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<br />III. GENERAL OPERATIONS <br /> <br />A. PROJECT DESIGN <br /> <br />The WKWM Program was designed to be an operational cloud <br />seeding effort to increase precipitation and reduce crop-damaging <br />hail over participating counties in parts of Western and South- <br />western Kansas. Some of the data obtained previously in Kansas <br />have been used by others in weather modification research and <br />evaluations. Future data from the WKWM Program will provide more <br />to this growing body of information. <br /> <br />Over the years, as technological improvements occurred, we <br />selectively fitted what we could into our design based on funding <br />capabili ty. Currently, there are new products being developed <br />which could dramatically improve future operations. <br /> <br />The most notable improvement made in 1993 was the addition of <br />the Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment in three of our cloud <br />base aircraft. Because it "homes in" on up to 8 sat:ellite signals <br />in determining aircraft positions, the GPS equipment produces high <br />accuracy, making its use increasingly more important as an aviation <br />and maritime navigation aid. Positions are accurate to within a <br />few feet. We use it to pinpoint exact positions of storm centers <br />and for storm avoidance. Similarly, pilots can relay precise storm <br />location information to the radar. Previously, references have <br />been given with respect to those navigational aids used by' all <br />pilots, known as a VORs (variable omni-directional radios). At <br />longer distances, VOR signals tend to weaken and degrade accuracy; <br />also, the earth's magnetic deviation changes slightly, east-to- <br />west, enough to degrade accuracy with distance. It was the best <br />system in use up to the time of GPS deployment and as long as <br />everyone realized there were these discrepancies it could be <br />tolerated. Now, however, a much higher degree of accuracy is <br />established. <br /> <br />Irrespective of the year-to-year additions or changes in <br />equipment: required to meet objectives of the WKWM program, the <br />operational design has changed little in its 19-year existence. <br /> <br />WKWM operations divide into three major categories: <br /> <br />(1) Weather forecasting/operational planning <br /> <br />(2) Weat:her surveillance - visual and radar <br /> <br />(3) Aircraft seeding operations <br /> <br />13 <br />