---
platform: King Air
flight_id: KA-20251009a
nickname: Parting the clouds
takeoff: "2025-10-09 12:12:00Z"
landing: "2025-10-09 15:06:00Z"
departure_airport: KRN
arrival_airport: KRN
crew:
  - name: Tim Carlsen
    job: PI
  - name: Sorin Ghemulet
    job: Instrument operator
  - name: Robert Oscar David
    job: Instrument operator
instruments:
  FCDP:
    comment:
    operational: true
  2D-S:
    comment:
    operational: true
  CPI:
    comment: camera connection issue
    operational: false
  CAS-DPOL:
    comment:  CAPS computer failure
    operational: false
  CIP:
    comment: CAPS computer failure
    operational: false
  LWC Hotwire:
    comment: CAPS computer failure
    operational: false
  Gopros:
    comment: None
    operational: true
categories: [cirrus, multi, ec_under]
orphan: true
jupyter:
  jupytext:
    cell_metadata_filter: -all
    notebook_metadata_filter: all,-language_info,-jupytext.text_representation.format_version,-jupytext.text_representation.jupytext_version
    text_representation:
      extension: .md
      format_name: markdown
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    display_name: Python 3 (ipykernel)
    language: python
    name: python3
---

{logo}`CELLO`

# {front}`flight_id`

```{badges}
```

## Crew

```{crew}
```

```{admonition} EarthCARE target scenarios
:class: tip
<b>Cirrus:</b> Thin cirrus clouds.<br>
<b>Complex multi-layer scenes:</b> Multiple layers of thin cirrus clouds at different altitudes.<br>
```


```{admonition} Flight summary
:class: note
<p style='text-align: justify;'>During the research flight on 9th October 2025, we targeted <b>cirrus clouds</b> between <b>6.7 and 7.9 km altitude</b> underneath <b>EarthCARE (orbit #7758C)</b>. We sampled in cirrus clouds at temperatures between -24°C and -32°C. Multiple layers of thin cirrus made it challenging to stay in cloud, and we had numerous altitude changes to sample ice crystals. Directly after the correlative observations under EC, we performed two spirals and sampled similar clouds over the <b>ground-based ACTRIS site at Pallas.</b></p>
```


## Track

```{figure} ../figures/KA-20251009a/KA-20251009a_7758D.png
---
name: KA-20251009a-flown
---
Flight track for KA-20251009a.
```
Flight path (dashed line) superimposed on the MSI-RGR-1C product on 9th October 2025. The ATLID ground track is shown in yellow, while the EC leg (for correlative observations) is shown as a continuous line.



## Conditions

The conditions during the EC overpass were quite challenging, as we sampled in multiple layers of thin cirrus clouds, so constant altitude changes were necessary to stay in-cloud. Similar conditions also prevailed over the Pallas site, but we still sampled ice crystals in several cirrus layers.

## Flight video

Video cutting and editing in progress...


## Events

Time (UTC) | Comment
-------------| -----
12:12 | Takeoff Kiruna
13:10 | Start ec_leg
13:25 | EarthCARE overpass (orbit #7758C)
13:53 | End ec_leg
14:04 | Start spiral over Pallas ground-site
14:33 | Stop spiral over Pallas ground-sites
15:06 | Landing Kiruna



## Execution

- Takeoff KRN: 12:12 UTC (14:12 LT)
- 12:16 UTC: anti-ice on
- 12:26 UTC: all cameras on (for a while now)
- 12:41 UTC: ETA WP1 12:52 @FL270
- 12:51 UTC: WP1, entering hold
- 13:00 UTC: one more holding pattern
- 13:10 UTC: WP1, Start ec_leg
- 13:11 UTC: WPA
- 13:13 UTC: descend to FL260 to get more in cloud
- 13:16 UTC: WPB
- 13:19 UTC: go down to FL240 when turn @WP2
- 13:21 UTC: WP2
- 13:25 UTC: ec_meet
- 13:30 UTC: request FL220
- 13:40 UTC: turn a bit earlier already back to WP2, difficult, only thin layers above and below, seen some falling crystals from time to time
- 13:53 UTC: WP2
- 14:04 UTC: WP3E, start spiral over Pallas
- 14:13 UTC: start climb again
- 14:21 UTC: one more round at FL270
- 14:32 UTC: one last Pallas overpass, direct hit
- 14:33 UTC: end spiral, going home
- 14:52 UTC: Hawkeye off
- Landing KRN: 15:06 UTC (17:06 LT)


