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Research Aviation Facility

The mission of the Research Aviation Facility (RAF) is to develop and operate instrumented research aircraft for the atmospheric science community at a level of sophistication and operational complexity not generally available elsewhere.

RAF's goals are:

  • To operate the research aircraft safely and reliably. Safety is the foremost factor guiding RAF in operation of NCAR/NSF aircraft fleet.
  • To provide research aircraft users with comprehensive support, so that RAF participates as an integral part of the scientific and technical research team. RAF assists in planning and conducting field experiments; provides data processing and quality control; documents instrumentation characteristics and limitations; and, when appropriate, assists during the analysis phase of experiments.
  • To anticipate the future scientific needs of the atmospheric sciences community and to develop research systems (aircraft, instruments, and data acquisition systems) suited to community needs. RAF's scientific and engineering staff tracks these research needs and applicable technological developments.

Information on platforms, projects, instruments, data, documentation, and software can be found by following the links on the left.

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Staff Profile

Kelly Craig

Kelly performs web administration, monitors and configures the EOL web infrastructure. He supports other EOL staff in creating web sites, multimedia assets, new content types, future web interfaces, maintains legacy web systems, and implements new ways to interface with the EOL web presence.

Britt Stephens

Britt Stephens became fascinated with Earth sciences during high school field trips in northeastern Oregon, where he grew up. When he started college at Harvard University, he was determined to branch out into new subjects.

Vanda Grubisic

EOL Affiliate Scientist Vanda Grubišic is a female pioneer. She the first woman Full Professor of the Department of Meteorology and Geophysics at the University of Vienna: "That is a great honour and a great responsibility", she says.

Henry Boynton

Henry Boynton can tell you what the atmosphere looks like at 51,000 feet above Earth's surface, a good 15,000 feet higher than most commercial airplanes venture. "The biggest thing you notice is that the sky is a lot bluer," he observes.

Marcel Verstraete

When Marcel Verstraete came to work at NCAR in May 1962, construction of the Mesa Lab was still years in the future. Scientists used slide rules instead of computers. And because there were no satellites to carry instruments, a major goal...