WMOD00317 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

In extensive flying under severe conditions in cyclonic storms over the Cascade Mountains during the winter of 1970-71, the B-23 aircraft proved to be a reliable and excellent aircraft for cloud physics research. 1.2 Conversion of the B-23 Aircraft for Cloud Physics Researcb The B-23 arrived in Seattle on September 2,1970. Work began immediately on modifying the aircraft and instrumenting it for research purposes. The first stage of this work was finished by December 1, 1970, and from that time on the aircraft was available for research purposes. ~owever, improvements and additions continued to be made throughout 1971. The description given below is of the aircraft research facility as it existed at the end of 1971. To provide a large area for research equipment within the 'aircraft and t'edllce excess weight to a minimum, all excess items (e. g . galley , extra seats, tables, carpets, etc.) were removed. Two continuous, heavy duty seat tracks were then installed on one side of the aircraft, in both the front and rear cabins, on which equipment could be mounted and secured. Provision for sway bracing was provided by a single track attached to the wall just below the windows. With this system equipment could be placed at any position along the tracks and removed without tools. The wall panelling beneath the windows was removed and replaced by a specially constructed panel which has two exterior trays with hinged lids, one beneath the other, which run the length of. the cabin. These trays, which have outlet boxes every few feet, served both as conduit and electrical shields for the electrical wiring to the research instruments. One tray is used for power lines and the other for signal lines. The power lines provide 110V - 60Hz, 110V - 400Hz and 28Vdc to each outlet box. The outlets are not I- I- I- I- I I I I- I I I I I I I I I I I