Fly high from home: Embark on a virtual tour of our atmospheric research aircraft
Take a virtual tour of our research aircraft and see behind the scenes of atmospheric science at the FAAM Airborne Laboratory.
Explore our unique BAe 146-301 aircraft inside and out – including some places that even our scientists can’t get to – and discover the instruments and equipment we use to study the atmosphere.
From climate change and air pollution, to weather and environmental disaster response, take a look around our research aircraft that has spent 20 years flying for science.
What can you find?
- Locate the dropsonde ejector – you need to go inside
- While you’re there, can you find the mission scientist and flight manager seats
- Head out and look for the landing gear bay on the starboard (right) side of the aircraft
- Head to the nose to get to the turbulence probes
- Then go on up to the upper radiometers
5 facts about our FAAM Airborne Laboratory’s research aircraft
Completed 1400 science flights across 30 countries and 5 continents.
Supported 120+ UK and international science projects, including tracking air pollution over Birmingham, monitoring methane from Scottish wetlands, testing sustainable aviation fuel, and improving storm predictions over southwest America.
Capable of flying with up to 4 tonnes of scientific instruments, as low as 50 feet over the sea and 35,000 feet high in the atmosphere.
Flights can last between one and six hours, covering up to 2000 nautical miles.
Undergoing a £49 million upgrade to enhance its science services and meet sustainability goals by 2027.
