An Inside Look At NOAA's Hurricane Hunting Plane

REGIONS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD. SO YOU GOT TO WATCH THOSE TWO. THE WORLD. SO YOU GOT TO WATCH THOSE TWO. MEANTIME, AS WE PUSH WATCH THOSE TWO. MEANTIME, AS WE PUSH THROUGH THE FINAL DAYS MEANTIME, AS WE PUSH THROUGH THE FINAL DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE THROUGH THE FINAL DAYS BEFORE THE START OF THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE BEFORE THE START OF THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON, WE WANTED TO GIVE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON, WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN INSIDE LOOK ON HOW SEASON, WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN INSIDE LOOK ON HOW NOAA HUNTS FOR THESE YOU AN INSIDE LOOK ON HOW NOAA HUNTS FOR THESE POWERFUL STORMS FROM WELL NOAA HUNTS FOR THESE POWERFUL STORMS FROM WELL UP ABOVE. FOX WEATHER POWERFUL STORMS FROM WELL UP ABOVE. FOX WEATHER CORRESPONDENT BRANDY UP ABOVE. FOX WEATHER CORRESPONDENT BRANDY CAMPBELL IS IN MIAMI WITH CORRESPONDENT BRANDY CAMPBELL IS IN MIAMI WITH A FIRST HAND LOOK AT WHAT CAMPBELL IS IN MIAMI WITH A FIRST HAND LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS ON BOARD OF A A FIRST HAND LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS ON BOARD OF A HURRICANE HUNTER HAPPENS ON BOARD OF A HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT. GOOD MORNING HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT. GOOD MORNING BRANDY. GOOD MORNING AIRCRAFT. GOOD MORNING BRANDY. GOOD MORNING BRITA. GOOD MORNING CRAIG BRANDY. GOOD MORNING BRITA. GOOD MORNING CRAIG . NOW, GUYS, BELIEVE IT BRITA. GOOD MORNING CRAIG . NOW, GUYS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE HURRICANE . NOW, GUYS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE HURRICANE HUNTERS, THEY STARTED OFF OR NOT, THE HURRICANE HUNTERS, THEY STARTED OFF AS A BAR ROOM DARE BACK HUNTERS, THEY STARTED OFF AS A BAR ROOM DARE BACK IN 1943. THIS WAS BETWEEN AS A BAR ROOM DARE BACK IN 1943. THIS WAS BETWEEN TWO ARMY AIR CORPS PILOTS IN 1943. THIS WAS BETWEEN TWO ARMY AIR CORPS PILOTS DARING EACH OTHER TO TWO ARMY AIR CORPS PILOTS DARING EACH OTHER TO ACTUALLY FLY THROUGH A DARING EACH OTHER TO ACTUALLY FLY THROUGH A STORM. WELL, NOW WE’VE ACTUALLY FLY THROUGH A STORM. WELL, NOW WE’VE SEEN IT TRANSFORM FORM STORM. WELL, NOW WE’VE SEEN IT TRANSFORM FORM TODAY INTO AN OPERATION. SEEN IT TRANSFORM FORM TODAY INTO AN OPERATION. GETTING MORE INFORMATION TODAY INTO AN OPERATION. GETTING MORE INFORMATION ON THESE STORMS BEFORE GETTING MORE INFORMATION ON THESE STORMS BEFORE THEY HIT LAND TO BETTER ON THESE STORMS BEFORE THEY HIT LAND TO BETTER WARN PEOPLE. WHILE SOME THEY HIT LAND TO BETTER WARN PEOPLE. WHILE SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE RODE OUT WARN PEOPLE. WHILE SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE RODE OUT A STORM, COULD YOU OF YOU MAY HAVE RODE OUT A STORM, COULD YOU IMAGINE BEING MID-AIR A STORM, COULD YOU IMAGINE BEING MID-AIR INSIDE OF ONE FROM DAY TO IMAGINE BEING MID-AIR INSIDE OF ONE FROM DAY TO DAY AND FLIGHT TO FLIGHT? INSIDE OF ONE FROM DAY TO DAY AND FLIGHT TO FLIGHT? THEY COULD VARY FROM THE DAY AND FLIGHT TO FLIGHT? THEY COULD VARY FROM THE WORST RICKETY OLD ROLLER THEY COULD VARY FROM THE WORST RICKETY OLD ROLLER COASTER YOU’VE EVER BEEN WORST RICKETY OLD ROLLER COASTER YOU’VE EVER BEEN ON, TO JUST LIKE, GOING COASTER YOU’VE EVER BEEN ON, TO JUST LIKE, GOING DOWN A SLIGHTLY