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<br />c. The general terrain within area 2 was considered more suitable for the investigations than that <br />in the other areas. Area 2 has a well-forested, gently sloping, high altitude catchment area that <br />drains into the Verde and Little Colorado Rivers. Additional areas of high ground bordered the <br />area from the southwest to west and made ideal release points for tracer materials to simulate <br />seeding from a ground generator network. <br /> <br />Major operating sites under consideration were subjected to a field review during late August 1986, and <br />arrangements for their use were largely completed in September and October. The principal decisions and <br />steps taken in this process were as follows: <br /> <br />a. A reinspection of the Happy Jack site confirmed that it was the best location for an extensively <br />instrumented ground facility. Potentially suitable locations were found at the site for all anticipated <br />instrument observing systems although two unresolved problem areas remained; these were (1) a <br />question regarding the adequacy of the largest clearing size for operation of a doppler acoustic <br />sounder wind-measuring system, and (2) a concern that use of a C-band radar system might interfere <br />with USFS communications equipment. Field equipment tests were arranged and conducted with no <br />problems ultimately disclosed in operating the radar system. The wind system proved to provide <br />intermittent data during some conditions, especially in the lower levels and with strong winds. <br />However, the site was judged adequate. <br /> <br />b. A suitable upwind upper air sounding (rawinsonde) site was identified near the town of Camp <br />Verde. An instrument and supply storage facility and locations for equipment and personnel trailers <br />were determined. Arrangements were also made for installation of telephone service. <br /> <br />c. The airport at Prescott was identified as both the research aircraft and project headquarters <br />base. The field was the only one outside the Phoenix area that met the established airport selection <br />criteria minimums. The facility had an instrument landing system precision approach; temporary <br />hangar space was tentatively identified as being available, runway lengths were adequate, and <br />weather closures were historically infrequent. Suitable office space for the project headquarters was <br />located, and availability was confirmed of weather forecast products at the FAA Flight Service <br />Station. <br /> <br />d. The Payson airport was selected as a location for installation of a 16-mm time-lapse movie <br />camera to monitor cloud conditions over the Mogollon Rim to the north. <br /> <br />Two Interagency Agreements were negotiated with the USFS. The first, with the Coconino National Forest, <br />provided for use of the Happy Jack site. The second agreement was reached with the Prescott National <br />Forest. This provided office, storage, and aircraft ramp parking space at the Prescott airport at a facility <br />used as an air tanker base during the summer fire season. <br /> <br />A procurement package was prepared to obtain the services of an existing fully functional research aircraft. <br />The contracting was done through the Department of the Interior Office of Aircraft Services. The aircraft <br />solicitation was completed and issued for bids to qualified respondents in mid-October 1986. This effort <br />culminated with a signed contract with the University of Wyoming in early December. The contract provided <br /> <br />9 <br />