www.aoc.noaa.gov/aircraft_lockheed.htm
Lake Seawolf (LA-27) Lockheed WP-3D Orion Picture of Lockheed WP-3D Orion Two of the world's premier research aircraft, the renowned NOAA WP-3D Ori ons, participate in a wide variety of national and international meteoro logical, oceanographic and environmental research programs in addition t o their widely known use in hurricane research and reconnaissance. These versatile turboprop aircraft are equipped with an unprecedented variety of scientific instrumentation, radars and recording systems for both in -situ and remote sensing measurements of the atmosphere, the earth and i ts environment. Obtained as new aircraft from the Lockheed production li ne in the mid-70's, these robust and well maintained aircraft have led N OAA's continuing effort to monitor and study hurricanes and other severe storms, the quality of the atmosphere, the state of the ocean and its f ish population, and climate trends. With their world-wide operating capability, they have participated in num erous research experiments from the Indian Ocean, Australia and the Solo mon Islands to Ireland, the North Sea and the Alps. On a national scope they have operated from the Arctic Ocean and Alaska through most regions of the US and into the Caribbean. Hurricane and tropical storm resear ch have taken place in the Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and the E astern Pacific. Estimated useful lifetime for these two research platfor ms is another 10 to 15 years. Picture of the inside of a Lockheed WP-3D Orion STANDARD AIRCRAFT SPECIFICATIONS Type Engines: 4 Allison T56-14 Turbo Prop Engines Each rated at 4600 Shaft Horse Power (SHP) Crew: 2 Pilots, Flight Engineer, Navigator, Flight Director (meteorologis t), 2 or 3 Engineering/Electronic specialists, Radio/Avionics specialist , and a up to 12 Scientist or Media personnel. Ceiling: 27,000' Rate of Climb: Up to 3000 FPM depending on aircraft gross weight and dens ity altitude Operational Airspeeds: 170 - 250 KIAS Electrical: 4 Generators (3 are engine driven, 1 Auxiliary Power Unit) each generator yields 120 volt, 3 phase, 400HZ power 90 KVA max power Max Gross Weight: 135,000 lbs max takeoff weight 114,000 lbs max landing (103,880 is normal) Empty Weight: Approximately 73,000 lbs depending on scientific gear insta lled Maximum zero Fuel weight: Approximately 77,000 lbs. Useful Load: Approximately 62,000 lbs Fuel Load: 58,000 lbs. Altitude Alert System: System that provides flight crew with visual and a udio warnings about a variety of flight conditions regarding the altitud e of the aircraft. Radars: Rockwell Collins C-band nose radar Lower fuselage C-band research radar 360 deg.
View more WP-3D information Drawing of Kermit the Frog: Sky Hopper Drawing of Miss Piggy Nose art from the WP-3Ds, N42RF and N43RF Copyright The Jim Henson Company The WP-3D Orion aircraft are on standby or deployed for hurricane researc h and reconnaissance 120 days each year. Each aircraft averages between 90 and 120 days deployed around the globe for other research projects, w hile flying 300 to 400 hours every year. Remaining days are devoted to s ystem integration and calibration, aircraft maintenance, and pilot profi ciency training. The NOAA P-3s will be contributing to two large-scale research efforts i n the coming year. The Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortices Experi ment (BAMEX) and the South American Low Level Jet Experiment (SALLJEX) a re extensive weather related projects which require the NOAA P-3s partic ipation to collect airborne data. BAMEX The P-3 aircraft will participate in The Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convectiv e Vortices (MCVs) Experiment (BAMEX) late May to early July 2003. This experiment, led by NOAAs National Severe Storms Laboratory, is a major field project to study the evolution of Bow Echoes and Mesoscale Convect ive vortices. These weather systems can have a profound effect on local weather by producing widespread heavy rainfall, and potentially flash fl ooding. Most of the knowledge on these systems comes from numerical simu lations. Little is known about how the horizontal circulations form, how predictable such circumstances might be, and what determines their leng th scales. Lockheed WP-3D Orion Aircraft are required to gather nearly all of the scientific data due to the short lifecycles and small sizes (50-500 km diameter) of bow-echo m esoscale convective systems (MCSs). The NOAA P-3 will work with a Navy P -3 carrying ELDORA, a sophisticated doppler radar, to fly the leading li ne convection of the bow-echo system in order to map the complete circul ation near this line and rearward of the stratiform region. The NOAA P-3 will fly a staggered pattern to map the air motions up to 80 km to the rear of the line. The NOAA P-3, along with the Naval Research Laboratory P-3 aircraft, will provide 3-dimensional air motion and reflectivity ob servations over the domain of the precipitation region of the system, em phasizing the system-scale structure and evolution.
htm SALLJEX The South American low-level jet program is an internationally coordinate d effort to contribute to the understanding of the role of this system i n moisture and energy exchange between the tropics and subtropics. The e xchange between these regions affects regional hydrology, climate and cl imate variability. Ultimately, scientists will use the data collected in this experiment to improve short and long term predictions. The field o bservation campaign (SALLJEX) portion of the program will take place Nov ember 2002- March 2003. The NOAA P-3 aircraft is an essential part of the field program to collec t high spatial resolution measurements. The main objective of the P-3 fl ights will be to provide a detailed representation of the structure and variability of the low-level jet east of the Andes. The P-3 will collect secondary data to assess the relationship between mesoscale convective complexes over northern Argentina or western Paraguay and the low-level jet, the structure of cold frontal surges near the eastern slopes of the Andes, and the mesoscale variability over the Altiplano.
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