User Services FAAM Provides

FAAM provides access to and use of a flight-ready airborne laboratory for atmospheric studies. This is done via a comprehensive suite of services including maintaining and developing science capability, maintaining infrastructure, delivering flying operations, providing data, project planning, travel support and training.

Science Measurement Capability

FAAM staff develop, maintain and operate a suite of instruments on the aircraft, making measurements on behalf of users. We engage with the scientific community via events and working groups to understand their changing needs and upgrade instrumentation when required. We also support users who bring their own instruments to use on the aircraft, planning and coordinating configuration changes. We support external providers to develop and install new instruments on the aircraft, providing design requirements and project managing the certification and installation process. We provide supporting science infrastructure, such as inlets and gas calibration facilities, as well as computational resources such as CFD tools.

Maintaining Infrastructure

As well as the aircraft and associated ground infrastructure, we maintain laboratories and office space for the use of FAAM and the wider scientific community. We make sure there is provision for safe access to the aircraft and other facilities and work to improve the sustainability of the facility as a whole.

Flying Operations

Alongside Airtask, the aircraft operator, we operationally plan and execute flights. This includes arranging flight planning meetings and communicating outcomes, supporting mission scientists, and organising crew. FAAM staff manage the preparations of the scientific equipment before each flight, and act as ‘flight managers’ to ensure the smooth conduct of science aspects of each flight as it happens. We provide a point of contact between the aircraft and the ground, resolve operational issues, and communicate the outcome of the flight. We work with stakeholders to understand the risks associated with flying operations and have procedures in place to ensure safety.

Providing Data

We process and quality control FAAM data, and provide expert support for those accessing and using it. We develop, use, and maintain data standards that conform to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles, maintaining alignment with the NERC data policy. During flights we provide data visualisation tools on the aircraft, transfer of data from aircraft to ground, real-time data viewable on the ground, and ground-to-aircraft text-based chat.

Project Planning and Travel

We support people wishing to use the FAAM aircraft and its data across the entire lifecycle of their project. We determine whether proposed projects are feasible, help with submitting grant applications, and prepare budget estimates. Once funding is in place, we manage the campaign budget and conduct detailed campaign planning. This includes information-gathering visits to potential operating bases during the planning phase (known as ‘recces’), as well as a campaign launch day for each project before flying commences. We provide a dedicated member of scientific staff to support users in getting the best out of the measurements, as well as specialist support for new users. Our management of health and safety and security includes producing risk assessments and providing information for others to produce their own risk assessments. We procure services such as hotels and transport to and from the airport and arrange pack up and shipping of FAAM, Airtask, Avalon, and user equipment.

Training

We provide training, often bespoke, for our users according to their needs. We provide health and safety briefings for those visiting the facility and flying. First-time fliers receive training in the use of aircraft communication equipment, how things work on a flying day, and how to view data on the aircraft. We also offer training to new mission scientists and those operating FAAM instruments.