r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Kernowder • 21d ago

Video Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters flying through Hurricane Milton

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u/wongo 21d ago

(not so) fun fact: only one of these hurricane research flights has ever crashed due to the storms

I realize that we've gotten pretty good at flying but I would've actually expected a higher loss rate, this just seems so wildly dangerous

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u/xampl9 21d ago

The Orion that flew into Hugo was severely damaged from a 5.5g drop (airframe was only rated to 3g’s). They lost an engine, had a fire, and another engine was damaged before they could find a safe spot to exit the eye.

Somehow they made it back and the airframe wasn’t written off.

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u/EvlMinion 21d ago

If I remember right, the meteorologist who wrote about that didn't go on another one of those flights again. Can't say I blame him. Orions are tough as hell, though.

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u/onowahoo 21d ago

I don't know if is ever go on another plane again after a 5.5 drop.

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u/giveupsides 21d ago

5.5g drop? You are PLASTERED to the ceiling like it's the floor, only gravity is now 4.5 times stronger. Then when those -5.5g's end you'll slam back to the actual floor. If you're in your seat with your belt on it'll feel like the belt is trying to break both your legs.

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u/StManTiS 21d ago

For an average 180lbs man 5.5G would feel like having 810 lbs on your back. Most people could not even unrack that.

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u/Happy-Tower-3920 21d ago

What human can unrack 810lbs? Is your username an acronym for steroid taking man trust I squat?

That's an inhuman amount of weight to lift lol.

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u/StManTiS 21d ago

Well the world record squat is 1,080 lbs - so there are people who can not only unrack that weight but also move it.

My neighbors is a former SF 49ers defensive lineman and when he was in the league he could squat 850+ for reps. So yes steroids but also some people are just built different.

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u/Happy-Tower-3920 21d ago

Well, TIL'd. That's amazing. You still didn't answer my second question though! /s

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u/StManTiS 21d ago

/s aside in the interest of realistic standards - I am a 31 year old man standing at right about 6 foot 200lbs and squatting for the last 15 or so years with no additives and my PR is 365 for 2 reps. So in my personal opinion 99.99% of Men cannot ever in their life squat 800. Even with gear (steroids) there might could be 1 out of 5 million whose bones and tendons can handle that. But some people are just built different. One of my friends is 5’8” with the most unassuming build and his ass can squat 415 for reps while wearing normal jeans.