Fact Sheet United States Air Force Reserve

WC-130 Aircraft

The WC-130 Hercules is a high-wing, medium-range aircraft used in weather reconnaissance missions. This plane is a modified version of the C-130 transport configured with computerized weather instruments for penetration of severe storms to obtain data on storm movements, dimensions and intensity.

The aircraft is capable of staying aloft almost 15 hours at an optimum cruise speed of more than 300 miles per hour. An average weather reconnaissance mission might last 11 hours and cover almost 3,500 miles. The crew collects and reports weather data every 30 seconds.

The WC-130 normally carries a crew of six: pilot, co-pilot, navigator, flight engineer, aerial reconnaissance weather officer and dropsonde system operator. Additional crew members may be added as needed for special missions. The crew and the aircraft are assigned to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, an Air Force Reserve unit assigned to the 403rd Wing at Keesler AFB, Miss. The 53rd WRS, known as the Hurricane Hunters, has sole responsibility for the reconnaissance mission in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean areas.

From the flight deck, the aerial reconnaissance weather officer operates the computerized weather reconnaissance equipment to measure outside free air temperature, dewpoint (humidity), altitude of the aircraft and barometric pressure at that height. The weather officer also evaluates other meteorological conditions such as turbulence, icing, visibility, cloud types and amounts, and ocean surface winds.

Other special equipment on board the WC-130 includes the dropsonde. This is a cylindrically-shaped instrument about 16 long and 3.25 inches in diameter. The dropsonde is equipped with a high frequency radio and other sensing devices and is released from the rear of the aircraft about every 400 miles, and each pass through the eye. As the instrument descends to the sea surface, it measures and relays to the aircraft a vertical atmospheric profile of the temperature, humidity and barometric pressure and wind data. The dropsonde is slowed and stabilized by a small parachute. The Dropsonde System Operator receives, analyzes and encodes the data for transmission by satellite.

The WC-130 provides vital tropical cyclone forecasting information. The WC-130 penetrates hurricanes or typhoons at an altitude of 10,000 feet to collect meteorological data in the vortex, or eye, of the storm. The aircraft normally flies a radius of about 100 miles from the vortex to collect detailed data about the structure of the tropical cyclone.

The information collected makes possible advance warning of hurricanes and typhoons, and increases the accuracy of hurricane predictions and warnings by 30 percent. Collected data are relayed directly to the National Hurricane Center, in Miami, Florida. The NHC is a civilian agency that tracks hurricanes and provides warning service in the Atlantic area.

The WC-130B became operational in 1959, followed by the E-model in 1962, and the H model in 1964. Only H models are currently in operation.

The WC-130H model has uprated engines, a longer range and an additional internal fuel tank with a 1,800-gallon capacity.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Primary function: Weather Reconnaissance

Primary contractor: Lockheed-Martin Co.

Power plant/manufacturer: Four Allison turboprop engines -- T56-A-15

Horsepower: More than 4,000 horsepower each engine

Dimensions: Wingspan 132 ft 7 in, Length 99 ft 6 in, Height 38 ft 6 in

Speed: More than 350 mph

Ceiling: Above 33,000 ft

Maximum Range: 4,000 miles

Maximum takeoff weight: 155,000 lb

Crew: Six (pilot, co-pilot, a navigator, flight engineer, aerial reconnaissance weather officer, and dropsonde system operator)

Status: Operational

(CURRENT AS OF OCTOBER 1997)