65th IHC Booklet/Program (pdf - 4.9MB) - Office of the Federal ...

NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (AOC)
2010 Seasonal Summary and Future Plans
Jim McFadden, Nancy Ash, Jack Parrish, Paul Flaherty, A. Barry Damiano, Ian Sears,
Jessica Williams, Richard Henning
(Jim.d.mcfadden@noaa.gov)
NOAA Aircraft Operations Center
After a relatively slow season in 2009, during which NOAA aircraft flew a total of 62 flights and
326 hrs, the 2010 season was a bit more active with its three hurricane aircraft, two WP-3Ds and
the Gulfstream G-IV, flying 71 flights for 453 hours. These flights, in addition to storm flights,
included trips for public awareness, such as the Gulf Coast Hurricane Awareness Tour and the
Governor’s Hurricane Conference, test and calibration flights as well as several transit flights.
Of significance during the 2010 season was the joint NASA, NOAA and NSF operation that
utilized a number of aircraft from each of the Agencies in a study of tropical storm genesis and
rapid intensification. In addition to NOAA’s three aircraft, NASA provided its DC-8, aWB-57
and Global Hawk. The NSF provided the Gulfstream G-V. These aircraft often flew
coordinated patterns associated with tropical systems in the Atlantic and Caribbean. The three
NOAA aircraft also obtained the most comprehensive data set on the development and decay of
a tropical system when they flew Hurricane Earl practically from the cradle to the grave – from
genesis to extra-tropical transition.
AOC continues to upgrade its aircraft and instrumentation, and in 2011 expects to accomplish
the following:
• Complete the acceptance tests of the tail Doppler radar on the NOAA G-IV
• Continue developing strategies for use of the new G-IV TDR in storm environment
• Complete the avionics upgrade on N44RF, NOAA’s 3 rd P-3
• Complete integration of new aircraft data system (AAMPS) on the NOAA P-3s
• Complete installation of new AXBT receivers on both P-3s
Session 2 – Page 7