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I I 1 I I I I I I i I I I I I ,I I I / j it works better with an assistant independently operating the computer while the meteorologist operates the radar console. In the PPI mode/the display automatically shows all regional navigational aids, state lines boundaries, counties, neighboring counties, positions of county seats and other towns. Radar echo intensities are contoured in different colors. Having implemented the use of the Global Positioning System equipment on our aircraft, using the Garden City VOR as a primary navigational aid is redundant, except in cases in which the GPS unit itself malfunctions. As a backup, we will continue to use the Garden City VOR. The radial lines drawn on the PPI at each ten degrees of compass previously used before have been kept intact as well as the range marks on the radials which closely approximate the distance an aircraft, or storm, is from the VOR. Also incorporated into the total operational radar system is an aircraft interrogator/transponder flight tracking system. Radar specifications and interrogator/transponder specifications are found in Appendices D and E , respectively. Al though we are able to simultaneously track three different transponder codes, only two are used on any given operation. The cloud base aircraft use a single code assigned to us by the Federal Aviation Administration through long-standing agreement from Feb. 1984; whereas, cloud top flights are given a different code each flight. D. AIRCRAFT SEEDING OPERATIONS Four cloud base seeding aircraft and one cloud-top aircraft were used in the 1994 operational period: (1) 4 single-engine Piper Aircraft Comanches, PA24-250 (2) 1 twin-engine Piper Navajo "Chieftain", PA31-350 All four cloud base aircraft are equipped with Carley-type liquid fuel generators for cloud seeding, one mounted to each wing tip. Each generator carries 6 gallons of silver iodide liquid seeding solution which burns silver iodide at a rate of two grams per minute of operation (two gallons of liquid solution per hour). Therefore, each plane carries a total of 720 grams silver iodide and is capable of continuous seeding 3 hours. if burning both generators. The planes are flown on an as-needed basis. In 1994 the cloud base planes were stationed, one each, at Lakin, JOhnson, Syracuse and Scott City. The Dodge City-based cloud top aircraft, equipped with its specially-built dispenser capable of carrying 150 - 200 pounds of dry ice, dispenses dry ice at 5 pounds per minute. Another 200 pounds of dry ice are normally carried aboard the plane in 18