Content: Luftüberwachungsflugzeug DO 228 LM 57+01

Technical description
Name:	57+01
Model:	DORNIER DO 228 LM
Wing span:	16,97 m
Range (km):	2600
Max cruise speed (kts):	200
Min runway lenght:	500 m
Min crew:	3
Fuel type:	Kerosine Jet A1
Dispersant capacity:	none
Other special capacity:	SLAR, UV, IR, MWR, Laser
Normal location:	Nordholz

Conditions for offering assistance:

Requests must be send via CCME/ Maritime Reporting and Assessment Centre, Cost per Flight hour: ca. Euro 3500

More information:

In Germany oil spill detection at sea is provided by

• an aerial reconnaissance system consisting of two Dornier 228 LM aircraft with sensor imaging package (SLAR, IR/UV-scanner, microwave radiometer and laser fluorosensor linked by data processing and imaging system MEDUSA) to monitor the sea area along the main shipping routes in front of the German coastline for an observation period of 1600 flight hours per annum.

• a system of about 30 German Coastguard patrol vessels for permanent and deterring presence at the most frequented shipping lanes, co-ordinated by two Coastguard Centres at the North Sea and the Baltic Sea

• full-scaled VTS-components especially in areas of high traffic frequency including landbased radar monitoring facilities.

The normal procedure for detecting an oil slick is as follows:

• Major shipping lanes in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea are regularly flown by German maritime surveillance aircraft. With search sensor Side-Looking-Airborne-Radar (SLAR) the sea area 40 km rectangular to both sides of the flight path are searched for phenomena which could indicate the presence of oil (grey areas). After such phenomenon is detected the altitude of 3000 ft is left descending to 1000 ft for search patterns with oil detecting sensors Infrared and Ultraviolet (IR/UV) scanners, Microwave radiometer (MWR) and Laser Fluorosensor (LFS). With such sensors the pollution can be geographically located, its dimensions and layer thickness determined in ranges of 0,1 micron to 10 mm and thereby volumes calculated. The LFS can in addition classify substances by its fluorescence characteristics.

• The detected pollution images will be stored by the mission console operator and commented by a word processed pollution log. All material can via satellite communication be immediately sent to a ground server, from which it will be submitted to the law enforcement authority. Notices will be given to the Coastguard Centres in order to let patrol vessels search the polluted area for suspected polluters and take samples of the pollution for lab analysis. In areas with radar coverage trajectory models can be used to calculate the location and time of a spillage and associate ships which were at that time at the calculated location. Average surveillance flight duration is about 4 hours. Annual statistics show number and concentration of observed spillages as well as the calculated dimensions and volumes, number of identified polluters and the statistical development of figures.