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Don’t panic! Research planes are flying low over LA
Two NASA aircraft, including the P-3 shown here, will fly across Southern California at lower altitudes.
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NASA
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If you see planes flying lower than usual over the next week, don’t freak out. Two NASA research planes will be flying across Southern California at lower altitudes than normal.
The flights will begin Sunday and end Wednesday to collect air samples over power plants, landfills and urban areas across the L.A. Basin, Salton Sea and the Central Valley. The planes will also go over some local airports and runway points.
NASA said its P-3 and King Air B200 aircrafts will fly about 1,000 feet above ground. For reference, commercial planes typically fly between 30,000 to 42,000 feet above ground.
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Don’t panic! Research planes are flying low over LA starting Sunday
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The flights are part of NASA’s student airborne research program, an eight-week internship that gives undergraduate students hands-on experience. The flights will also execute special maneuvers like vertical spirals, which looks like a steep descending turn.
“Our P-3 is being flown and performing maneuvers in some of the most complex and restricted airspace in the country,” Brian Bernth, chief of flight operations at NASA Wallops, said in a statement.
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The P-3 aircraft has already conducted flights this month over Baltimore and near Philadelphia, according to NASA.
“Tight coordination and crew resource management is needed to ensure that these flights are executed with precision but also safely,” Bernth said.
As part of the flight, students will help collect the air samples that will be used to study air pollutants and greenhouse gases.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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