From NOAA about the WP-3D, dropsnodes, and the Gulfstream-IV (2 of 6)

This is some nice footage from the NOAA B Roll (credit to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration {NOAA}) focusing NOAA Hurricane Hunter Aircraft. You will see footage (inside and outside) of the WP-3D Orion including some footage shot from inside the cockpit. You will also see an animation showing an Orion's flight path and dropsonde deployments in the eye of a hurricane. In addition the crew talks about the deployment of the dropsondes. Finally there is some footage of the Gulfstream including footage shot from inside the Gulfstream (cockpit and meteorolgy stations).

As I understand it. the WP-3D Orions fly inside the hurricane at altitudes ranging from 1,500 to 10,000 feet while the Gulfstream flys at high altitudes from 40 to 45,000 feet. The meteorological and science data from the Orion and the Gulfstream is transmitted (in flight, encoded) directly back to the National Hurricane Center where they interpret the data for inclusion in Tropical Storm or Hurricane advisories, forecasts, and forecast discussions.

This video is about NOAA's Hurricane Hunters. The C-130 Hurricane Hunters from the US Air Force Reserve 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron also transmit their data back to the National Hurricane Center while they are in flight.


direct link to video

Note: NOAA B Roll is footage of NOAA research and other activities produced and distributed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). See the about NOAA B Roll on Youtube for more information.

September 10, 2016: outdated links updated


Other articles in this series:
Part 1 (June 1): Hurricane Hunters: Introduction
Part 3 (June 5): A little more about the WP-3D Hurricane Hunter mission
Part 4 (June 8): more pictures and videos of NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters
Part 5 (June 10): A small taste of how the NHC uses Hurricane Hunter aircraft data
Part 6 (June 12): NOAA's WP-3Ds undergoing major overhaul