Operations and Analysis Division Field Operations Branch Norfolk, VA

NGS – OAD – FOB Workforce Our workforce consists of –16 field personnel – 2 supervisors – 2 secretaries – 1 staff person – 1 IT person We are roughly divided into two groups –one in support of the Airport Survey Program (ASP) –the other in support of Special Projects. Personnel from both sections interact on a daily basis to help us fulfill our required missions and to meet NGS and FAA milestones.

Norfolk, VA FOB Office

The ASP group does a variety of different types of surveys for the FAA’s National Air Space under an Interagency Agreement –Responsible for conducting surveys at the nation’s airport, both big and small. –The Norfolk field office, in one form or another, has been surveying airports for the FAA since –Working with the FAA on doing QA Reviews for the FAA TPSS (Third Party Surveys done by private survey companies) Our field crews currently consist of two, NGS FTE, 2 man survey crews. We are winding down on a three year contract involving two private survey companies to assist NGS in these surveys. Last year we performed surveys from coast to coast, Alaska and Puerto Rico. In the past, we have also surveyed the airports in Hawaii, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, Micronesia and American Samoa.

Typical observations for these surveys include a daily mix of – GPS observations, both Static and RTK – classical observations – In addition, our crews are also well versed in Cartography Photogrammetry aerial photo interpretation Geodesy on-site observation analysis for both GPS and classical field work.

Typical Survey Observations

Our crews interact on a daily basis with FAA officials and Airport Authorities. Their work requires them to work directly on the airport, including working both on and around the active runways and aircraft, where they have to be safety conscience at all times.

Typical Survey Observations

Special projects have included –HARN processing –Supporting the Hurricane Mitch project in Honduras –GPS and level projects in Puerto Rico and in the US Virgin Islands –Grav-D support –NERS project sites –Commemorative Marks setting throughout the US and Alaska In addition we have supported testing in GRAV_D, mmGPS, LIDAR and other new technologies now being used in NGS and NOAA … and the list just goes on and on.

In order to accomplish our mission for NGS and OAD, we have two outdoor testing and training sites available. The first is our downtown Norfolk office. –This site consists of six NGS published control stations we have set One B-order horizontal station Two 1st-order horizontal stations Three GPS stations of lesser accuracy. All six have published 1st-order elevations

One of our first tasks was to monument 3 of those 6 stations. –One is a 3-D rod mark –the second is a poured-in-place mark –the third is a mark set in a drill hole.

Setting a 3-D Rod Mark at FOB

FOB Control Stations

The second phase for these stations was to position them with GPS observations and submit them to the NGS database. Elevations were established on all six as part of a 1st-order level training program. We also established 3rd-order positions on additional stations by both GPS static and RTK methods and by classical observations. These stations provide us great flexibility in observations for our testing and training sessions.

This network of control stations is used for a variety of observations. They are often used by –Other government agencies –Private surveyors for construction work in the area, including the new Norfolk light rail system that will run adjacent to our property. We also use these stations for testing our own equipment prior to sending it to our field crews.

1 st Order Level Training to FOB

Level Training at Nauticus Downtown Norfolk, VA

GPS- RTK Training at FOB Office

Jack Dunnigan recently visited our facility in July 2008 and was introduced to the various types of our surveying equipment, many of which he had never seen used before. His visit was included in the NGS Directors Update dated

Jack Dunnigan Using Digital Level at Norfolk FOB

Jack Dunnigan Using GPS RTK Equipment at Norfolk FOB

Jack Dunnigan Looking at Various Surveying Equipment at Norfolk FOB Used in the Airport Surveys Program

Our second site is located at the Suffolk Executive Airport in Suffolk, VA (home of the Suffolk Peanut Festival held every September) located 25 miles from our office. This is a public airport with two active runways and one closed runway. Most of our work is done on the closed runway but does include work on both active runways at various times. The airport has two 1st-order bench marks one with a GPS position established by FOB and numerous other GPS determined control points scattered thorough out the airfield.

Suffolk Executive Airport Suffolk, VA

Besides testing and training, and in partnership with the NGS Corbin office, the Norfolk staff uses the Suffolk airport for –Product demonstrations and training from vendors – Application development of new technologies such as: APPLANIX – in conjunction with the Corbin facility mmGPS – in support of the NGS Coastal program LIDAR – including our new Riegl Terrestrial LIDAR system

Level Training on Rwy at SFQ

mmGPS Testing at SFQ

LIDAR Testing at SFQ

LIDAR Truck at Corbin, VA

In the past two we have helped to enhanced the NGS presence in –Puerto Rico for the new Puerto Rico Vertical Datum –the US Virgin Islands leveling and GPS observations in support of the forthcoming Terrestrial Gravity project.

Leveling in Puerto Rico

On site training for our new Airport Data Logger software, developed by NGS was conducted last year at the Rochester International Airport, Rochester, MN and the Albany International Airport, Albany NY for our two NGS FTE survey crews. Our three NGS Contractor survey crews were trained at the two Amarillo, TX airports and one of the Oklahoma City, OK airports. We are currently doing a precise level project with the New York and Canadian Power Authorities in Massena, New York for the CO_OPS group located in Chesapeake, VA. Quite a few of the NGS State Advisors, Silver Spring and Corbin personnel, and the new Grav-D section have worked in the Norfolk Office.

Norfolk, VA Field Operations Branch Questions?