights from Christmas Island did not
reflect any priority on the flights. After discussion, the P3-B team
concluded that at least 4 flight would be required from Christmas Island
to make it a scientifically viable deployment.
Prior to adjourning for lunch, it was noted that at least two P-3B
measurement teams might be involved in an NCAR mission currently
proposed for the February/March/April time period in 2000. Their
involvement in the NCAR mission could jeopardize a CY00 redeployment
option for the P-3B.
After lunch, Reginald Newell presented additional information for the
Christmas Island deployment and science rationale supporting deployment
to Tahiti even if additional engine and/or PI instrument problems, or
the current hold on Wallops flight operations precludes a Christmas
Island deployment.
The concluding discussion by the P-3B investigators resulted in the
deployment schedule shown on the
GTE Home Page. Note that this schedule does not reflect changes in the
DC-8 flight schedule from Hilo, which may be implemented to maximize
coordination with the P-3B flights (e.g. coordination with the P-3B
transit flight to Christmas Island). There are no plans to change the
current deployment date of the DC-8 from Dryden, nor any additional
delays in the DC-8's departure from Hilo to Fiji. The P-3B's departure
date from Wallops is currently schedule for March 10 with an overnight
at DFRC and arrival in Hilo the afternoon of the 11th. The P-3B team
concluded that one day in Hilo should be scheduled prior to departure to
Christmas Island. Accordingly the departure from Hilo to Christmas is
scheduled on the 13th. Arrival at Christmas on the 13th would allow
sufficient time to conduct the minimum 4 flights with a departure of the
P-3B on the 23rd. An option that would permit an additional flight from
Christmas Island would be to extend the stay of the personnel traveling
on the P-3B until the 26th. This would allow a flight to be conducted on
the 23rd, followed by two days to pack and then the transit to Tahiti.
Because of a limitation on the number of rooms that are available during
the week of the 23rd, all commercial passengers would have to depart on
the 23rd. This option would preclude the Western Samoa stop over.
The consensus of the P-3B team at the conclusion of the meeting was
that was:
(1) A minimum of 4 flights would be required at Christmas Island.
(2) In the event that the Christmas Island deployment is not possible,
continued deployment to Tahiti should be not be implemented if it
adversely impacts the GTE Program's ability to fund a CY00 re-deployment
to Christmas Island. |
2/27/99- The Mission
Readiness Review for the P-3B deployment was held on Friday, February
26, 1999. Pending completion of several relatively minor action items,
the P-3B deployment was approved. Arnold Torres, director of the Wallops
Flight Facility, also announced that the stand-down order for the
Wallops aircraft had been lifted. Ground tests of the P-3B engines are
anticipated over this week end followed by the Functional Check Flights
and the Engineering Check Flight on Monday. The
P-3B deployment schedule posted
on the PEM-Tropics
Home Page continues to be valid.
All P-3B investigators traveling to Christmas Island via the weekly
commercial flight should contact SAIC to confirm the date they plan to
travel to Christmas Island (e.g. March 9 or 16). All commercial air
passengers will depart Christmas Island March 23th , but the P-3B
passengers/crew will continue operations at Christmas until March 26.
Also note that, with the exception of the P-3B flight crew, local
transportation for the P-3B stop over in Hilo will be via taxies. This
is a change from the information that had previously been published.
This is being implemented since we will be in Hilo only about 36 hours
and hopefully use of taxies will simplify our arrival and departure
process. Taxies are reported to be readily available, so this should not
impose a hardship on our ability to get to and from the P-3B parking
area. Richard Bendura and Mike Cadena will be in Hilo on Monday and will
re-evaluate the availability of taxies relative to use of rental cars.
|
| 3/8/99- The first and
second tests flights for the P-3B were conducted successfully on March 4
and March 7, respectively. During the first test flight nominal "first-flight"
problems pop-up for many of the instruments. On the second test flight
most of these problems were rectified. All instrument teams reported
ready for deployment on March 10. The initial transit flight on March 10
to DFRC will be a continuation of the test flight series. Transit to
Hilo is scheduled for March 11, and deployment to Christmas Island is
scheduled for March 13. The DC-8 science team has modified the flight
schedule for the DC-8 such that it is now anticipated that coordination
between the P-3B and DC-8 will occur on the P-3B transit to Christmas
Island and the first P-3B local. This has required an additional delay
of one day in the deployment of the DC-8 to Fiji. The revised
P-3B and DC-8 schedule is posted
on the GTE
PEM-Tropics B Home Page. |
3/12/99- The P-3B portion
of PEM-Tropics B deployed March 10, 1999. The departure from Wallops was
delayed for about 3-hours as a result of about 3 inches of snow on the
ground the morning of the departure and the need to change an oil filter
on one of the engines of the P-3B. Both the P-3B and the DC-8 cargo
aircraft arrived in the Dryden area about 7:30 P.M. The cargo aircraft
landed at Mojave and the P-3B at Edwards. As a result of the shortened
test flight schedule during integration, the P-3B's first transit flight
to Dryden was designated as a test flight, but with strong encouragement
for as many instruments as possible to be in a data status.
