1. Intro – RAF software OUTLINE: Real-time data - on aircraft or ground
acserver web display, Mission Coordinator
aeros
internet relay chat
Post-flight data - netcdf files
RAF software
April 2011

2. Mission Coordinator display – on ground
The MC display is accessible on the project field catalog web page.

3.
Clicking on the MC link leads to this page, where you select the aircraft you want to follow.

4. Mission Coordinator display: web browser on aircraft
Avoid browsing to sites off the airplane!
 Satcom is expensive
Set your web browser on the aircraft to default to this URL. It is the MC display, and you can select a variety of overlays (radar or satellite images, flight tracks, lightning, etc.). You can also insert forward-looking video. Satcom link to the ground is slow and expensive, so RAF cautions against any browsing to ground-based web sites from the airplane.

5. PREDICT project, dropsonde pattern
IR satellite image -50°C blue -60°C green -70°C red
This is part of the mission coordinator display for the central Caribbean region – note outlines of Haiti and eastern Cuba.
The aircraft is displayed near far left edge of the map. Triangles are target drop-sonde points. Yellow polygons show airspace control boundaries.
Actual flight track is yellow with red dots every 10 minutes. Overlay images include satellite IR image, lightning marks, and overshooting tops (square colored boxes).
triangle = waypoint flight track lightning
ATC boundaries

6. Video = forward, left & right
On some projects, multiple digital cameras are flown and can be displayed during flight. Videos are assembled as time-lapse movies after the project.

7. internet relay chat aircraft  satcom  ground
run from web page
Internet relay chat is available as a clickable link on the project field catalog web page. Access is password protected.

8. internet relay chat aircraft  satcom  ground
or download & install xchat client
Password connect to GV
You can also install chat as a stand-alone client on your computer. This is the normal practice for display computers on the aircraft.

9. Screen capture shows example chat dialogue from PLOWS project
Screen capture shows example chat dialogue from PLOWS project. Bottom of window shows you can choose between two chat boxes. The aircraft box is mostly for RAF operational messages, and the project box is for science communication. You can create additional boxes in order to avoid cluttering these boxes or to limit the number of participants.
/nick yourName-location you need server ident and password use care with messages because text is logged

10. Display laptop on network at each station
front of aircraft
Every crew member should have access to a display computer at their station in order to follow the flight, for chat, and to display real-time data. RAF usually provides laptops, and some instrument investigators use their own computers.
Display laptop on network at each station

11. Data display on GV or C-130, aeros plot and list > 250 variables
EOL developed the aeros software package for displaying data from aircraft and ground-based (non-radar) data.
demo will be shown at end of presentation

12. Data display on the ground, aeros
This image shows how aeros connects for displaying data relayed from the aircraft to ground by satcom.

13. using satcom relay to ground, aeros can plot & list > 20 variables
The list of satcom-relayed data is relatively small.

14. aeros - configuration files
Once you create an assortment of plot windows and preferred variables, you can save the configuration and load it for other flights.

15. Data files - netcdf
netcdf – self-documenting, multi-variable format. Analysis software IDL, MatLab, Origin, ..
Data files will be available after each flight & archived by EOL for project investigators
RAF provides free software for display & to convert between ASCII and netcdf
Aircraft data files are archived and distributed in netcdf format.

16. More? http://www.eol.ucar.edu/
aeros = linux, Mac, Windows
free distribution + other RAF software
HIAPER Investigator’s Handbook
Aeros updates occur several times a year, so you should check often to ensure that you have the latest features.

17. Web page where you can download free EOL software.

18. aeros demo

19. Display laptops at each station
front of aircraft
Display laptops at each station

20. CDP & 2D-C = wing mounted probes
uhsas video MTP CDP King
RICE hot-wire
Fast
2D-C

21. photos
right wing
left wing
uhsas
MTP
RICE
Fast 2D-C
King
hot-wire
CDP