BUMPY ON, TO JUST LIKE, GOING DOWN A SLIGHTLY BUMPY DIRT ROAD. CHRISTOPHER DOWN A SLIGHTLY BUMPY DIRT ROAD. CHRISTOPHER WOOD PILOTS THE P-3 DIRT ROAD. CHRISTOPHER WOOD PILOTS THE P-3 AIRCRAFTS, THIS ONE, WOOD PILOTS THE P-3 AIRCRAFTS, THIS ONE, NAMED KERMIT, IS ONE OF AIRCRAFTS, THIS ONE, NAMED KERMIT, IS ONE OF TWO OPERATED BY NOAA. THE NAMED KERMIT, IS ONE OF TWO OPERATED BY NOAA. THE AIR FORCE RESERVE HAS TEN TWO OPERATED BY NOAA. THE AIR FORCE RESERVE HAS TEN C-130S AS WELL. THE CHIEF AIR FORCE RESERVE HAS TEN C-130S AS WELL. THE CHIEF AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE AT C-130S AS WELL. THE CHIEF AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE AT THE NATIONAL HURRICANE AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE AT THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER COULD SEND THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER COULD SEND MULTIPLE HURRICANE HUNTER CENTER COULD SEND MULTIPLE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFTS INTO STORMS TO MULTIPLE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFTS INTO STORMS TO GET DATA TO BETTER AIRCRAFTS INTO STORMS TO GET DATA TO BETTER FORECAST STORM INTENSITY GET DATA TO BETTER FORECAST STORM INTENSITY AND TRACK NOAA ENGINEER FORECAST STORM INTENSITY AND TRACK NOAA ENGINEER NICK UNDERWOOD GAVE US A AND TRACK NOAA ENGINEER NICK UNDERWOOD GAVE US A TOUR OF THE P-3. IT’S A NICK UNDERWOOD GAVE US A TOUR OF THE P-3. IT’S A FLYING RESEARCH TOUR OF THE P-3. IT’S A FLYING RESEARCH LABORATORY. WE’VE GOT FLYING RESEARCH LABORATORY. WE’VE GOT THREE RADAR SYSTEMS ON LABORATORY. WE’VE GOT THREE RADAR SYSTEMS ON BOARD, ONE IN THE NOSE, THREE RADAR SYSTEMS ON BOARD, ONE IN THE NOSE, ONE IN THAT EMINEM BOARD, ONE IN THE NOSE, ONE IN THAT EMINEM LOOKING FAIRING ON THE ONE IN THAT EMINEM LOOKING FAIRING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PLANE, AND LOOKING FAIRING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PLANE, AND THEN ONE IN THE RADOME BOTTOM OF THE PLANE, AND THEN ONE IN THE RADOME STICKING OFF THE BACK, THEN ONE IN THE RADOME STICKING OFF THE BACK, FLYING AT ABOUT 10,000FT. STICKING OFF THE BACK, FLYING AT ABOUT 10,000FT. A TYPICAL MISSION LASTS FLYING AT ABOUT 10,000FT. A TYPICAL MISSION LASTS EIGHT HOURS OR MORE, WITH A TYPICAL MISSION LASTS EIGHT HOURS OR MORE, WITH ABOUT 15 CREW MEMBERS. EIGHT HOURS OR MORE, WITH ABOUT 15 CREW MEMBERS. THIS STATION IS WHERE ABOUT 15 CREW MEMBERS. THIS STATION IS WHERE WE’LL LAUNCH INSTRUMENTS THIS STATION IS WHERE WE’LL LAUNCH INSTRUMENTS OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND WE’LL LAUNCH INSTRUMENTS OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND SO TYPICALLY AN OPERATOR OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND SO TYPICALLY AN OPERATOR LIKE MYSELF WILL SIT HERE SO TYPICALLY AN OPERATOR LIKE MYSELF WILL SIT HERE AND AS WE’RE FLYING LIKE MYSELF WILL SIT HERE AND AS WE’RE FLYING THROUGH THE STORM, WE’RE AND AS WE’RE FLYING THROUGH THE STORM, WE’RE LAUNCHING DROPSONDES, THROUGH THE STORM, WE’RE LAUNCHING DROPSONDES, EFFECTIVELY A WEATHER LAUNCHING DROPSONDES, EFFECTIVELY A WEATHER BALLOON IN REVERSE. AND EFFECTIVELY A WEATHER BALLOON IN REVERSE. AND SO WE’LL DROP THESE OUT BALLOON IN REVERSE. AND SO WE’LL DROP THESE OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THEY SO WE’LL DROP THESE OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THEY HAVE A PARACHUTE THAT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THEY HAVE A PARACHUTE THAT