HNL RareBirds Visits N806NA

We got the opportunity to visit NASA's ER-2S, N806NA (msn 80-1063), as it prepared to make a research flight this morning from Marine Corps Air Station Kāneʻohe Bay [NGF]. At 0900HST, it departed NGF's Runway 4 in less than 1,000 feet from Taxiway F, for its 2.5 hour flight.

The ER-2S made a research flight over Maui County to map the four island's coral reefs at an altitude of 65,000 feet. It also made reef mapping runs above the northeast coast of O‘ahu. The aircraft is equpped with an Airborne Visible / Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVRIS) system to perform the experiments. The aircraft returned to NGF with a flawless landing, after the Oʻahu overflights.

The other mission for N806NA here in Hawaiʻi are overflights over the volcanoes on Hawaiʻi Island to map the progress of volcanic emissions and its effects on the environment. The flights can be followed at NASA's Airborne Science Program web page.

NASA's N806NA To Overfly The Islands

N806NA (msn 80-1063), a Lockheed ER-2S, that NASA has, is here at NGF to perform research flights over the volcanoes on Hawai‘i Island. It's one of two ER-2S that belongs to NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base, CA.

Further details and video in this KITV news report and this KHON news report.