Lockheed C-130 Hercules

This includes penetration of the center or hurricane eye of the storm.

This vital information is instantly relayed by satellite to the National Hurricane Center to aid in the accurate forecasting of hurricane movement and intensity.

WC-130J

The aircraft is capable of staying aloft almost 18 hours at an optimum cruise speed of more than 300 mph (483 km/h).
An average weather reconnaissance mission lasts 11 hours and covers almost 3,500 mi (5,633 km). The crew collects and reports weather data as often as every minute.

The WC-130J carries a minimal crew of five: pilot, co-pilot, navigator, aerial reconnaissance weather officer and weather reconnaissance loadmaster.

The crew and the aircraft are assigned to the 53rd WRS , an Air Force Reserve Command unit assigned to the 403rd Wing at Keesler AFB, MS. The 53rd WRS, known as the Hurricane Hunters, is responsible for the reconnaissance mission in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean areas.

From the front of the cargo compartment, the Aerial Reconnaissance Weather Officer operates the computerized weather reconnaissance equipment and acts as flight director in the storm environment.

The weather officer also evaluates other meteorological conditions such as turbulence, icing, visibility, cloud types and amounts, and ocean surface winds.

The ARWO uses the equipment to determine the storm's center and analyze atmospheric conditions such as pressure, temperature, dew point and wind speed.

A critical piece of weather equipment on board the WC-130J is the dropsonde system.

The GPS Dropsonde Windfinding System is a cylindrically-shaped instrument about 16 in (40.6 cm) long and 3.5 in (8.9 cm) in diameter and weighs approximately 2.5 lb (1.1 kg).
The dropsonde is equipped with a high frequency radio and other sensing devices and is released from the aircraft about every 400 mi (644 km) over water.

As the instrument descends to the sea surface, it measures and relays to the aircraft a vertical atmospheric profile of the temperature, humidity and barometric pressure and wind data.
The dropsonde is slowed and stabilized by a small parachute.

The Dropsonde System Operator receives, analyzes and encodes the data for transmission by satellite.

Prêt pour le largage de la sonde :

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Beginning in May 2007, the WC-130J will be equipped with the Stepped-Frequency Microwave Radiometer, which continuously measures the surface winds and rainfall rates below the aircraft.

The WC-130J provides data vital to tropical cyclone forecasting.

The WC-130J usually penetrates hurricanes at an altitude of approximately 10,000 ft (3,048 m) to collect meteorological data in the vortex, or eye, of the storm.

The aircraft normally flies a radius of about 100 mi (161 km) from the vortex to collect detailed data about the structure of the tropical cyclone.

Dans les parages de l'ouragan " Ike ",

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The information collected makes possible advance warning of hurricanes and increases the accuracy of hurricane predictions and warnings by as much as 30%.

Collected data are relayed directly to the National Hurricane Center, in Miami, Fla., a Department of Commerce weather agency that tracks hurricanes and provides warning service in the Atlantic area.

Décollage d'un WC-130J vers une zone à grandes turbulences

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Préparation d'un WC-130J du 403rd Wing lors d'un "winter storm "

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