## Impressions

- 12:15 UTC: TAS163, 3°C, FL060
- 12:16 UTC: went through clear low cloud layer, well separated
- 12:18 UTC: snowing
- 12:20 UTC: TAS182, -8°C, FL130
- 12:21 UTC: TAS185, -10°C, FL140
- 12:23 UTC: Sun on right, TAS194, -15°C, FL170
- 12:26 UTC: TAS198, -23°C, FL200, some ice in 2DS-H
- 12:28 UTC: above cloud mostly now, some thin cirrus above us, little ice
- 12:36 UTC: TAS219, -35°C, FL270
- 12:41 UTC: TAS227, -35°C, FL270
- 12:46 UTC: ice again, falling from above
- 12:48 UTC: TAS228, -35°C, FL270
- 12:49 UTC: halo circle looks great to the right
- 12:51 UTC: big Bullet rosettes (B-Rs), TAS230, -34°C, FL270
- 12:55 UTC: big B-Rs
- 12:56 UTC: photo towards EC track to the right
- 13:00 UTC: 2DS sees ice
- 13:07 UTC: TAS227
- 13:10 UTC: TAS230, FL270, not in cloud yet
- 13:14 UTC: TAS244, -32°C, FL260, a little ice
- 13:15 UTC: TAS230, -32°C, FL260, more ice now
- 13:17 UTC: 2DS-H and 2DS-V some crystlas, nothing on FCDP
- 13:18 UTC: TAS227, -32°C, FL260
- 13:22 UTC: TAS230, -29°C, FL250
- 13:23 UTC: TAS229, -28°C, FL240, alt capture
- 13:25 UTC: ec_meet, no crystals
- 13:27 UTC: some ice in 2DS-H, TAS228
- 13:29 UTC: difficult, just thin layers around, no crystals
- 13:30 UTC: TAS240, -27°C, FL240, starting descend, now crystals
- 13:31 UTC: TAS230, -25°C, FL230
- 13:32 UTC: TAS225, -24°C, FL220, alt capture
- 13:35 UTC: TAS227, some crystals, FL220
- 13:37 UTC: TAS219, no crystals right now, FL220
- 13:44 UTC: TAS214, -25°C, FL220, some crystals again, back on track now
- 13:49 UTC: TAS220
- 13:50 UTC: start going up, -24°C
- 13:53 UTC: WP2, TAS209, -30°C, FL250
- 13:55 UTC: TAS213, -32°C, FL260
- 13:56 UTC: TAS221, -35°C, FL270
- 14:00 UTC: TAS230, -35°C, FL270
- 14:01 UTC: some ice now, halo to the left
- 14:02 UTC: big B-Rs
- 14:04 UTC: TAS236, -33°C, FL258, see crystals
- 14:05 UTC: TAS230, -31°C, FL250
- 14:06 UTC: TAS237, -29°C, FL240
- 14:07 UTC: TAS226, -28°C, FL230
- 14:08 UTC: TAS225, -25°C, FL220, strong crosswinds, 60-80 kt, only a few crystals
- 14:12 UTC: TAS222, -25°C, FL220
- 14:14 UTC: more crystals now, TAS211, -27°C, FL230
- 14:16 UTC: TAS209, -29°C, FL240, 70kt crosswind
- 14:18 UTC: TAS216, -31°C, FL250, few crystals, halo to the front left
- 14:10 UTC: TAS217, -33°C, FL260, not really anything on probes
- 14:20 UTC: -34°C
- 14:22 UTC: TAS220, -35°C, FL270
- 14:29 UTC: TAS229, -35°C, FL270
- 14:44 UTC: TAS226, -22°C, FL190, entering 'the Soup', but nothing on probes


## Instrument status & quicklooks
```{instrument-table}
```