25 June, 2000

Day two! My first full day with the team. This morning we (Von, Penny, and Mike) took the PAERI to the roof of the Atmospheric Science building to give it a real test. As opposed to the wall, floor, or ceiling of the lab. After we got this all set up we moved to Rich's Lab so he could show us how the HYVIS system would work and let us see some of the images from previous research. The team members also got their Smith-Kline Beechem medical specimen kits. I guess this is a positive sign! It looks like a bunch of tests. More than my flight physical has ever wanted. Actually I am a little worried. I am not so sure that a fat old man will be able to meet the standards of a Shackelton, Wild, or Amundsen.

The instruction on the HYVIS and how the instrument package is to be flown is of parcticular interest to me since this looks like my primary duty assignment. The use of the Blimp and the quirky nature of the Kite (something that sounds really fun to fly as long as you don't crash it into another research project) are intriguing and I can't wait to actually get to the Ice and try out the system.

Von (in hat) and Mike go over the basics of the PAERI in the lab. The big cylinders are the "Black Bodies" that are used for reference by the PAERI