Guides in the Storm: The Hurricane Hunter Navigators

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Ryan Labadens
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS. --  This is part three of four in a series on the aircrew members of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.

Flying through a developing storm system or a full-fledged hurricane requires careful planning before the mission and a great deal of guidance and flexibility during the flight. It's the job of the navigators for the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" to provide the pilots with the best possible advice for guiding the WC-130J aircraft through the storm.

"Our main responsibilities are mission planning and mission execution," said Capt. Kelly Soich, 53rd WRS navigator. "The first thing we do for a mission once we get our tasking is lay out a flight plan. Once we get out to the plane, we populate the computer with our mission data, run our check lists, and then execute the mission."

Inside the storm, the aircrew can witness a variety of weather conditions, such as rain, hail, lightning and water spouts (tornadoes that occur over water). One of the navigator's jobs is to monitor the plane's movement and position so the pilot can steer clear of tornadic activity.

Captain Soich said there is a need to balance the data-gathering portion of the storm mission with ensuring the safety of the crew and aircraft. The navigator helps maintain this balance by coordinating information between the pilot and flight meteorologist, or aerial reconnaissance weather officer. Even though a certain area might look good to the ARWO for gathering storm data, it may be ripe for water spouts, or it could be located in another country's restricted air space, he said.

Given the changing conditions in the air, the flight plan laid out on the ground is not always the one taken through the storm.

"There can be dynamic changes in flight, depending on the information the National Hurricane Center wants - especially for a storm that's not well formed and is changing rapidly," said Lt. Col. Don Brinson, 53rd WRS chief navigator. "The location of the storm may have changed, what (the NHC) wants to see may have changed, so there are a lot of different variables to consider."

The navigator constantly studies the radar, fuel consumption, and the flight computer to make certain the pilot can take the plane where the ARWO wants to go. This frees up the pilot to focus more attention on flying the plane.

"We really try to shed the load for the pilots, taking on a lot of extraneous tasks so the pilot can concentrate on getting the plane where it needs to go," said Captain Soich.

The navigator also assists the ARWO in collecting storm information.

"We record a lot of data, such as dropsonde positions, and correlate that with the ARWO," said Captain Soich. "So we really work with both (the pilots and the ARWOs) as we're going through the storm to make sure the airplane is in the best position possible to get the best data possible, without compromising safety."

"It can get real busy, especially when you're getting close to the eye wall," said Lt. Col. Malcolm Shannon, 53rd WRS navigator. "That can be the most active portion of the mission."

"We really watch the radar closely when we're penetrating the eye wall to look out for hook echoes, which can indicate tornadic activity," said Captain Soich. "So a lot of it involves taking into account our flight path relative to the weather."

This coordination serves as a good system of checks and balances between the crew members, keeping them safe while allowing them to fulfill their mission.

The weather data gathered by the Hurricane Hunters provide valuable information for the National Hurricane Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, improving storm tracking by up to 30 percent.

For Captain Soich, flying with the Hurricane Hunters has been a rewarding and enjoyable experience.

"There's really not one thing that I don't like about it," said Captain Soich. "I get to fly with some of the best folks. Once you sit down at the end of the day after executing the mission, it's a moment of real satisfaction."