CHIANG MAI (NNT) - NASA's DC-8 aircraft, an iconic 55-year-old plane known for its extensive research capabilities, conducted its final flight over Chiang Mai province on Monday (March 18) as part of an air quality study in the North and various parts in Thailand.

 

According to the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), the flight, part of the Airborne and Satellite Investigation of NASA’s Asian Air Quality (ASIA-AQ) project, was conducted with the aim of analyzing air pollution dispersion at various atmospheric levels. The aircraft executed a low-altitude 'missed approach' maneuver over the province at 10:30 am, a technique crucial for collecting detailed environmental data.

 

This mission is one of the last for the DC-8, which will be retired after completing a series of five flights between March 16 and 26. Each flight, originating from U-Tapao Airport in Rayong, lasted about eight hours and surveyed different parts of Thailand. The project is a collaborative international effort to improve understanding of air pollution, with NARIT and the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) representing Thailand alongside partners from South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand.

 

In addition to the DC-8, NASA employs a Gulfstream III aircraft for complementary studies, focusing on creating a horizontal profile of air quality. Both aircraft take off from U-Tapao Airport, though the Gulfstream III operates within a more confined area.

 

By Krajangwit Johjit

 

Source: NNT 2024-03-19

 

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No need, here is the truth: Tuesday 5.42pm: (Or the Thai prime minister could order the air force to get rid of the dangerous air by dropping a few liters of water from the sky (sarcasm)

 

The focus on the OP is about using a DC8 but then they show a photo of a Gulfstream 3 aircraft.

 

It is mentioned that they are also using a Gulfstream 3 but why all the palaver focusing on the DC8 then? 

 

I think most people already know the outcome.... The air in Chiang Mai is bad.  Don't need to spend $1000s to confirm that. 

Yeap....when I saw article primarily talking a DC-8 but showing a Gulf Stream 3 I just discounted it to the news service reporter probably not really having a clue which airplane was which.   Below is the NASA DC-8

 

 

And after all the results have been analysed nothing will be done... 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

part of an air quality study in the North

 

... they are still not convinced that the air quality is bad over there ... ?

Using a plane to check this certainly does not help .

And help is what they need ...

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

And after all the results have been analysed nothing will be done... 

 

I am sure they will create another "committee", spend billions on 5 star hotels and catering for its members, then when the money runs out.....rinse....repeat.

I expect the NASA DC-8 engines flamed out flying through that muck rererred to as air.

the flight contributed to more pollution... lol the irony

Nasa sure knows how to get its money worth when it buys a plane. Looks like they re-engined it with much newer engines.

First civilian airliner to go above Mach one.