Aircraft studies of the atmosphere were initiated at the Central Aerological Observatory in 1946. Since that time, research l ights were fuli lled on board numerous types of airplanes and helicopters, both civil and military, from small PO-2 and YAK-18, middle-class IL-12, IL-14, and AN-24, to gigantic TU-114, TU-16, and supersonic TU-144. During the period 1957-1963, the world-i rst aircraft atmospheric sounding network comprising 31 base points over the territory of the former USSR was operated under scientii c and methodological guidance by CAO. The data accumulated at that time continue to be employed in scientii c and applied meteorological
studies that refer to various aspects of atmospheric physics and particularly to serve the needs of aviation. The data accumulated at the time continue to be employed in scientii c and applied meteorological studies that refer to various aspects of atmospheric physics and particularly to serve the needs of aviation. The CAO Research Flight Center was organized to solve the following problems:
• organization and fuli llment of aircraft studies in Roshydromet research area;
• development and l ight tests of aircraft scientii c instrumentation and weather modii cation technical aids ;
• carrying out experimental and operational activity in intended modii cation of clouds and redistribution of precipitation. Aircraft laboratories of a “Cyclone” series have taken part in atmospheric studies during a solar eclipse volcanic eruption, sounded the lowest tropospheric layers over boggy and rugged terrain, measured atmospheric pollution over industrial centers, explored the atmosphere in arctic haze and tropical cyclone,
l ew over the mountains of Central Asia and in the surface layer over the Japan Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk. The highly experienced l ight crews have invariably made it possible to fuli ll most challenging experiments. CAO’s long-term aircraft studies of the dynamics of atmospheric processes have furnished some essentially new and important data on the structure of an atmospheric boundary layer and the development of convective clouds.
