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<br />Modification Group, and was discussed in more depth in last year's <br />final report. A second type of flare also was used, but only IS of <br />them. They were being tested for seeding potential in warm clouds <br />and smaller cold clouds. The flare used was a SOD-gram hygroscopic <br />flare distributed by Atmospherics, Inc. and also was discussed in <br />last year's final report. <br /> <br />Flares used for hail suppression make it possible to add <br />significant quantities of ice nuclei, on demand, to vigorous cloud <br />updrafts which, otherwise, would be beyond our capability to seed <br />properly using only wing generators. Our primary reason for using <br />the flares has been to add capability to combat severe storms in the <br />early part of the season leading up to the wheat hax:vest. ,That <br />period generally-'co'incides with the greatest period of storm damage <br />to crops. This year the flare supply effectively ran out by June <br />24th, overlapping 7 of the 10 most-damaging hail-days of the season <br />and 53% of the total season's crop-hail damage claims. The three <br />days of high hail damage to the WKWMP which were ahead of us this <br />past season while we were out of flares were: the most-damaging <br />hail-day, July 5th; the 4th most-damaging day, June 25th and the <br />10th most-damaging hail-day, August 21st. <br /> <br />The Dodge City-based cloud top aircraft is equipped with a dry <br />ice dispenser capable of carrying nearly 200 pounds and dispensing <br />dry ice at 5 pounds per minute. Almost another full load of dry ice <br />is carried aboard in styrofoam containers which extends its in- <br />flight ~eeding capability. Typically, the plane runs out of fuel <br />before it runs out of dry ice most times. It seeds at temperatures <br />of -10C, an altitude which varies throughout the summer but often <br />~fouind~ near-_.2 O.,.OO'()---fee.t-i-n---mi-d-s'uromer~Fj;i:ght-paths-are- ei-ther <br />through the tops of newly growing clouds near the parent storms or <br />through new storm growth on multi-celled lines (Figure 2, page 9). <br /> <br />The design of the WKWMP cloud seeding operations is similar to <br />other seeding programs of its kind: The meteorologist makes the <br />operational decision to launch and guide the seeding aircraft to its <br />seeding position. Once the pilot arrives at the storm, he confers <br />with the meteorologist with the meteorologist making the decision <br />whether or not to begin seeding. Other than planes running into <br />emergencies, running out of seeding agent or becoming low on fuel, <br />flight termination decisions are made by the meteorologist. WKWMP <br />pilots are highly trained, having obtained prior seeding experience <br />as an intern for at least one season before being allowed to fly as <br />pilot-in-command. Communications and teamwork must work well in <br />order for the WKWMP to operate effectively and be successful. In raw <br />numbers 1997 was a record year in most operational categories simply <br />due to the high numbers of aircraft now assigned to the program. The <br />team demonstrated high dedication to the success of the WKWM <br />Program. <br /> <br />Having two target areas presented problems moving aircraft to <br />positions where they would be most needed, mainly due to the large <br /> <br />20 <br />