AERIAL ICE RECONNAISSANCE 



During the period September 1, 1974 to August 

 31, 1975 a total of 71 ice observation flights were 

 flown. Preseason flights made in January and 

 February accounted for 12 flights, and the re- 

 maining 59 flights were made during the ice 

 season. There was no requirement for post- 

 season flights. The objective of the preseason 

 surveys was to study the iceberg distribution 

 patterns in the Labrador Sea, to evaluate the 

 iceberg potential of the developing ice season and 

 to locate the southernmost icebergs. The season 

 flight objectives were to locate the southwestern, 

 southern, and southeastern 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. Several flights during 

 the season were devoted to test and evaluation of 

 a Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) in the 

 development of an all-weather iceberg detection 

 system. 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 the 

 operating base for crew relief or aircraft main- 

 tenance. 



Aerial ice reconnaissance was accomplished by 

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

 cules) four-engine aircraft from the Coast Guard 

 Air Station at Elizabeth City, North Carolina. 



Table 1 — Aerial Ice Reconnaissance Statistics 

 September 1974 through August 1975 



Month Number of Flights Flight Hours 

 PRESEASON 



September-December 



January 4 22.5 



February 3 14.2 



March 5 36.2 



Preseason total ___ 12 72.9 

 SEASON 



March 7 51.1 



April 14 89.3 



May 27 161.0 



June 11 59.0 



July 



August 



Season total 59 360.4 



Annual total 71 433.3 



During the iceberg season, the aircraft operated 

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

 On March 17 the Ice Reconnaissance Detach- 

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

 The main base of operation for the Detachment 

 remained at St. John's until June 23 when they 

 returned to Elizabeth City. Aircraft, crew and 

 ice observers were exchanged at approximately 

 three week intervals. 



