Flight Preparation Boulder Ballooning Workshop 2006 BOREALIS Montana State University
Keys to a Successful Flight Check Lists System Tests Ready Team Know the Weather
Check Lists Keep them simple and up to date Have a check list for everything –Flight Preparation Timeline –Hardware List –Systems Setup –Batteries List Use them!
System Tests Do a full system test –Test all equipment Leave time to fix problems Test with the same configuration that will fly Have backup equipment –Batteries, radios, etc.
Ready Team Make sure at least one person knows how to use each system for the flight Check schedules in advance Keep good documentation
Know the Weather Use predictions of surface winds and weather at launch site Do a flight prediction –Use Balloon Track –Available from –Uses a vertical wind profile to simulate a flight path –Landing site correct to within a few miles Make sure the predicted landing site is free of hazards: –Trees, water, cities, foreign countries, etc.
The Text Sounding Machine stsound.html stsound.html stsound.html Data is in standard text format Just save and enter into Balloon Track Data only goes to 100 mbar (~60,000 ft)
University of Wyoming Data is pictorial –Wind vectors on maps Data must be reformatted into text –Use a protractor to find direction –Wind barbs are marked with speed –Altitude information is available on contours Data is available to 10 mbar (~110,000 ft) –High altitude data only in GFS model
University of Wyoming
Reading Wind Barbs Wind from the southwest at 65 knots Direction is in bearing (225°) Speed is given by the marks on the tail: – –Triangle is 50 knots – –Long Line is 10 knots – –Short Line is 5 knots
Balloon Track Output A full description of using Balloon Track is in the Workshop Handbook is in the Workshop Handbook
Keys to a Successful Flight Check Lists System Tests Ready Team Know the Weather