A tête-à-tête with "Irma", NAS Key West - Leeward Point Field, Guantanamo

[hasegawa]

It was a test, what can AS16 do with a hurricane? Can we handle the result?
It was 8:05 hour today, at NAS Key West (KNQX) with 500 m sight and light rain. I was underway with the (Captain Sim) KC 130 from the US Marines. It was not my intention to fly direct into the storm, but to fly nearby and see the results in FSX with AS16. As you can see, I was in 26.000 ft and have outbalanced 99 kts (Around 180 km/h) The autopilot did it well enough but the speed over ground was down to 208 kts. It was not without risk. The engines worked sometimes with 93 %. Interesting is also to came out of the storm. In 15 minutes after I passed the last big clouds it was nearly over.

[Naki]

That's a cool series...haven't tried a Hurricane flight yet

[hasegawa]

In the result of yesterday I can say, it was an interessting ride. You can do this 2 ways. Flying not direct in the middle" but in the outer Region of the hurricane or, You can fly over it with a big Jet, so above 35.000 ft.

Think, I repositioned the a C-130 to Roosevelt Roads NAS, Puerto Rico... to look out in the direction of Antigua for "Jose" the hurricane, that is underway behind "Irma" and at the Moment Kategorie 4.
At the Moment "Irma" is about to hit Key West and Florida itself is not hit by the Center of the Hurricane, but later may between Mobile and New Orleans if he is still on this track. And what´s about "Jose"? He is under way and let behind Antigua, Barbuda and St. Marten. They are not hit. Now hey is underway west and a bit North of Puerto Rico. Maybe Puerto Rico, Hispaniola with Haiti and the Dominican Republic and Cuba are out of track but Inagua and Nassau and in the end Miami...

https://www.windy.com/24.563/-81.772?21 ... ,m:el5adSR

[Aharon]

Great shots

C-130J Hurricane Hunters can handle hurricanes. Not sure if earlier models of C-130 can.

Regards,

Aharon

[hasegawa]

I was not direct in the middle. In general it is not a good idea. The risk of structural damage can not be underestimated.