Interactive comment on “LOAC: a small aerosol optical counter/sizer for ground-based and balloon measurements of the size distribution and nature of atmospheric particles – Part 2: First results from balloon and unmanned aerial vehicle flights” by J.-B. Renard et al

It is no true that we have copied/pasted parts of the paper 1. A careful reading of the two texts show that no more than few tens of lines are partly in common, and they concern only the description of the instrument and some conditions of measurements. Also, it is not true that they are repetitions that occupy about 1/3 of the paper. All the photographs are necessary to show the LOAC gondolas. We agree that we can provide the dimensions. Also, it is not true that part 3 present copied-pasted results from paper 1. On paper 1, we have presented mass concentrations derived from LOAC measurements at “Observatoire Atmospheric Generali” and comparison with normative “Airparif” measurements. On paper 2, we present a vertical profile of concentrations and the associated typology. This is totally different. The cross-comparison of LOAC in different geophysical conditions were already presented in paper 1; we prefer to speak of “cross-comparison” than of “validation” since there are no absolute reference instrument for counting. We agree that information concerning the inlet are not provided here, although the information are available in paper 1.