Greetings!

Brian Stirm (the ALAR A&P mechanic and superstar engineer) and I left for Utqiagvik, AK, in the Airborne Laboratory for Atmospheric Research (ALAR) on Tuesday, Feb. 8.   Below is a pic of ALAR in flight, she’s a beauty, right?  I think this is our final route, shown below,as the next legs are the only options.  We are currently at CYYE, Ft. Nelson, BC.  Headed to Whitehorse next, but it is all IFR on the way and icing in the clouds, so that means today is a day for local exercise in beautiful Ft. Nelson!  The weather for tomorrow is better at Whitehorse, and hopefully we will make it to Fairbanks.  We have had high headwinds all the way, and have been flying 500-1000’agl the entire way, where the winds are lower, and turbulence much greater.  Getting bounced around a lot the past 2 days.  Hopefully the instruments (HAIDI) don’t mind!  Average ground speed has been 105-110 kts, i.e., very slow.  Stay tuned!

There is a CHACHA website that Sara Lance (UALBANY) maintains, see:https://research.asrc.albany.edu/facstaff/lance/CHACHA/