AERIAL ICE RECONNAISSANCE 



During the period September 1, 1973 to August 

 31, 1974 a total of 79 ice observation nights were 

 flown. Preseason flights made in January, Feb- 

 ruary and March accounted for 16 flights, and 

 the remaining 63 flights were made during the 

 ice season. The purpose of the preseason surveys 

 was to study iceberg distribution patterns along 

 the Labrador coast, off Baffin Island and in the 

 Davis Strait and to evaluate the commencement 

 and potentail of the developing ice season. The 

 purpose of the regular season flights was to 

 guard the southwestern, southern and south- 

 eastern limits of icebergs, to evaluate the short- 

 term iceberg potential of the waters immediately 

 north of the Grand Banks, and occasionally to 

 study the iceberg distribution along the Labrador 

 coast. The flight statistics shown in Table 1 do 

 not include the flight time required to make the 

 passages between U.S. Coast Guard Air Station, 

 Elizabeth City, North Carolina and St. John's, 

 Newfoundland for crew relief and aircraft main- 

 tenance. 



Aerial ice reconnaissance was accomplished by 

 U.S. Coast Guard HC-130B (Lockheed Hercu- 

 les) four-engine aircraft from the Coast Guard 

 Air Station at Elizabeth City, North Carolina. 

 During the iceberg season, the aircraft operated 

 out of Torbay Airport, St. John's, Newfoundland 

 almost exclusively. 



On March 25, the Ice Reconnaissance Detach- 

 ment deployed to St. John's from Elizabeth City. 

 The main base remained at St. John's until July 

 30, when the Detachment returned to the United 

 States. 



TABLE 1. — Aerial Ice Reconnaissance Statistics 

 SEPTEMBER 1973 TO AUGUST 1974 



Number of Flight 



Month Flights Hours 



PRESEASON 



September — December 



January 6 31.2 



February 6 35.2 



March 4 27.0 



Preseason Total 16 93.4 



REGULAR SEASON 



March 2 11.5 



April 10 61.8 



May 15 78.9 



June 15 70.0 



July 19 106.3 



August 2 11.6 



Regular Season Total 63 340.1 



Annual Total 79 433.5 



