1995 wake vortex program at Memphis, TN
January 5, 1996
Conference Paper
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AIAA 34th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, 15-18 January 1996.
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Summary
This paper describes wake vortex field measurements conducted during August, 1995 at Memphis, TN. The objective of this effort was to record wake vortex behavior for varying atmospheric conditions and aircraft types. Wake vortex behavior was observed using a mobile CW coherent lidar. This lidar features a number of improvements over previous systems, including the first-ever demonstration of an automatic wake vortex detection and tracking algorithm. An extensive meteorological data collection system was deployed in support of the wake vortex measurements, including a 150-ft instrumented tower, wind profiler/RASS (radio acoustic sounding system), sonar and balloon soundings. Aircraft flight plan and beacon data were automatically collected to determine aircraft flight number, type, speed, and descent rate. Additional data was received from airlines in postprocessing to determine aircraft weight and model. Preliminary results from the field measurement program are presented illustrating differences in wake vortex behavior depending on atmospheric conditions and aircraft type.