High Altitude Clear Air Turbulence Project

The Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory conducted the High Altitude Clear Air Turbulence Project in the mid 1960s with the intention of better understanding air turbulence to improve aircraft structural designs. Upper air wind turbulence was recorded and combined with meteorological forecasts and observations to obtain better statistical understanding of atmospheric turbulence environment and its affect upon aircraft. The Air Force used the U-2 aircraft to collect the data. The U-2 aircraft were intentionally flow into regions of turbulence or suspected turbulence to record results. Although the primary collection points were in Louisiana, California, Maine, Florida, Panama, and England, data was collected all over the world. Over 285 flights contributed to the collection.