DEPLOYS. AND AS THEY’RE HAVE A PARACHUTE THAT DEPLOYS. AND AS THEY’RE FLOATING DOWN, THEY’RE DEPLOYS. AND AS THEY’RE FLOATING DOWN, THEY’RE COLLECTING TEMPERATURE, FLOATING DOWN, THEY’RE COLLECTING TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE, HUMIDITY, WIND COLLECTING TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE, HUMIDITY, WIND SPEED AND WIND DIRECTION. PRESSURE, HUMIDITY, WIND SPEED AND WIND DIRECTION. DATA. DATA IS SENT IN SPEED AND WIND DIRECTION. DATA. DATA IS SENT IN REAL TIME TO THE NATIONAL DATA. DATA IS SENT IN REAL TIME TO THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER INTO REAL TIME TO THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER INTO FORECAST MODELS. WE MADE HURRICANE CENTER INTO FORECAST MODELS. WE MADE OUR WAY THROUGH ALL THE FORECAST MODELS. WE MADE OUR WAY THROUGH ALL THE WORKSPACES TO THE FLIGHT OUR WAY THROUGH ALL THE WORKSPACES TO THE FLIGHT STATION, WHERE THE PILOTS WORKSPACES TO THE FLIGHT STATION, WHERE THE PILOTS AND ENGINEER WORK. GOING STATION, WHERE THE PILOTS AND ENGINEER WORK. GOING INTO HIS EIGHTH SEASON, I AND ENGINEER WORK. GOING INTO HIS EIGHTH SEASON, I HAD TO GET NICK’S TAKE ON INTO HIS EIGHTH SEASON, I HAD TO GET NICK’S TAKE ON WHAT THE RIDE IS LIKE. HAD TO GET NICK’S TAKE ON WHAT THE RIDE IS LIKE. THERE’S A LOT OF WHAT THE RIDE IS LIKE. THERE’S A LOT OF VIBRATION. YOU CAN GET THERE’S A LOT OF VIBRATION. YOU CAN GET TOSSED AROUND PRETTY VIBRATION. YOU CAN GET TOSSED AROUND PRETTY GOOD. THERE’S WIND AND TOSSED AROUND PRETTY GOOD. THERE’S WIND AND RAIN SLAPPING AGAINST ALL GOOD. THERE’S WIND AND RAIN SLAPPING AGAINST ALL OF THE WINDOWS. ONCE YOU RAIN SLAPPING AGAINST ALL OF THE WINDOWS. ONCE YOU GET IN THE EYE OF THE OF THE WINDOWS. ONCE YOU GET IN THE EYE OF THE STORM, IT’S CALM AGAIN, GET IN THE EYE OF THE STORM, IT’S CALM AGAIN, SO YOU GET A LITTLE STORM, IT’S CALM AGAIN, SO YOU GET A LITTLE REPRIEVE, BUT THEN YOU SO YOU GET A LITTLE REPRIEVE, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO GO RIGHT BACK OUT REPRIEVE, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO GO RIGHT BACK OUT THROUGH THE NASTINESS. HAVE TO GO RIGHT BACK OUT THROUGH THE NASTINESS. AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE THROUGH THE NASTINESS. AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE CREW OF ABOUT FIVE ON THE AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE CREW OF ABOUT FIVE ON THE C-130. OUR PARTNERS AT CREW OF ABOUT FIVE ON THE C-130. OUR PARTNERS AT THE AIR FORCE 53RD C-130. OUR PARTNERS AT THE AIR FORCE 53RD WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE THE AIR FORCE 53RD WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON HAVE THEIR WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE SQUADRON HAVE THEIR C-130S, AND SO THEY DO A SQUADRON HAVE THEIR C-130S, AND SO THEY DO A LOT OF THE SAME MISSION C-130S, AND SO THEY DO A LOT OF THE SAME MISSION THAT THIS AIRCRAFT DOES. LOT OF THE SAME MISSION THAT THIS AIRCRAFT DOES. WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT THAT THIS AIRCRAFT DOES. WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH CAPABILITY WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH CAPABILITY THAN THEY DO WITH OUR MORE RESEARCH CAPABILITY THAN THEY DO WITH OUR EXTRA RADAR SYSTEMS AND THAN THEY DO WITH OUR EXTRA RADAR SYSTEMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. EXTRA RADAR SYSTEMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. MEANWHILE, NOAA’S G FOUR THINGS LIKE THAT. MEANWHILE, NOAA’S