diverted to Auckland, New Zealand so that the of oscillating vertical and lateral accelerations injured could receive medical treatment. The that lasted almost 2 minutes. The vertical aircraft was not damaged. accelerations (expressed in units of gravity or G’s, 1.0 is normal) ranged from a low of +0.31 to a high of +1.7. The lateral accelerations (a According to the captain the airplane was value of zero is normal) ranged from 0.119 left flying over a flat broken cloud layer with a to 0.115 right. smooth ride prior to the turbulence event. The National Weather Service Significant He reported, in part: "Passing 25 degrees Weather Forecast Chart valid for the flight south at FL310 we noticed that the cloud tops showed a 120 knot jet stream and the were gradually rising. Radar showed very little possibility of occasional moderate or lesser - a few green returns off to the right. We were clear air turbulence south of the accident in an area of no forecasted turbulence or location and an area of isolated cumulonimbus buildups. I turned on the cumulonimbus clouds with tops to 40,000 feet seatbelt sign and made a passenger to the north. announcement." Source: National Transportation Safety Board The Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) data accident database system (ADMS2000), last showed that the airplane experienced a series updated Jan 1, 2010. NOAA Hurricane Hunter By Tom Irvine Figure 1. Lockheed WP-3D Orion, N42RF Introduction Hurricane Felix was a destructive Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane NOAA has two WP-3D Orion turboprop scale that struck Central America in 2007 aircraft, designated N42RF and N43RF. The aircraft participate in a wide variety of national formed from a tropical wave on August and international meteorological, 31. It made landfall just south of the border oceanographic and environmental research between Nicaragua and Honduras On programs in addition to their widely known use September 4, in a region historically known as in hurricane research and reconnaissance. the Mosquito Coast with 160 mph (260 km/h) winds. The aircraft are equipped with an array of scientific instrumentation, radars and recording systems for both in-situ and remote sensing measurements of the atmosphere, the earth and its environment. Figure 2. Hurricane Felix during rapid Hurricane Felix intensification
diverted to Auckland, New Zealand so that the injured could receive medical treatment. The aircraft was not damaged. According to the captain the airplane was flying over a flat broken cloud layer with a smooth ride prior to the turbulence event. He reported, in part: "Passing 25 degrees south at FL310 we noticed that the cloud tops were gradually rising. Radar showed very little - a few green returns off to the right. We were in an area of no forecasted turbulence or cumulonimbus buildups. I turned on the seatbelt sign and made a passenger announcement." The Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR) data showed that the airplane experienced a series of oscillating vertical and lateral accelerations that lasted almost 2 minutes. The vertical accelerations (expressed in units of gravity or G’s, 1.0 is normal) ranged from a low of +0.31 to a high of +1.7. The lateral accelerations (a value of zero is normal) ranged from 0.119 left to 0.115 right. The National Weather Service Significant Weather Forecast Chart valid for the flight showed a 120 knot jet stream and the possibility of occasional moderate or lesser clear air turbulence south of the accident location and an area of isolated cumulonimbus clouds with tops to 40,000 feet to the north. Source: National Transportation Safety Board accident database system (ADMS2000), last updated Jan 1, 2010. NOAA Hurricane Hunter By Tom Irvine Figure 1. Lockheed WP-3D Orion, N42RF Introduction NOAA has two WP-3D Orion turboprop aircraft, designated N42RF and N43RF. The aircraft participate in a wide variety of national and international meteorological, oceanographic and environmental research programs in addition to their widely known use in hurricane research and reconnaissance. The aircraft are equipped with an array of scientific instrumentation, radars and recording systems for both in-situ and remote sensing measurements of the atmosphere, the earth and its environment. Hurricane Felix Hurricane Felix was a destructive Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale that struck Central America in 2007 formed from a tropical wave on August 31. It made landfall just south of the border between Nicaragua and Honduras On September 4, in a region historically known as the Mosquito Coast with 160 mph (260 km/h) winds. Figure 2. Hurricane Felix during rapid intensification
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