AERIAL ICE RECONNAISSANCE 



During the period 1 September 1976 to 31 

 August 1977, a total of 72 ice observation flights 

 were flown; 13 preseason, 58 seasonal, and 1 post 

 season. The objective of the preseason survey 

 was to study the iceberg distribution patterns in 

 the Labrador Sea and to evaluate the iceberg 

 potential of the developing ice season. The 

 season flight objectives were to locate the south- 

 western, southern, and southeastern limits of ice- 

 bergs, to evaluate the short-term iceberg potential 

 of the waters immediately north of the Grand 

 Banks, and occasionally to determine the iceberg 

 distributions along the Labrador coast. One post 

 season flight was made to conduct a final census 

 of the icebergs south of 50°N. 



The flight statistics shown in Table 1 do not 

 include flight time required to make the passages 

 between U.S. Coast Guard Air Stations Elizabeth 

 City, North Carolina and St. Petersburg, Florida 



and the Ice Patrol operating airfield at St. John's, 

 Newfoundland for crew relief or aircraft main- 

 tenance. 



Aerial ice reconnaissance was accomplished by 

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

 les) four-engine aircraft from Coast Guard Air 

 Stations at Elizabeth City, North Carolina and 

 St. Petersburg, Florida. During the ice season, 

 the aircraft operated out of Torbay Airport, St. 

 John's, Newfoundland, Canada. 



On 15 March, the Ice Reconnaissance Detach- 

 ment deployed to St. John's. This location con- 

 tinues to be the most operationally effective and 

 efficient location for staging Grand Banks recon- 

 naissance. The Detachment remained at St. 

 John's through the season, returning to the 

 United States on 22 June upon completion of the 

 single post season reconnaissance. 



TABLE 1 — Aerial Ice Reconnaissance Statistics 

 1 September 1976 to 31 August 1977 



Month 



Number of Flights 

 Visual SLAR 



Flight Hours 

 Visual SLAR 



PRESEASON 



September-December 1* 



January 4 



February 5 



March 3 



Preseason Total 13 



IN SEASON 



March 8 



April 17 



May 19 



June 4 



In-Season Total 48 



POST SEASON 



June 1 



July-August 



Post Season Total 1 



Season Totals 62 





 

 3 



_7 



10 



10 



72 



* USCG Ice Observer participation in a USN ice reconnaissance flight on 10 and 11 November 1976. 



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