Preparation, execution and scientific exploitation of airborne experiments fall within the remit of the call for research proposals.

For airborne experiments, CNRS-INSU, CNES and the national weather service Meteo-France offer the scientific community three research aircraft for studying the atmosphere and ocean and land surfaces.

These aircraft are operated by the SAFIRE joint service unit. Proponents wanting to fly scientific instruments on these aircraft must contact SAFIRE, which will guide them on instrument design, choice of aircraft and flight campaign costing.

SAFIRE contact: aurelien.bourdon@safire.fr

After a preliminary study with SAFIRE, experiments intended to support space missions must submit a research proposal to CNES, and if they are recommended they will go through the INSU request for proposals, which is common to the three aircraft, and flight requests will be considered by the CSTA research aircraft scientific and technical committee.