Update from the VOCALS-REx Project Office -  June 2008

Operations Plan

         A draft version of the Operations Plan is available on the web site.

( http://www.eol.ucar.edu/vocals/ )  Read the "June 2008 Draft" link.  Please pay particular attention to the sections which you are personally involved and send comments to Vidal Salazar ( vidal@ucar.edu )  We can also add links to existing websites that may describe your activities within REx.

Dornier 228 Aircraft

         As reported by Rob Wood and Roberto Mechoso another aircraft has been added to REx:

"The VOCALS UK consortium proposal for involvement in VOCALS was successful, which means that the UK groups (a consortium of university research groups plus the Met Office) will be participating in VOCALS over the next few years. We would like to offer our congratulations to the the VOCALS UK participants, and for Hugh Coe for leading the consortium bid."

 

         The Dornier will be based in Arica, along with the BAe-146, the DoE G-1 and the NSF/NCAR C-130

NSF C-130 Upload Schedule:

Paposo Aerosol Land Site:

   A site visit to Paposo is scheduled for 21-26 July by the interested investigators.  Additional information regarding activities planned for the Paposo aerosol supersite visit the VOCALS web site or http://www.dgf.uchile.cl/ VOCALS_PAPOSO/

REx Field Catalog:

Portions of the Field Catalog infrastructure have been installed. A brief test to ingest national forecast centers products and generation of trajectory products will be conducted during the summer, as time allows. Hua Lu Pan (NOAA/NCEP) and Greg Stossmeister (NCAR/EOL) will be coordinating the exercise. Additional information will be distributed to those participating.

Peru Visit

        José Meitín travelled to Lima, Peru (23-24 May) for a visit to DGAC and IMARPE.  He joined Elmer Roman, ONR- Americas liaison from the US Embassy in Santiago. The VOCALS-REx planned observational campaign was presented to IMARPE Executive Director Cañote, several division chiefs and other investigators. IMARPE is participating in REx with a cruise by the R/V Olaya which includes an NCAR GAUS sounding system. Meitin and Roman also visited the science research section of the Peruvian Navy.

         On Friday, 24 May, Meitín and IMARPE VOCALS investigator Carmen Grados visited peruvian Ministry of Transport civil aviation authority. We met with Juan Carlos Pavic, Director of Authorization and Certification and Ms Ana Ghiorzo, head of international activities.  We explained VOCALS interest in some flights into peruvian airspace.  Mr Pavic said they would issue a blanket authorization for the VOCALS period (once the paperwork is received through the embassy channels) and suggested this blanket permit number should be indicated on individual flight plans which might include research areas in peruvian airspace.

R/V Olaya Coastal VOCALS Peru Cruise, 2008-10:

Chile Visit

         A 2^nd site visit to Arica occurred during 1-5 June. Participants were J Meitín, Gene Martin, Melanie Whitmire (Proj Office), Santiago Newbery (EOL/CDS), Allen Schanot (EOL/RAF) and John Hubbe (Battelle PNNL). Additionally, Meitín, Whitmire and Newbery joined up with Mike Hubbell, CIRPAS pilot in Iquique.

Arica Airport:

         Schanot and Meitín met with airport manager Julio Schnettler and air traffic services manager Oscar Flores.  We confirmed the parking of the C-130 would be located at the south end of taxiway "A". The EOL/RAF seatainers would also be sited alongside the aircraft. Schnettler suggested that we contact Viviana Iturriaga, DGAC Santiago finance department with regards to NavAid and other fees involved in aircraft operating from chilean airports. It is our understanding that the C-130 has a waiver for the NAVAID fees, but we will inquire about all VOCALS aircraft. We discussed access to the C-130 with private vehicles (you must not leave the marked roadway!), 24-hour access, portable toilets at the C-130 site and near the firehouse, etc.

         The next day visit to the airport by Meitín, Schanot and Hubbe, we were assisted by air traffic controller Ian Peckinpack.  The Battelle seatainers will be located near the firehouse, but not next to the aircraft parking as that is the roadway access for the fire trucks to the airfield.  Towing a GPU to and from the storage to the aircraft was approved by the fire chief and would be coordinated with the airport authorities. We also drove out to the C-130 parking area.

         We met with Jorge Arias, ESSO-Arica fuel chief, who indicated they have sufficient storage and resupply to service the research aircraft.

         Lastly, we visited Daniel Victtoriano, Manager of the terminal concessionaire. He has an office (5m x 4m) for rent inside the baggage area. There is wireless (pre-paid card) Internet access within the terminal, and the office is accessible from the ramp. We have requested a cost estimate of 2 months rental of this space from Mr Victtoriano.

Hotel Arica

Lodging:

The primary hotel (where the VOCALS Operations Center will be located) is the Arica Inn and Resort:

Hotel Arica.
Av. Comandante San Martín 599
Arica - Chile
Phone: (56-58) 254 540
Fax: (56-58) 231 133
http://www. panamericanahoteles.cl/eng/arica.html

Please note that the Hotel Arica has a shortage of rooms at the end of October. If you choose to stay there, there's a chance that you may need to move to another hotel for a few days, and then return to the Hotel Arica if you wish.

Because of this shortage of rooms, we have negotiated rates with another hotel:

Hotel El Paso Park
General Velásquez Avenue 1109
Arica - Chile
Phone Number: 56.58.230808
Fax Number: 56.58.231965
http://www.hotelelpaso.cl/

To make reservations at either hotel, please contact Carmen Messina (Groups Manager) (ventas@hotelarica.cl). You will need to let her know which hotel you'd prefer to stay in, your room preferences, dates, names, credit card guarantee, and mention "Proyecto VOCALS" to get the discounted rates.

