Gulfstream Jet Prop Commander 1000 (AC-695A), serial number 96089, manufactured 1984 National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center Snow Survey Platform http://www.aoc.noaa.gov/aircraft_jet_prop.htm http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/001132805L.html https://www.facebook.com/NOAAOMAO/posts/718328521592480 http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=45RF https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_Commander_500_family It was an interesting Sunday morning. We got up, headed out for "breakfast", returned home and took out my new Great Planes Seawind RC model for a few flights that blustery morning. During my flights over Benton Lake, I heard the load sound of a low passing, multi-engined, turboprop behind me, just beyond the trees, hill and church. I could catch a quick glimpse, which told me that it wasn't one of our local C130's passing through, but a "stranger" to the normal flying traffic. After multiple, alternating passes of the turboprop, I brought my RC equipment home and exchanged it for my Canon VIXIA HFG30 camcorder. I then proceeded east, down my local street for an unobstructed view and a chance to capture an image of the "stranger" and hopefully an "N" number. Well, I was in luck. The aircraft made another pass within minutes and I grabbed a few seconds of footage, though the plane was back lit and any identifying markings were going to be tough to see. So, I waited some more time should the plane repeat the pass. Well, it did. Again and again. In fact, the passes were so low and so repeatable that I was able to situate myself for the optimal location on each pass. Part of the challenge was lighting, as the back lit aircraft resolved poorly and I did not have a good view in relocating to the east of the aircraft's path. Another was it's combined speed and low altitude. The aircraft was quite the challenge to pan with at such ground speed and close ground proximity. If the NOAA's website information reflects on this Sunday morning's flights, the typical passes of this aircraft are at 100-120 knots ground speed at 500 feet above the ground. As the road that I stood on was a relative high point, I expect that distance from my vantage point could have been considerably less. After all was done and said, the aircraft passed several more times after I packed up and my reflections are that I believe that I was hearing that turboprop pass multiple times before I even headed to the lake. I didn't have a clue to the aircraft type, it's owner or it's possible activity was until I viewed the video files on my PC where I pulled a few frames with a clear "N45RF" and "Googled" that result. I've pasted my findings above and since the aircraft paint job seems to be new and this aircraft's primary mission wouldn't begin for a month or two (at minimum), I'll just assume that the make-over was more then cosmetic and the NOAA was out calibrating and training with personnel and new equipment. The City of Cologne is still quite rural, but it is a very short hop from Flying Cloud Airport and the Twin Cities (Chanhassen) NWS/NOAA Weather Station. Take a peek at the above links regarding this aircraft and note the radical cosmetic change they did with the new paint job. One can only guess at the remodeling done inside. Glenn

• published: 21 Sep 2015
• views: 12