5 ms·

Never would have thought the A-10 could become an instrument of science

by platz 12y ago

mhurron 12y ago
Thundercloud, not Thunderbolt. There's a big difference.
- ticviking 12y ago
  No they're literally flying an A-10 into the storm to try and measure things.
  - bengali3 12y ago
    > the US National Science Foundation even plans to fly a particle detector on an A-10 ‘Warthog’ wow I missed this the first time reading it. Are A-10s cheaper to operate than a G-V? (costing at least 8,000 per hr)
    - speakeron 12y ago
      > Are A-10s cheaper to operate than a G-V? (costing at least 8,000 per hr) Not necessarily, but they're a hell of a lot more robust. Thunderstorms are a really violent environment and no place for an executive jet.
      - ericcumbee 12y ago
        and it looks like work has been underway to use an A-10 for just this purpose for a while. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Republic_A-10_Thunderbolt_II#Other_uses http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Republic_A-10_Thunder...
        deleted 12y ago
        [deleted]
    - bengali3 12y ago
      found some hourly cost of ownership data: A-10 17k per hour, G3 32K per hour. (compared to <6K for a civilian G3) http://nation.time.com/2013/04/02/costly-flight-hours/ http://nation.time.com/2013/04/02/costly-flight-hours/
      - SEJeff 12y ago
        And besides, nothing says you mean business by making your appearance in an A-10. Gets them everytime.
gigawhat 12y ago
"The jet will also have its nose-mounted, 30-millimeter cannon removed, opening up more space for scientific instruments." http://blog.ametsoc.org/uncategorized/plane-has-combative-attitude-toward-storms/ http://blog.ametsoc.org/uncategorized/plane-has-combative-at... Given that it's an A-10, it might be more accurate to say that the cannon is having its aircraft removed.
- aaronbrethorst 12y ago
  Given that it's an A-10, it might be more accurate to say that the cannon is having its aircraft removed. wow, no kidding... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger#/media/File:GAU-8_meets_VW_Type_1.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger#/media/File:GAU-8...
ISL 12y ago
I'd love to have been present at the first conversation where that became a plan. "Well, what's tougher than the plane we've already got? Wait.... What's the toughest plane in the sky? An A-10? Right. Who do we have to talk with to get one of them?" I'm a surprised that the plan isn't to use a UAV. Small things can be really tough, are subject to smaller gradient-driven forces, and, if the airframe comes apart, a brave pilot won't have to die.

Never would have thought the A-10 could become an instrument of science

by platz 12y ago

Never would have thought the A-10 could become an instrument of science

mhurron 12y ago

Thundercloud, not Thunderbolt. There's a big difference.

ticviking 12y ago
No they're literally flying an A-10 into the storm to try and measure things.
- bengali3 12y ago
  > the US National Science Foundation even plans to fly a particle detector on an A-10 ‘Warthog’ wow I missed this the first time reading it. Are A-10s cheaper to operate than a G-V? (costing at least 8,000 per hr)
  - speakeron 12y ago
    > Are A-10s cheaper to operate than a G-V? (costing at least 8,000 per hr) Not necessarily, but they're a hell of a lot more robust. Thunderstorms are a really violent environment and no place for an executive jet.
    - ericcumbee 12y ago
      and it looks like work has been underway to use an A-10 for just this purpose for a while. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Republic_A-10_Thunderbolt_II#Other_uses http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Republic_A-10_Thunder...
      - deleted 12y ago
        [deleted]
  - bengali3 12y ago
    found some hourly cost of ownership data: A-10 17k per hour, G3 32K per hour. (compared to <6K for a civilian G3) http://nation.time.com/2013/04/02/costly-flight-hours/ http://nation.time.com/2013/04/02/costly-flight-hours/
    - SEJeff 12y ago
      And besides, nothing says you mean business by making your appearance in an A-10. Gets them everytime.

gigawhat 12y ago

"The jet will also have its nose-mounted, 30-millimeter cannon removed, opening up more space for scientific instruments." http://blog.ametsoc.org/uncategorized/plane-has-combative-attitude-toward-storms/ http://blog.ametsoc.org/uncategorized/plane-has-combative-at... Given that it's an A-10, it might be more accurate to say that the cannon is having its aircraft removed.

aaronbrethorst 12y ago
Given that it's an A-10, it might be more accurate to say that the cannon is having its aircraft removed. wow, no kidding... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger#/media/File:GAU-8_meets_VW_Type_1.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GAU-8_Avenger#/media/File:GAU-8...

ISL 12y ago

I'd love to have been present at the first conversation where that became a plan. "Well, what's tougher than the plane we've already got? Wait.... What's the toughest plane in the sky? An A-10? Right. Who do we have to talk with to get one of them?" I'm a surprised that the plan isn't to use a UAV. Small things can be really tough, are subject to smaller gradient-driven forces, and, if the airframe comes apart, a brave pilot won't have to die.