Unidentified sailplane pilot prepares for research flight on 14 March 1972. This Schweizer 2-32 sailplane operated by NCAR flew missions in the early storm experiment phase of the Cooperative Convective Precipitation Experiment (CCOPE) near Miles City, Montana. Used to measure water droplet, ice, and precipitation particle spectra, liquid water content, electric field and vertical air motion within thunderstorms, the sailplane was towed by a Cessna 180 to an altititude of approximately 6 kilometers. Upon release, the plane could make measurements during a total flight time of approximately 5 hours.
