Meteorologist on night recon mission takes stunning picture of Melissa's eye

[catbyte]

[EYESORE 9001]

1. Not really a bona fide bucket list item for me

but I’d sure like to fly into the eye of a hurricane for the experience 🌀

[Bo Zarts]

2. I applied for a job flying a NOAA Lockheed C-130 "Hurricane Hunter" in 1972 ..

I was fresh out of Vietnam and working in a National Weather Service (part of NOAA) field office. My boss showed me the vacancy announcement and he thought that I would be perfect for the NOAA position. So I applied.

I didn't get the job. A retired USAF O-6 (colonel), who was (post-retirement) flying C-130s in an air guard unit on the weekends, was hired. Some people at the NWS had big problems with a triple-dipper getting the job.

I'd still do it .. in a heartbeat!

[EYESORE 9001]

3. I flew a couple of anti submarine warfare patrols with MAD pilots

Magnetic anomaly detection, that is. It was a real rush to fly over the open ocean at 200 knots and 100 ft above the water.