EXCELLENT FLIGHT TEST PROGRESS FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH AIRCRAFT

BAE SYSTEMS Regional Aircraft has made excellent progress with the flight test programme of the unique Atmospheric Research Aircraft (ARA) that has been converted from BAe 146-300 (E3001).

Since the successful first flight on October 1, a further 35 flights have been carried out to date covering just over 104 hours. At present, a total of 50 flights are planned before the aircraft is handed over to the Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM).

During the course of the flight test programme, the ARA has been flown at its maximum operational altitude at 35,000 ft and also flight tested at flight levels as low as 50ft over water.

The ARA is going to be a key operational tool for the UK,s atmospheric research community. The conversion included extending the operational ceiling to 35,000 feet,
the addition of three fuel tanks in the rear baggage bay to allow missions of up to six hours, and the fitting of a wide range of sensors and instruments.

Some of the scientific equipment installed in the converted cabin has been tested in flight, with appropriate data gathered. In particular dropsonde tests have been conducted at both low and high altitude with the sonde activated. The dropsonde measures and transmits pressure, temperature, relative humidity and GPS information to the aircraft. At any one time, up to four dropsondes can be ejected from the aircraft and their data gathered and up to 60 dropsondes can be stored on board the ARA.

Andy Kibble, ARA Project Director, said, &The ARA conversion has been both a challenging and a rewarding project for Regional Aircraft. We have taken a 22-year old airframe, integrating it with some of the most advanced scientific equipment, thus converting it into one of the most capable measuring platforms available. It is a testimony to the skills and competencies inherent in the business that has enabled us to do this and we look forward to acceptance of the aircraft by the scientific community very shortly.8

Responding, Nigel Collins, Atmospheric Science Manager for the Natural Environment Research Council said, &The ARA is the product of a partnership between the universities, the Met Office and NERC, and the UK atmospheric research community is eagerly awaiting its entry into service during 2004. The aircraft can carry a wide range of highly sophisticated atmospheric research and remote sensing instruments, and will support research into key environmental issues, such as climate change, prediction of extreme events, and atmospheric chemistry and pollution. The ARA provides a considerable increase in capability, which we are keen to exploit to the full.