1. DESERT OPERATIONS Med. Sea Arabian Sea Indian Ocean Persian Gulf
Caspian
Sea
Med.
Sea
Persian Gulf
Red Sea
Arabian Sea
Indian
Ocean

2. REFERENCES FM 1-202, Environmental Flight
FM 1-230, Meteorology for Army Aviators, September 1982
FM 90-3, Desert Operations, August 1993

3. OUTLINE Desert Weather Desert Flying Density Altitude Sand
Hazards to Flight

4. DESERT WEATHER
Temperature
Max recorded: 136o F, (58o C). 160o inside a WW2 tank.
Minimum temperature in Siberian and Gobi deserts dive to -50o F (-45oC).
Day/night fluctuations reach as much as 72o F in the Sinai
Wind
Iran is known for its “wind of 120 days”. The wind blows almost constantly at velocities of up to 70 mph.
Sandstorms may develop to thousands of feet high and last for several days. They may form and stop suddenly.
Visibility may go from 30 miles to 30 ft. in minutes.
Precipitation
Lack of water is the most important single characteristic of the desert.
Annual rain fall may vary from 0 to 10 inches.
Severe thunderstorms may cause flash flooding.

5. ACCLIMATIZATION
Significant acclimatization can be attained in 4-5 days
Full acclimatization takes 7-14 days , with 2-3 hours per day of exercise in the heat.
Acclimatization does not reduce, and may increase water intake

6. DESERT FLYING

7. DENSITY ALTITUDE
Pressure altitude corrected for non-standard temperature.
Altitude at which your aircraft will perform at.
As DA increases air density decreases

8. DENSITY ALTITUDE
As we increase in altitude-----the pressure around us decreases
At sea level/standard day (15oC.)
29.92 in = 14.7 psi.
At 18,000ft = 7.0psi.
As temperature increases-----the density (thickness) of the air decreases.
(air molecules move further apart.)

9. DENSITY ALTITUDE
FL 180
Sea Level
= Air Molecules

10. Effects of DA on aircraft performance?
Reduced horsepower (Torque) available.
As DA incr. - air molecules spread out - less air going into the engine = less horsepower (Torque) being produced.
Reduced wing efficiency
Less air molecules acting on the wings to produce lift.

11. RESULTS Increased takeoff roll Reduced climb performance (ft./min.)
Increased landing distance (higher TAS, higher GS)
Decrease in the “excess power available”
Aircraft response----more sluggish
Deceleration effects (ability to slow down, and not fall through)

12. What to do about it
Plan ahead-----ppc, understand how DA will affect aircraft performance.
ANTICIPATE!!!

13. Sand and the aircraft
Engines/blades [blade erosion,wear on engine components(particle separator, filters,inlet and turbine blades)]
higher than normal oil temperatures
Avionics
electricity will attract the dust
overheat of the black boxes
lead acid batteries more susceptible to overheating in the desert

14. HAZARDS TO FLIGHT Sandstorms Altitudes up to 10,000 feet
Near zero visibility
High winds

15. AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS Engine TGT High TGT during engine start Avionics
High humidity can subject electronics equipment to malfunction due to corrosion

16. QUESTIONS??
NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD ?