RVSM Certification of Dryden DC-8 Airborne Laboratory

The NASA Dryden DC-8 Airborne Science Laboratory (see Figure 1) performs research around the globe, recently in support of the SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE). This experiment operated in the North Atlantic airspace region, which is subject to reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) requirements (see Figure 2). These requirements allow aircraft traffic to be separated vertically by a minimum of 1,000 ft (304.8 m) at altitudes between 29,000 and 41,000 ft (between 8.84 and 12.50 km) above mean sea level, in contradistinction to the usual vertical separation of 2,000 ft (0.61 km). RVSM non-group aircraft compliance requires a pressure-altitude accuracy within ±160 ft (±49 m). RVSM allows greater traffic density while maintaining safe aircraft separation.