980808 MISSION SCIENTEST POST FLIGHT SUMMARY

Date of Mission:	08 August, 1998
Daily Mission Scientist:	Anthony Guillory
Deputy Mission Scientist:	Frank LaFontaine
Project Scientist:	Robbie Hood
Nowcasters:	Bart Geerts Richard Wohlman

ER2 Tail Number:	NASA 806
Sortie:	98-108
CAMEX-3 Flight Number:	98-02
Pilot:	Jan Nystrom
Take Off:	1600 UTC (98/08/08)
Landing:	1954 UTC (98/05/08)
Duration:	3.90 hrs

Mission Objective:

Convection over Florida within range of S-POL and rain gauge network and Andros
Island overflight for NAST-I calibration with cal/val site.

Mission Description:

The flight proceeded as planned. The ER-2 was launched at 1600 UTC with
landing a 2000 UTC. The pilot opted to deviate from flight plan during
climb out to fly over some nearby convection just NW of Cape Canaveral
and then flew the three planned flight legs over the peninsula parallel
to the sea breeze front.

Weather Conditions:

The sea breeze from was expected to develop farther inland due to deep
easterly flow with convection being more isolated than that of the
past two days. The convection along the ER-2 flight was slower to
develop than anticpated but some convection was captured by the onboard
instruments. Convection began in ernest just after the ER-2 departed Florida
for Andros. Andros weather as reported by the pilot was cloudy; however
the Andros cal/val site reported on scatter cumulus in the area.

ER2 Mission Scientist Report:

Communication with S-POL failed using the DFRC radio. Contact was
established using a handheld radio outside of S-POL facility; however,
this was poor at best. Communication to Andros was marginally successful
also. The cal/val site could hear the pilot but could only communicate
with him through a relay with the local ATC (or similar). Instruments:
All instruments worked except NAST-I and LIP-C. NAST-M had a problem
with the cover on one of its loads and MAMS was cold soaked and suffered
a data recorder problem. Overall the mission was succesful in getting
commnications issues to light and collected some data over scattered
convection over Florida.

Surface Operation Notes:

UCF sondes at 1030 UTC and 1900 UTC (first attempt failed at 1800 UTC).
Note: MLB radar down (past several days) until just prior to completion
of the three flight legs.

Problems:

NAST-I and LIP-C failures.  Significant communications problems exist
between the ER-2 and S-POL.

Actions Prior to Next Mission:

NAST-I, NAST-M and LIP-C working to resolve their problems.  MAMS
problems resolved. Need to obtain a better radio for an S-POL communications.

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