Aircraft Platforms

Lockheed WP-3D Orion: NOAA Aircraft Operations Center / NOAA Aeronomy Laboratory

platform photo
Endurance:10 hrs
Ceiling:7.6 km
Payload:>2700 kg
Research Speed:100-150 m/s

Aircraft Instrument Package for the NOAA WP-3D Orion

ParameterTime ResolutionMethodDet. Limit
Ozone (O3)10 sUV Absorption1 ppb
Fast O3 (FO3)1 sNO/O3 Chemiluminescence0.2 ppb
Fast CO (FCO)1 sVUV Resonance Fluorescence1 ppb
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)< 1 sNDIR0.2 ppm
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)2 sUV Pulsed Fluorescence1 ppb
Nitric Oxide (NO)1 sNO/O3 Chemiluminescence30 ppt
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)3 sPhotolysis, NO/O3 Chem.100 ppt
Total Nitrogen Oxides (NOy)1 sAu Converter, NO/O3 Chem.50 ppt
PAN1 s / every 6 minDir. Injection, GC/ECD< 5 ppt
PPN1 s / every 6 minDir. Injection, GC/ECD< 5 ppt
MPAN1 s /every 6 minDir. Injection, GC/ECD< 5 ppt
Nitric Acid (HNO3)1 sC I Mass Spectrometry10 ppt
NH35 sC I Mass Spectrometry50 ppt
In-situ VOCs1 min./every 15 minCryo Collection, GC/FID< 10 ppt
Canister VOCs< 1 min.Canister Sampling, GC/MS< 10 ppt
CH2OLiquid Chromatography
Peroxides (incl. H2O2)1 minDual Enzymatic / Fluorimeter30 ppt
Aerosol size distribution1 sNMASS5 - 90 nm
Aerosol size distribution1 sERAST70 - 1000 nm
Total Radiation1 sEppley Pyranometers - Zenith & Nadir0.28 - 2.8 µ
UV Radiation~10 sSpectral Radiometer - Zenith & Nadir295 - 480 nm
Visible RadiationVisible Absorption Spectrometer420 - 700 nm
Water Vapor (H2O)1 sLyman Alpha Absorption
Air Temperature1 sPlatinum Thermistor
Dewpoint/Frostpoint< 3 sChilled Mirror
Wind Speed1 sDerived from INE
Wind Direction1 sDerived from INE
Altitude1 sBarometric
Position1 sGPS, INE
Air Speed1 sBarometric
Biometer3-wavelength IR Absorption
Atmospheric ReflectivityC & X Band Radars

Grumman G-1: DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

platform photo
Endurance:6 hrs
Ceiling:3.5 km
Payload:1300 kg
Research Speed:100 m/s

Aircraft Instrument Package for the DOE Grumman G-1

ParameterTime ResolutionMethodDet. Limit
Ozone (O3)10 sUV Absorption25 ppb
Carbon Monoxide (CO)20 sNDIR20 - 25 ppb
Fast CO (FCO)5 sVUV Resonance Fluorescence5 ppb
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)2 sUV Pulsed Fluorescence200 - 300 ppt
Nitric Oxide (NO)< 10 sNO/O3 Chemiluminescence20 ppt
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)< 10 sPhotolysis NO/O3 Chem.50 ppt
Nitrogen Dioxide (optional)< 10 sLuminol Chemiluminescence0.015 ppbv
Total Nitrogen Oxides (NOy) < 10 sMo Converter. NO/O3 Chem.300 - 400 ppt
PAN1 sample/7 minCyrogenic GC15 ppt
CH2O (optional)Continuous (1min delay)Fluorescence100 ppt
PAN4 sTandem Mass Spectrometry400 ppt
HNO24 sTandem Mass Spectrometry400 ppt
HNO34 sTandem Mass Spectrometry400 ppt
NH3 (optional)4 sTandem Mass Spectrometry~2 ppb
Formic/Acid acids (optional)4 sTandem Mass Spectrometry100 ppt
Canister VOCsCanister Sampling, GC/FID0.1 ppbv
bscat1 sNephelometer0-103/Mm
Aerosol size distribution1 sPCASP(0.17 - 3 µm)
Aerosol size distribution1 sFSSP(2 - 47 µm)
Particle Number1 sCNC (two)(> 7 nm, > 3 nm)
UV Radiation1 sEppley Pyranometer(295 - 385 nm)
Short-wave Irradiance1 sEppley PSP(285 - 2800 nm)
Long-wave Irradiance1 sEppley PIR(4 - 50 microns)
Water Vapor (H2O)1 sLyman Alpha Absorption±0.1 g m-3(est.)
Air Temperature1 sPlatinum Resistance±0.5 ºC
Dewpoint/Frostpoint1 sChilled MirrorD.P. ±0.2 ºC, F.P. ±0.4 ºC
Wind Components (u-,v-,w-)1 sGust Probe< 0.5 m s-1
Altitude1 sBarometric< 1 mb
Position1 sGPS< 3 m
Air Speed0.1 sBarometric< 20 cm s-1

Bell 205 Helicopter: TVA Environmental Research Center

platform photo
Endurance:2 hrs
Ceiling:2.5 km
Payload:500 kg
Research Speed:40-50 m/s

Aircraft Instrument Package for the TVA Bell 205 Helicopter

ParameterTime ResolutionMethodDet. Limit
Ozone (O3)1 sNO Chemiluminescence2 ppb
Carbon Monoxide (CO)NDIR or HgO reduction
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)5 sUV Pulsed Fluorescence0.5 ppb
Nitric Oxide (NO)1 sNO/O3 Chemiluminescence1 ppb
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)5 sPhotolysis, NO/O3 Chem.1 ppb
Total Nitrogen Oxides (NOy)1 sAu Converter, NO/O3 Chem.1 ppb
NOy*1 sNOy detection + Nylasorb Filter1 ppb
Canister VOCs1 minCanister Sampling, GC/FID
bscat5 sNephelometer< 10-6 m-1
Aerosol Size Distribution1 sPCASP(0.17 - 3µm)
Particle CompositionvariableFilter Pack, IC analysis
Particle Composition by SizevariableAnderson Cascade Impactor
Air Temperature5 sPlatinum Thermistor
Dewpoint5 sCapacitance Sensor
Altitude5 sBarometric
Position5 sGPS
Air Speed5 sPitot- Static Pressure2 m/s
Heading5 sFlux Gate Compass0.5 deg.

deHavilland Caribou: Private vendor / NOAA Environmental Technology Laboratory

platform photo
Endurance:4.5 hrs
Ceiling:3.5 km
Payload:<2700 kg
Research Speed:65-100 m/s

Aircraft Instrument Package for the deHavilland Caribou

ParameterTime ResolutionVertical ResolutionMethodDet. Limit
Ozone3 - 8 s90 mDIAL Lidar4 - 10 ppb
Aerosol Backscatter3 - 8 s15 mDIAL Lidar5 x 10-6 m-1sr-1
Surface Temperature1 sNAIR Radiometer0.2 ºC