Reg Newell, P-3B mission meteorologist, provided forecasting that
permitted sampling of stratospherically influenced air well into the
troposphere during this transit flight. All instruments, with the
exception of a few, which were still conducting calibrations and
performance checks, were in a data status. The transit flight from
Dryden to Hilo was an 8-hour data flight, and departed on schedule. Two
in progress step profiles were scheduled and conducted. Several
instruments reported problems which may impact the quality/quantity of
the final data. The P-3B arrived in Hilo 5:00 PM local time, followed by
the DC-8 cargo flight about 8:00 PM. A full work day is scheduled for
March 12, with a 9:00 A M. departure to Christmas Island planed for
March 13. |
3/17/99- The P-3B departed
Hilo, Hawaii, March 13, 1999, 9:00 AM and arrived at Cassidy Airport,
Christmas Island, March 14, 1999, 5:00 PM. (If you have not looked at
Christmas Island on a map, you may be surprised to learn that it is
located east of the International Date Line, and is one day ahead of
Hawaii even though it is nearly at the longitude as Hawaii.) During the
P-3B's transit flight, the DC-8 conducted its second local flight from
Hilo. The overall scientific coordination between the two aircraft
consisted of the P-3B providing in progress profile measurements between
Hilo and Christmas Island below about 24,000 ft, while the DC-8 sampled
above the flight altitude of the P-3B. The DC-8 returned to Hilo after
over flying the Christmas Island area, along a track west of its
outbound track. The final 45 minutes of the P-3B's flight into Christmas
Island was at 500 ft and designed to survey the uniformity and activity
of DMS emission in the Christmas Island study region.
The first P-3B local flight from Christmas Island and the 3rd DC-8
local from Hilo were conducted on March 16, 1999 (local Christmas
Island). Both aircraft conducted a sunset photochemistry mission. The
P-3B departed Christmas Island approximately 10:45 AM and returned just
after sunset at 6:45 PM. The DC-8 departed Hilo 11:00 AM and returned at
9:00 PM. Coordination between the two aircraft consisted of sampling
with in the same study region with the P-3B concentrating on the
boundary layer and the buffer layer, while the DC-8 focused on the free
troposphere.
The DC-8 is scheduled to transit to Fiji, March 17, 1999 (Local
Hawaii), while the P-3B is scheduled to conduct a full diurnal
photochemistry study March 18, 1999 (local Christmas Island). No
coordination between the two aircraft is planned for these flights.
|
3/22/99- The second
Christmas Island local flight was completed 3/18/99 (local time). It was
a 2-part flight -- the first part was a 5-hour sunrise flight; the
second part a 6 hour sunset flight. Take-off for part one was at 4:30 AM
with a 9:30 AM landing. Take off for the second part was at 12:30 PM
(same day) and landing about 6:30 PM. Preliminary results suggest the
series was scientifically very successful. Ozone and NO were low, and
DMS was observed to be relatively high just prior to sunrise. A diurnal
anti-correlation between DMS and SO2 similar to that observed in
PEM-Tropics A was also observed on this flight. The concentration of SO2
was, however, lower that anticipated based upon the conversion
efficiency of DMS to SO2 obtained from the observation during
PEM-Tropics A.
The third local flight was completed 3/21/99. This flight was
designated as a time-history survey and was designed to sample at
several different altitudes while flying into and against the wind
directions. The out bound flight track was flown west of Christmas
Island along the equator for about 1000 miles. The return east bound
track was along a latitude about 2 degrees north of the equator. |
| 3/31/99- The P-3B
completed its last local flight on Christmas Island March 24. The focus
of this last flight was HOx photochemistry with a take off at 11:30 am
and a return at 7:30 pm. March 25 was the pack day in preparation for
the arrival of the cargo aircraft and the transit to Tahiti. Both the
cargo aircraft and the P-3B departed Christmas by mid-morning. The cargo
and P-3B arrived in Tahiti at 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm respectively. During
the transit to Tahiti, the P-3B aircraft was struck by lightning and
sustained minor damage to the trailing edge of one wing. Measurements of
NO during the strike exhibited local concentrations in excess of 1ppbv,
along with increases in ozone, carbon monoxide and other trace species.
Repairs to the wing were completed on March 29 and a functional check
flight was completed the morning of March 30. The first local for the
DC-8 aircraft is currently in progress, and the first local flight for
the P-3B is scheduled for departure at 8:00 am on March 31. The focus of
DC-8 flight is to study the western portion of the SPCZ, while the focus
of the P-3B flight will be to study the distribution of trace gases
associated with the inflow/outflow of a convective system. |
4/1/99- The first P-3B local flight, completed
March 31, focused on (1) characterizing the inflow/out flow associated
convective systems; (2) Characterization of the north/south gradient of
trace gases across the ITCZ; and (3) new particle formation in the
outflow of convective systems. The study region was north of Tahiti from
approximately 12 to 6 south latitude. Initial results indicate that all
objectives were met and expectations for observation of new particle
formation were exceeded. Very high concentrations of DMS were observed
in the boundary layer on both the north and south side of the ITCZ,
along with high concentrations of sulfur dioxide. High concentrations of
both of these compounds were also observed in the 15kft to 20kft range,
and new particle formation was observed during several encounters with
the outflow from convectives systems.
On a more negative note, the P-3B's radome was damaged by the ground tug
while positioning the aircraft after the flight. Initial assessment is
that the radome can be repaired, and that the capability for the repair
is available through Air Tahiti. It is estimated that the repair will
take 2 days. The 2nd local flight by the P-3B has been, tentatively
rescheduled until Sunday, April 4. |
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Curator:
NASA Official:
Last Updated 06/20/2014 |
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