Bring on the weather, BOE521

I was watching rain fall yesterday and listing to the scanner as there was some weather in the area. Typical conversation when something like this:
ATC: N12345, area of mod. precip at you 12 o’clock extending for a lot of miles, do you want vectors around?
N12345: Yes, please.
ATC: Roger, heading xxx, also report of rime icing 17,000 to FL220.
N12345, Thanks.

Then BOE 521 testing 747-8 comes on freq, checks in, blah blah.
ATC: BOE521, mod. precip at you 11 o’clock, for xx distance, and report of rime icing 17,000 to FL220. Do you want vectors into that area?
BOE521: Yes, requesting vectors into that area, lets see what we can pick up…

Anyway, I guess they wanted to get some icing and inclement weather data?
It was fun listening to all other aircraft wanting to get away form what BOE 521 was seemingly hunting for.

flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE5 … /KBFI/KBFI

Spinner

Yea, it’s about time in the test program to be looking for natural icing.

RC501 was supposed to be doing it in October, but with the delays I’m not surprised 521 is looking for it now.