Storm chasers don’t need jets, here’s why propellers still rule the skies

Storm chasers know that when it comes to flying into the heart of a hurricane, propellers still beat jets every time.

While jets may sound cooler and faster, speed is the last thing you want when you’re trying to study a storm up close.

What matters most is time inside the storm, durability, and flexibility, which is where turboprops shine.

As climate change fuels stronger, more frequent storms, these prop-driven aircraft are proving they’re still the ultimate weather warriors.

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Slower speeds are actually ideal

At first glance, a turboprop might seem old-fashioned compared to a sleek jet, but don’t let the propeller blades fool you.

Inside, they work just like a jet engine: air is compressed, mixed with fuel, and ignited.

The difference is what happens next. In a jet, thrust comes from hot gases blasting out the back.

In a turboprop, that same power is used to spin the propellers, giving the plane slower speeds and better efficiency at lower altitudes.

This is exactly what’s needed to get the best data from a storm.

Take the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for example.

Its Hurricane Hunters rely on two Lockheed WP-3D Orions, each powered by four Rolls-Royce T56-14 turboprops.

With a top speed of 250 knots, a range of 3,800 nautical miles, and a ceiling of 27,000 feet, these airplanes are perfectly suited to the mission.

They’re also flying science labs, carrying radar systems that create MRI-like scans of hurricanes and radiometers that measure sea foam kicked up by intense winds.

They even have parachute-deployed sensors that track data all the way to the ocean’s surface.

The US Air Force runs its own Hurricane Hunters, too, out of Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi.

The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron operates 10 Lockheed WC-130Js, each powered by four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprops.

These aircraft face brutal conditions but keep flying reliably thanks to the strength and resilience of their propeller-driven engines.

Storm chasers want as much time inside a storm as possible

Sure, jets may have the glamour factor, but they’re not practical for weather chasing.

Turboprops are indeed slower, especially if they haven’t been modified into a speed demon, but that’s kind of the point.

You don’t want to blast through a storm in record time, as you actually want to linger inside and gather every scrap of data.

Add in their ability to take off from smaller airfields and handle extreme conditions, and it’s clear why propellers still rule the skies.

On the other hand, for land-based storm chasers, you can’t go wrong with a $750,000 tornado-proof tank.

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