Eye Of The Storm

[falcon012]

Flying for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the WP-3D Orion is known as “Hurricane Hunter”. Derived from the US Navy P-3 Orion, the WP-3D is a tough and rugged airplane very well suited to rigorous hurricane conditions. The extreme conditions encountered when flying through such a storm make this a job not for the faint of heart. NOAA operates two such airplanes. Crews fly into hurricanes and obtain valuable data and measurements about the strength and intensity of the storm. This information is invaluable and serves to save the lives of countless thousands in the path of the storm. There have been 6 planes lost with 53 crew killed since the first hurricane flights began in 1943.

[82Whitey51]

The mighty war pig!!

I have two friends who fly them for NOAA. Both are excellent pilots. The Navy's NRL squadron trains up their pilots in P-3s prior to them heading down to Tampa, usually flew with us for a 2 year gig. They were among the best pilots I ever flew with...and I attribute it to the fact that FLYING is their only job. Unlike military officers who have collateral duties their only duty was to fly...no baby sitting idiots, taking a turn at being the legal officer, coordinating the piss test program, giving Power Point presentations on "GAYS IN THE MILITARY and WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU", ad nauseam...they just learned the airplane and flew it.