Wednesday, 20 February 2002
Meeting with Gary Skaggs, Manager, IT Services at NOAA/NSSL
Email: Gary.Skaggs@noaa.gov
Phone: 405 366 0437
Cell phone: 405 818 5610
Address: NOAA/NSSL, 1313 Halley Circle, Norman, OK 73069
IHOP Ops Center trailers will be set up on May 2nd near NSSL Armory Building in the fenced area. A 12'x 60' trailer will be used as the ops center, a second 8'x 40' trailer for overflow. The upper level of the NWS building may be available for analysis.
ATD requires T-1 line testing capabilities at NSSL around April 10. Skaggs will arrange for testing within the NSSL building. T-1 line will terminate at the NSSL docks. Copper-to-fiber media converters are needed to transfer data onto the NSSL network, NSSL may have a couple. RDP needs to contact Skaggs to finalize set-up.
Internet based IP video conferencing (Microsoft NetMeeting) is available in the NSSL conference room. The issue here is bandwidth. Internet applications usually run at speeds of 28-40 kbps, and so can only produce screen-size pictures and experience frequent breaks in audio and video. Don't expect TV quality broadcasting or plan to transfer high-resolution data, but the setup will be sufficient for face-to-face interactions. Fish eye lens or camera needed on S-Pol side. PC-build in microphone may not be sufficient.
NSSL also has dial-up video-conferencing capabilities. Operating at speeds of 112-384 kpbs on ISDN lines, the set-up provides high quality, interactive audio and video with hardly noticeable delay. NSSL only has experience with other FTS sites, whether this will work with the S-Pol site needs to be tested. Email, FTP etc: Skaggs hasn't decided yet whether the IHOP Ops Center will be within or outside the firewall. However, getting data from NSSL or pushing data out to e.g. NCAR, should not be a problem.
Thursday, 21 February 2002
AAR Aircraft Services
Meeting with Chip Smith, Director, Line Services
AAR Aircraft Services
Will Rogers Airport
6611 S. Meridian
Oklahoma City, OK 73159
Email: csmith@aarcorp.com
Phone: 405 218 3150, Cell phone 405 409 0243
FAX: 405 218 3612
Mark Hoshor, one of the UW King Air pilots, joined us for this meeting.
Hangar Space: Hangar space may not be available to IHOP aircraft due to new maintenance contract with a start-up regional carrier, which will use the desired hangar for two CRJ-200s. NASA Proteus people have already been informed about this and may have to operate out of Stillwater, OK. That still leaves the DLR Falcon and WY KA without a hangar. Final word expected on Friday, 22 February. (Update: the contract between AAR and the regional carrier was signed so no hangar space will be available at AAR for IHOP aircraft).
Alternative Hangar Space:
1. Wiley Post Airport, about 5 miles north from Will Rogers
2. FAA at Will Rogers
3. Westheimer Field in Norman
Office space: Smith offered about 3000 ft2 of office space. The office space near Hangar 2, Area 51 will be sufficient for RTF, RAF and CNRS. RAF will have the TDL pump within their office area, which needs to be protected. The four offices in Hangar 1B that Smith also showed us that day were later that week committed to the regional carrier. Three big offices on the first floor in the same building are still available.
Pictures:
AAR Office Space
AAR Office Space
AAR Office Space - RTF section
Office seen from Ramp
The King Air folks need to send a large amount of data (0.5 - 1 GB/day) back to Wyoming for data quality control purposes. AAR is not set up to do this. WY now considers the use of Direct PC. It requires both indoor and outdoor equipment. An antenna and transmit-and-receive electronics, integrated into a small dish, connects by coaxial cable to the Indoor Receive Unit (IRU) and the Indoor Transmit Unit (ITU), which connect to a computer through a simple USB connector.
Security: Badges will be required. IHOP Project Office will have to contact the FAA Security person Kevin Lee (405 680 3208).
Additional Requirements: Two air conditioning ground units are available through AAR, however they will be made available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The DC-8 folks asked for it as well. AAR has three forklifts, which will be available for Leandre work on the P-3.
Blue Angels may perform on Fathers Day weekend 14-16 June. This means flight operations will be restricted for approximately one hour.
