Why is the C-130 used to check hurricanes?

**piano** · 10-03-2002, 01:23 PM

Does it have special qualities? Are there any other types used?

Or, is it just a budget thing?

Al :-wave

**tellysurv** · 10-03-2002, 01:29 PM

This migh tnot answer your question, but check this site out. It does give some explanations...

http://www.hurricanehunters.com/history2.htm

My guess is that they use them because they are reliable, tough and go slow enough to get the goods.
Chris

**lnuss** · 10-03-2002, 01:52 PM

A hurricane-hunter aircraft has to be tough, and the C-130 is one of the tougher aircraft available. It must carry a pretty good load, since there are a lot of crew, plus a lot of equipment. And the C-130 is, in a sense, overpowered, making it better able than many to climb out of trouble, or at least maintain altitude in some rather mean conditions.

There are probably other considerations, but that's all the info I have.

Larry N.

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...de0e398ee2.jpg

**budreiser** · 10-03-2002, 04:27 PM

Other aircraft used as Hurricane Hunters were the WC-121
Constellation used by, I believe, the U.S.Navy. NOAA, I feel
quite sure, still uses the P-3 Orion.

**piano** · 10-03-2002, 05:55 PM

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Oct-03-02 AT 06:02PM (EDT)[/font][p]Tellysurv, that's a great link for those interested in Hurricane Hunters and the planes they fly.

Wish someone could build, or repaint a nice C-130 in current scheme.

Also, the photos of the panel with all those beautiful CRT displays makes me want a panel like that! WOW!

Guys, go check out the photo gallery if nothing else. Nice shots of the planes and many of the panels with crew, etc.

Thanks for the link.

Al :-wave