Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Meteorology Department on the Prescott, AZ campus recently concluded a 2-week research program using the University of Wyoming’s Beechcraft King Air 200T (N2UW). The UW King Air is a specially instrumented atmospheric research aircraft and is used in conjunction with programs funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
According to the press release by Embry-Riddle, two dozen faculty and staff monitored data collection as flight scientists and conducted weather balloon launches.
UW considers the measurement capabilities of the N2UW to be “mission ready” and says that the Department of Atmospheric Science keeps a variety of instruments for the aircraft available upon request.
The Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR) is also available for “standard” deployment on the UW King Air. For photos and more information on the WCR, click here.
The UW King Air is available on a competitive basis to qualified researchers from universities, government agencies and private sector companies. More information on requesting UW atmospheric research facilities can found here. And, the current calendar that extends to 2016 for the UW King Air can be found here.
Jeff French, the Project Manager for the N2UW, talks about its instrumentation in this excellent short video.
UW acquired their Beechcraft King Air in 1977 but they aren’t the only ones with a King Air research aircraft. NASA operates two Beechcraft B200 Super King Air aircraft for flight research and mission support, acquired in 1981 and 1983.
More recently, Spec Inc. modified a new Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft for the Thai government. This link provides close-up diagrams of the sensors, inlet and flare rack. They obtained an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) to install provisions for sensors for atmospheric research, racks that contain both burn-in-place and droppable flares, an iso-kinetic inlet for aerosol sampling and electrical wiring for all equipment. The STC allows the aircraft to maintain its standard airworthiness certificate in the commuter category when modified under the SPEC STC.
For more useful information, advice, insights and resources, please contact us at KingAirNation.