Mission Summary
20040914I1 Aircraft 43RF
Ivan flight 2004

Scientific Crew (43RF)
Lead ScientistPeter Dodge
Radar ScientistMike Black
SAR ScientistEd Walsh (NASA)
Mission Plan :

N43RF is tasked for an NHC-tasked one plane SFMR mission into Hurricane Ivan. N43RF is also tasked to make the 14/21Z, 15/00Z, and 15/03Z fixes. Takeoff from MacDill AFB, FL will be at 3:00 PM EDT and recovered at MacDill AFB, FL at Midnight EDT.

Mission Summary :

N43RF successfully completed a tasked reconnaissance/SFMR surface wind field mission into Ivan this morning. HRD scientists Mike Black and Peter Dodge were aboard this flight, along with Ed Walsh from NASA. The plane departed MacDill at 3:30 p.m. EDT Sept. 14 and landed back there at 12:35 a.m. Sept. 15. Besides fixing the storm at 14/21Z, 15/00Z, and 15/03Z, the aircraft flew 105 nmi legs to measure the extent of the hurricane force winds. It then flew a long leg out to the NE, in which tropical storm force winds were obtained by the SFMR out to 220 nmi, before returning back to Tampa. A total of 31 dropsondes were launched and 29 were transmitted from the plane in real time. Also, five new NCAR prototype sondes were released, including three in the north eyewall; these three all were able to register winds at or near the 10-m level of approximately 110-120 kt.

Problems :


Mission Data :

One minute listing

Flight Data


Flight track

Temperature and Moisture

Wind and Atlitude


Page last updated September 14, 2004
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