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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br />application for a designated research area which would encompass the proposed <br /> <br />flight patterns. The Pagosa Springs research area (see Fig. 2.1) was approved <br /> <br />by the FAA for research operations. Utilization of the designated research <br /> <br />area provided for flight operations throughout the area at minimum obstruction <br /> <br />clearance altitude (MOCA) rather than minimum enroute altitude (MEA) as <br /> <br />specified on the 10\v altitude enroute charts for the alrway (V-210) betHeen <br /> <br />A1amosa, Colorado, and Farmington, New Mexico. Prior to intended operations <br /> <br />in the research area personnel in the Department of Atmospheric Science Hou1d <br /> <br />request the Denver Center to activate the area. With the area active it Has <br /> <br />not necessary to specify the actual intended flight path prior to takeoff, <br /> <br />but rather to notify the FAil. controller of the first intercept point after <br /> <br />takeoff Hith subsequent Hay points given as the flight progressed. With the <br /> <br />next point along the proposed flight path, along with a proposed operating <br /> <br />altitude specified, the controller could easily compare the requested posi- <br /> <br />tion and altitude ''lith his HOCA map and clear the opej~ation or request an <br /> <br />appropriate change. In this fashion a more consistent set of observations <br /> <br />at about tHO thousand feet above the ground 6ver the entire area could be <br /> <br />obtained. If, for example, on the up'vind side of the area visual contact <br /> <br />''lith the ground (VFR conditions) could be established, the measurements <br /> <br />could be carried to near ground level, This combination of instrument (IFR) <br /> <br />and VFR operations proved to be very useful as it provided considerable in- <br /> <br />cloud observations properly coupled to the out-of-c1oud inflow wind and <br /> <br />nuclei measurements. <br /> <br />Soundings to the surface were obtained in the upwind area under VFR <br /> <br />conditions in selected areas and under TFR conditions by f1yjnB tIle i11us- <br /> <br />trDted approach to landing iJt Farmingl:on. ])Q1..rmvincl soundings ,.wce typica11y <br /> <br />taken in the A]UIROSU urea unJor VFR conditions; however, if IFR con~itions <br />