Please visit (http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/vocals/logistics_support/ bulletins/hotel_info.html), for additional hotel information, including rates.< b> Please note that there are no rooms available at the Hotel Arica after November 17.

Operations Center:

         After discussions with the Hotel Arica, we will establish the VOCALS Operations Center within 2 of their conference rooms on the second floor above the lobby. We expect the center to be operational by 13 October and must vacate the space on November 17 due to prior scheduling commitment. Read the Operations Plan for a description of services that will be provided at the Operations Center.

Universidad de Tarapacá:

         We were unable to contact our collaborators at the university during our visit but have received e-mail confirmation as to their participation and the availability of laboratory space on campus (adjacent to the El Paso Park Hotel in Arica) during the REx campaign.

Customs & Shipping:

         Meitín, Whitmire and Hubbe visited the Arica Customs House, met with administrator Mario Araneda to explain VOCALS activities and plans for temporary importation. Mr Araneda explained that the process was well-established and fairly streamlined. He described how a freight forwarder would hire a certified Customs Agent (broker) who would review the shipment, documents and then submit (electronically) the proper paperwork to chilean Customs. Processing and approval (if paperwork in order) would be completed in 24 hours.

The Project Office will be using the following agents for their shipping:

U.S. Side
Michael Caseley
Sea Jet Express, Inc.
24 Cokesbur Rd., Ste. 20
Lebanon, NJ  08833
Tel:  (1) 908-236-2259
Fax:  (1) 908-236-6592
E-mail:  mc@seajet.com

Chilean Side
Mario Montero (based in the main office in Valparaiso)
Agencias Maritimas Broom
Sucursal Arica
Baquedano n^o 731 Piso 8 oficina 809
Tel: 56 - 32 2268200
Fax: 56 - 32 2213308
E-mail: mmontero@ajbroom.cl

For those of you who will be shipping your own items, you may choose to use the same freight forwarders if you wish, but it is not required. More detailed discussion of shipping deadlines, requirements, etc. will be provided soon.

Rental Cars-Arica: 

The Project Office is waiting for a bid from Hertz-Arica for rental cars during the campaign. A message will be distributed when additional information becomes available. Avis and Budget car rentals are also available in Arica.

Cellular Telephones:

         Pre-paid (local) cellular phones are available from electronic stores and department stores. The telephone company stores will only sell monthly plans (Movistar, Entel PCS, Claro). At the local electronics store or department stores, you can purchase a basic kit which includes a cell phone, some pre-paid time ($10000 CLP of airtime) and a charger for around $16-20,000 Chilean pesos.

http://www.entelpcs.cl/prepago/       http://www.movistar.cl/    http://www.clarochile.cl/

You are limited to 2 pre-paid phones per person (credit card), unless they are purchased via a corporate purchase order. The Hotel Arica has agreed to use their purchase order for as many telephones as are needed for the campaign participants.

General Overview (Arica):

         The team revisited the SODIMAC, a well-supplied home building center. We also visited the Hiper-Lider Market, a "big-box" supermarket and grocery store with extensive supplies of electronic equipment, office supplies, housewares, clothing, food, wines, delicatessen, etc. We tried several local restaurants and visited the "pedestrian mall" in the center of town with the ubiquitous McDonalds and SchoppDog (beer by the yard) restaurants.

Visit to Iquique

Lodging:

         The Project Office received a bid ($79/night long-term stay) from the Radisson-Iquique.  Instructions on how to reserve lodging in Iquique are also available on the VOCALS website.  The Radisson is situated in a suburban setting and a short drive from the commercial district.  It is convenient for the GAUS balloning crew as it is adjacent to the launch site.  The CIRPAS flight crew selected the Holiday Inn Express in Iquique for their housing which is within walking distance from the commercial district.

Iquique Airport:

         José Meitín and Mike Hubbell (CIRPAS pilot) visited Iquique airport and were attended to by Marcial Vidal, chief Air Transit Services. Mr Vidal indicated parking for the CIRPAS Twin Otter near one of the empty hangars along the general aviation part of the airport. Mr Vidal also offered some DGAC rental offices and hangar space for storage.

Universidad Arturo Prat.

         The GAUS launch site will be located at the Marine Sciences Campus on the south end of Iquique and directly adjacent to the Radisson Hotel. A small data center with Internet connectivity will be established in one of the study halls provided by the university. There is sufficient space to support the GAUS operations and a few VOCALS investigators.  Installation and Training for this GAUS site will begin on 2 October.

Rental Cars- Iquique:

         Hertz-Iquique has, along with sedans, a large availability of 4x4 dual cab pick up trucks. No special arrangements have been made for rental cars in Iquique. The Project Office is also working on acquiring a discounted rate with Hertz in Iquique and will send a note when we know more.

General Overview- Iquique:

         As in Arica, a SODIMAC Home Center, a Lider Supermarket and a large suburban-style "indoor mall" (including food court) are available in Iquique; along with several local restaurants and multinational chains.

For Whatever it's Worth Department:       http://www.allchile.net/chilewiki/index.php?title=Main_Page  or

http://www.allchile.net/chilewiki/index.php?title=Chile_Phones%2C_Cell_Phones% 2C_and_Communication