2008 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program

NASA
B-200
The Research Services Directorate
(RSD) at the NASA Langley
Research Center (LaRC)
operates a Beechcraft King Air
B-200 and a similar aircraft, a
former military UC-12B. The aircraft are
based at NASA LaRC in Hampton, Virginia.
RSD has experience working with science
customers to optimize missions to meet their
research requirements within the operational
characteristics of the aircraft. The B-200
aircraft are ideally suited for small to midsized
instruments that need dedicated profiles, or
that need to be operated in conjunction with
other instruments in this or other aircraft.
The two aircraft incorporate the following
features and systems: GPS navigation
systems, weather radar, uplinked weather
information and TCAS in the cockpit; 29 x
29-in. and 22 x 26-in. nadir-viewing portals,
with an available pressure dome fitted
for the smaller aft portal; electrical power
distribution and AC conversions systems; GPS
antenna outputs; and Iridium satellite phone
accessibility. An Applanix 510 and associated
PosTrak navigation and display system was
acquired this past year to enhance the
overall navigation system capabilities of the
aircraft. An in situ sampling head, outside air
temperature probe, and hygrometer probe
were installed on the exterior of the UC-
12B to support LaRC’s in situ atmospheric
sampling system. Also, the UC-12B aircraft
has a cargo door for oversized components,
in addition to the passenger entry door.
These twin-engine turboprop airplanes are
certified to 35,000 ft for the B-200 and
31,000 ft for the UC-12B. However, the
aircraft are not Reduced Vertical Separation
Minima (RVSM) certified, and, therefore,
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