OK City Hotels:
Extended Stay
4820 West Reno Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73127
Phone: 405 948 4443
FAX: 405 948 4434
Weekly rate: $219, Daily rate: 49$
Amenities: full kitchen with refrigerator, stove top, microwave and
cooking utensils. On site laundry facilities; computer data port,
free local calls, cable TV.
Embassy Suites
1815 South Meridian
Oklahoma City, OK 73108
Phone: 405 246 6010
FAX: 405 682 9252
Manger: Debi Neuman, Director of Sales
Limited number of rooms at government rate ($65), government ID needed. French and German participants are not eligible ($79). Nice atmosphere, breakfast, kitchen area with fridge and microwave, workout area, swimming pool, hot tub. Rooms have microwave and refrigerator only. NRL crew has reserved 10 rooms there already. Zrubek will receive a cost estimate from Debi.
Candlewood Suites
4400 River Park Drive
Phone: 405 680 8770
FAX: 405 680 8770
Rate: For more than 30 days 49$/night, for less $65/night.
122 rooms, 98 studies, 24
suites.All IHOP participants will get the same price.
Amenities: Fully equipped kitchen with refrigerator, microwave, range,
dishwasher, coffee maker. Weekly cleaning. Free video and CD rental,
grocery area, workout room with treadmills, bikes and stepping
machines, free laundry (except for soap), trolley stop. BBQ once a
month. Lots of restaurants nearby.
Residence Inn by Marriott
4361 W Reno
OK City, 73107
Phone: 405 942 4500
FAX: 405 942 7777
Zrubek talked to Biju Andrews (Manager) there. Government rate: $65, limited number of rooms at that rate. RAF will stay there.
King Air people may stay at Windgate because of high speed internet connection. Rate: $60/day. Phone (405) 682 3600
Norman OK Hotels:
Residence Inn:
Meeting with Carrie Burleson, Director of Sales
Residence Inn by Marriott
2681 Jefferson
Norman, OK 73072
Phone: 405 366 0900 or 1-800 331 3131
FAX: 405 360 6552
Email: cburleson@waterfordhotelgroup.com
The Residence Inn has 125 rooms of which 35-45% (approx. 40 rooms) will be provided to IHOP at government rate ($55). Very few rooms will be available on 10/11 May because of OU Graduation. The corporate rate is $85, the university rate $74. They also have 30 2-bedroom suites (about 900 ft2) with a loft are also available at $84 (government rate). Possible web sign up for rooms using a IHOP-specific code.
Pictures:
Room at Residence Inn
Kitchen area at Residence Inn
Amenities: Suites, full kitchen, breakfast, cocktail hour, outdoor pool, meeting space, coin laundry, free membership at the YMCA, grocery shopping, daily housekeeping, BBQ on Thursdays. CNRS and DLR may be able to get the government rate as well.
We left ATD personnel schedule with Carrie to figure out how she can accommodate approximately 30 people. Melinda is the main contact for hotel arrangements.
Meeting with Lisa Farrimond, Sales Director
Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau
224 W. Gray, Suite 104
Norman, OK 73069
Phone: 405 366 8095
FAX: 405 366 8096
Email: lfarrimond@ncvb.org
Lisa will arrange for coupons, maps, tours and discounts for local attractions. Then she showed us two hotels with kitchens: the Villager Lodge and the Thunderbird Lodge (1430 24th Ave, SW), but we do not recommend any of these hotels. She also provided a list of current hotel rates prices. Lisa and Melinda will meet again once the project starts.
Other hotels in Norman we didn't check out:
Holiday Inn
1000 North Interstate Drive
Norman, OK 73072
Phone: 405 364 2882
Price: negotiable
La Quinta
930 Ed Noble Drive
Norman, OK 73072
Phone: 405 579 4000
FAX: 405 579 4001
Weekly: 400$
Hampton Inn
309 Norman Center Court
Norman, OK 73072
Phone: 405 366 2100
FAX: 405 366 6408
No extended stay rate.
Restaurants:
Mickey Mantle's Steakhouse
#7 Mickey Mantle Drive
Bricktown, OK City
Phone: 405 272 0777
Excellent steaks, but expensive.
Shorty's Small's (world's greatest Chicken Fried Steak): Intersection of Reno and Meridian, OK City
Chileno's (Mexican): Bricktown, OK City
La Baguette - Norman Coffee shop: three locations (there are no Starbucks' in Norman)
