AERIAL ICE RECONNAISSANCE 



Commander, International Ice Patrol conducted 

 19 pre-season flights between September 1968 and 

 the beginning of tlie ice season in March 1969 for 

 the purpose of determining the concentration of 

 ice in Baffin Bay and along the Labrador coast. 

 Ice Patrol aircraft, Lockheed Hercules HC 130 B, 

 flew 66 ice observation patrols during the ice season 

 between 15 March and 16 July 1969. While these 

 patrols concentrated jDrimarily on the area of the 

 Grand Banks, some extended as far north as Cape 

 Chidley, Labrador, for the purpose of gauging the 

 potential severity of the ice season as it progressed. 

 Following the conclusion of the ice season, six ice 

 reconnaissance patrols were flown in August 1969 

 to insure that the shipping lanes in the vicinity of 

 the Grand Banks remained ice free. Ice Patrol air- 

 craft navigated primarily by means of Loran A 

 and Airborne Doppler Navigation, and made use 

 of aircraft radar to aid in fixing the jjosition of 

 ice, especially during periods of low visibility. Air 

 crews used a microwave radiometer to assist in 



identifying radar targets under conditions of poor 

 visibility. Table 1 presents flight statistics for the 

 period September 1968 through August 1969. 



Table 1. — Aerial Ice Reconnaissance Statistics — September 

 1968 through August 1969. 



Month 



Number of 

 flights 



Sep 



Oct 



Nov 



Dec 



Jan 



Feb 



Mar 



Apr 



May 



Jun 



Jul 



Aug 



Total 



Fhght 

 hours 



91 



542. 8 



373-616 0—70 



