Fly Into the Eye of Hurricane Irene With the Air Force‘s ’Hurricane Hunters’
- Posted on August 26, 2011 at 2:57pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Within the U.S. Air Force is a group of weathermen that you’ll probably never see in front of a green screen delivering the local, five-day forecast. No, these weathermen are much more hands on. How hands on? Well, consider that they fly directly into hurricanes in order to gather the most up-to-date and accurate data. And hurricane Irene hasn’t been able to escape their dissection.
The group calls itself the “Hurricane Hunters,” and is based at Keesler AFB in Mississippi. And despite being hundreds of miles away from Irene — which is bearing down on the East Coast — they’ve been flying multiple, daily reconnaissance flights into the eye of the storm.
According to a video report by AirForceTVRadio, the Hurricane Hunters allow the National Hurricane Center’s forecasts to be up to 30 percent more accurate, which can make a big difference:
So what are those flights like? Luckily, the Air Force has released a video of one of the recent flights. According to the pilot, it does get bumpy:
There’s also a NOAA Hurricane Hunter crew stationed in Tampa, and it recently took one local reporter with it during an Irene recon trip. That reporter captured the sometimes white-knuckled ride:
If you’re curious about the planes the Hurricane Hunters use, you’re in luck. The group has its own website and explains the aircraft’s technology. According to the site, there are actually 10 such planes, which are really modified Lockheed Martin C-130s:
The 53rd WRS uses the WC-130J to penetrate tropical storms. These aircraft are not reinforced in any way in fact the only differences between a WC-130J and a C-130J is the addition of two external fuel tanks (giving them longer range), a radiometer pod on the left wing and the two addition crew pallets in the cargo bay (see below for more information on specific weather instruments).
The C130J is the newest generation of the C-130 Hercules which primarily performs the tactical portion of the airlift mission. The aircraft is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for air dropping troops and equipment into hostile areas.
You can read more about the plane’s technology here.
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MrWarrior
Posted on August 27, 2011 at 4:51pmThank you for bringing that to their remembrance! Curses do not come without a cause! Note: To be cursed is to experience the opposite of being blessed!
Report Post »wampanoag
Posted on August 27, 2011 at 4:50pmIt is actually a total and complete waste of money, just like the International Space Center. A hold over from the days when the USA was awash with cash. The government just found more and more ways to make itself look busy while it was stealing the taxpayers blind. Dont buy the hype.
Report Post »hudent
Posted on August 27, 2011 at 3:50amI will need some depends to do this kind of job,is nuts
Report Post »TheOracleOfTruth
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 9:07pmBrave people! Informative people! Good people!
Report Post »MissBex
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 8:10pmUnfortunately, you can only do this job if you’re in the Reserves.
Report Post »Unstable Phenomenon
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 7:45pmThat has got to be an awesome job
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 7:23pmAwesome job.
Report Post »ObserverMI
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 7:02pmI was let down.
I want to see footage approaching, breaking in, within the eye, breaking out then outside of it and thats what I was hoping to see.
Yes I realize, while inside (not the eye) you see nothing but rain yet from what I mentioned, with cameras fix mounted on the outside of the craft then with some editing, I believe that could give a far better closeness to the reality without being there and simply hoped for more of something like that.
Being said… I would LUV to go up in one of those and experience that first hand. What a rush!
Report Post »svan71
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 5:28pmHey New York I know its just a coincidence and all, but didn’t you just legalize gay marriage recently?
Report Post »bigbear_awake
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 5:05pmPLEASE TAKE THE WHITE HOUSE STAFF AND bho WITH YOU and DROP THEM IN THE EYE
Report Post »Midwest Blonde
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 5:16pmGood idea!
Report Post »RA0725
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 4:01pmI’ve experienced some pretty hairy flights and landings (thankfully) but nothing compared to what these guys do.
Report Post »weeblewacker1
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 4:48pmwell,have no fear! the tea-party is here! didn’t the rethugs and tea-party want to cut all these goverment programs? disaster warnings? baa,we dont need them!
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 5:08pmweeblewacker1,
Report Post »Hey troll. No, nobody suggested cutting all government programs.Are you actually that ignorant or did your leftist urge to lie overpower you again?
dboneshc
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 4:01pmget that reporter some scope-dex
Report Post »buzzwombat
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:54pmOh my!
Report Post »Talk about bringing it!
Makes me look forward to our first blizzard in North Dakota.
tinydd
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 4:11pmWell that thought just ruined my day.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:47pmHey….Hurricane hunters…I think you’ve found one.
Report Post »buzzwombat
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:55pmHa ha ha!
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:43pmCan we give all the liberal socialists a free one way ride? Sure would be nice to give some of the Wisconsin’s teachers a free ride also.
Report Post »Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:41pmIn response to the headline…
NO!
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 4:16pmI’m with you! Not just no, but HELL NO!!! :)
Report Post »MHP
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 5:04pmWe’ll most certainly be doing flights to assess damage after the hurricane passes.
Our aircraft don’t have the ability to fly thru these storms.
Report Post »Now whether we‘d accompany the AF it’s up to them, but if they asked us, we would.
STFU
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:33pmCertainly be more fun than having to navigate the current s***storm that is in DC right now (I believe that the eye of that storm hovers above 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue).
I’m sure this hurricane is going to be blamed for any subsequent dips in the economy…believe it.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:38pmAnd……it will be said to be caused by ????????
Report Post »Man-made Global Warming.
BIGJAYINPA
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:25pmThese guys have to use wheelbarrows to haul their cojones to the airplane before a mission. Most aircrews avoid storms if at all possible, these people fly into the center of one of the strongest weather sytems in the world. And not just once!! Once a storm reaches “Tropical” status and is near to the CONUS they penetrate every 12 hours. And a lot of them are RESERVISTS not Regulars. My hat is off and my admiration knows no bounds….Just sayin’
Report Post »Cat
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:08pmLet me think …
Report Post »YES!
TriforcePlayer
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:07pmAmazing!
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on August 26, 2011 at 3:00pmBig deal… it’s only a Class 3… (SARCASM)
I’d LOVE to!
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