G FOUR SOARS UP TO 45,000FT, MEANWHILE, NOAA’S G FOUR SOARS UP TO 45,000FT, GOING ABOVE AND AROUND SOARS UP TO 45,000FT, GOING ABOVE AND AROUND STORMS, RELEASING DROP GOING ABOVE AND AROUND STORMS, RELEASING DROP SIGNS, COLLECTING DETAILS STORMS, RELEASING DROP SIGNS, COLLECTING DETAILS OF THE ATMOSPHERE IN AND SIGNS, COLLECTING DETAILS OF THE ATMOSPHERE IN AND AROUND STORMS. SO WHAT OF THE ATMOSPHERE IN AND AROUND STORMS. SO WHAT WOULD HURRICANE SEASON BE AROUND STORMS. SO WHAT WOULD HURRICANE SEASON BE LIKE WITHOUT THESE WOULD HURRICANE SEASON BE LIKE WITHOUT THESE AIRCRAFTS? PILOT WOOD LIKE WITHOUT THESE AIRCRAFTS? PILOT WOOD SAYS DATA FROM THESE AIRCRAFTS? PILOT WOOD SAYS DATA FROM THESE FLIGHTS INCREASED SAYS DATA FROM THESE FLIGHTS INCREASED FORECASTS BY 10 TO 20. FLIGHTS INCREASED FORECASTS BY 10 TO 20. WHEN YOU’RE MAKING THE FORECASTS BY 10 TO 20. WHEN YOU’RE MAKING THE DECISIONS, WHETHER YOU’RE WHEN YOU’RE MAKING THE DECISIONS, WHETHER YOU’RE GOING TO EVACUATE YOUR DECISIONS, WHETHER YOU’RE GOING TO EVACUATE YOUR HOME, IF YOU NEED TO GO GOING TO EVACUATE YOUR HOME, IF YOU NEED TO GO AND, YOU KNOW, BUY HOME, IF YOU NEED TO GO AND, YOU KNOW, BUY SUPPLIES AND STOCK UP 10 AND, YOU KNOW, BUY SUPPLIES AND STOCK UP 10 TO 20% IS A REALLY LARGE SUPPLIES AND STOCK UP 10 TO 20% IS A REALLY LARGE MARGIN, IS REALLY TO 20% IS A REALLY LARGE MARGIN, IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO MAKE MARGIN, IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. WITHOUT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. WITHOUT THESE AIRCRAFT. WE WOULD THOSE DECISIONS. WITHOUT THESE AIRCRAFT. WE WOULD WE WOULD BE MUCH MORE THESE AIRCRAFT. WE WOULD WE WOULD BE MUCH MORE UNCERTAIN ON WHAT THE WE WOULD BE MUCH MORE UNCERTAIN ON WHAT THE STORMS ARE GOING TO DO. UNCERTAIN ON WHAT THE STORMS ARE GOING TO DO. AND THEY CONTINUE TO WORK STORMS ARE GOING TO DO. AND THEY CONTINUE TO WORK ON NEW WAYS TO GET BETTER AND THEY CONTINUE TO WORK ON NEW WAYS TO GET BETTER DATA. WE HAVE NEW DROP ON NEW WAYS TO GET BETTER DATA. WE HAVE NEW DROP ZONES THAT ARE ABLE TO DATA. WE HAVE NEW DROP ZONES THAT ARE ABLE TO STAY ALOFT A LITTLE BIT ZONES THAT ARE ABLE TO STAY ALOFT A LITTLE BIT LONGER, COLLECT A LITTLE STAY ALOFT A LITTLE BIT LONGER, COLLECT A LITTLE BIT MORE DATA. THEY’RE LONGER, COLLECT A LITTLE BIT MORE DATA. THEY’RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO TEST BIT MORE DATA. THEY’RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO TEST AND DEVELOP A VARIETY OF ACTIVELY WORKING TO TEST AND DEVELOP A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DRONES THAT AND DEVELOP A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DRONES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO COLLECT DIFFERENT DRONES THAT WILL BE ABLE TO COLLECT INFORMATION IN SOME OF WILL BE ABLE TO COLLECT INFORMATION IN SOME OF THE BOUNDARY LAYERS THAT INFORMATION IN SOME OF THE BOUNDARY LAYERS THAT ARE UNSAFE FOR A MANNED THE BOUNDARY LAYERS THAT ARE UNSAFE FOR A MANNED AIRCRAFT TO ACTUALLY FLY. ARE UNSAFE FOR A MANNED AIRCRAFT TO ACTUALLY FLY. ALL RIGHT. NOW, WHILE WE AIRCRAFT TO ACTUALLY FLY. ALL RIGHT. NOW, WHILE WE ARE EXPECTING AN ACTIVE ALL RIGHT. NOW, WHILE WE ARE EXPECTING AN ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON, YOU ARE EXPECTING AN ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON, YOU KNOW, THIS SUMMER GOING HURRICANE SEASON, YOU KNOW, THIS SUMMER GOING INTO THE FALL, THE KNOW, THIS SUMMER GOING INTO THE FALL, THE HURRICANE HUNTERS ARE