Best Storm Stories

With storms pounding both coasts, I thought it would be fun to tell out best (worst) storm story. I'll kick it off with my favorite. 1950's, old JJ was a boom operator on a tanker crew and we were on a refueling mission over Colorado. There was a big thunderstorm between us and the rendezvous point.. The newly formed USAF was not to be stopped by any weather, latter on LeMay decreed that "No peacetime mission required penetrating a thunderstorm", but in 1953 we charged right on in! The cloud turned a pale green, except when lightning struck, then everything turned red! Vertical gusts were unreal, everyone tightened up their straps and hung on. As the props de-iced, some of it would hit the fuselage and it was like being inside a drum with someone beating on it with a bat! After about 5 minutes of this, the AC screamed; Navigator, should we keep going or turn around? In a calm voice, the Navigator replied, I don't know, sir, the hail just knocked out my radar!
I believe the Navigator was the only one on the crew that wasn't scared ****less!
We finally flew out the other side and then made a precautionary landing at Denver. I can still see the big hole in the ray dome and a good 10 inches of ice built up on the little stub antennas.
OK, Who's next?
JJ

Now take a look at the aviation herald to see what happened yesterday!
http://avherald.com/h?article=48188170&opt=0
Great timing on your story....

At 17:21 09 February 2015, JJ Sinclair wrote:
With storms pounding both coasts, I thought it would be fun to tell out
bes=
t (worst) storm story. I'll kick it off with my favorite. 1950's, old JJ
w=
as a boom operator on a tanker crew and we were on a refueling mission
over=
Colorado. There was a big thunderstorm between us and the rendezvous
point=
.. The newly formed USAF was not to be stopped by any weather, latter on
LeM=
ay decreed that "No peacetime mission required penetrating a
thunderstorm",=
but in 1953 we charged right on in! The cloud turned a pale green,
except
=
when lightning struck, then everything turned red! Vertical gusts were
unre=
al, everyone tightened up their straps and hung on. As the props de-iced,
s=
ome of it would hit the fuselage and it was like being inside a drum with
s=
omeone beating on it with a bat! After about 5 minutes of this, the AC
scre=
amed; Navigator, should we keep going or turn around? In a calm voice,
the
=
Navigator replied, I don't know, sir, the hail just knocked out my radar!
I believe the Navigator was the only one on the crew that wasn't scared
shi=
tless!=20
We finally flew out the other side and then made a precautionary landing
at=
Denver. I can still see the big hole in the ray dome and a good 10
inches
=
of ice built up on the little stub antennas.
OK, Who's next?
JJ

On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 10:21:03 AM UTC-7, JJ Sinclair wrote:
With storms pounding both coasts, I thought it would be fun to tell out best (worst) storm story. I'll kick it off with my favorite. 1950's, old JJ was a boom operator on a tanker crew and we were on a refueling mission over Colorado. There was a big thunderstorm between us and the rendezvous point. The newly formed USAF was not to be stopped by any weather, latter on LeMay decreed that "No peacetime mission required penetrating a thunderstorm", but in 1953 we charged right on in! The cloud turned a pale green, except when lightning struck, then everything turned red! Vertical gusts were unreal, everyone tightened up their straps and hung on. As the props de-iced, some of it would hit the fuselage and it was like being inside a drum with someone beating on it with a bat! After about 5 minutes of this, the AC screamed; Navigator, should we keep going or turn around? In a calm voice, the Navigator replied, I don't know, sir, the hail just knocked out my radar!
I believe the Navigator was the only one on the crew that wasn't scared ****less!
We finally flew out the other side and then made a precautionary landing at Denver. I can still see the big hole in the ray dome and a good 10 inches of ice built up on the little stub antennas.
OK, Who's next?
JJ

Back in the early 1960's I was working with Paul MacCready's company Meteorology Research. Inc on a cloud seeding project near Flagstaff, AZ. This involved flying light airplanes such as C-180's and Twin Commanders into CB's to dump silver iodide and dry ice pellets and then to collect things like cloud particles and measure electric fields.

One of the big concerns was that our cloud seeding might inadvertently generate a big hailstorm doing immense damage to the surrounding area. Paul was particularly concerned about that.

Being a young idiot among a few similar inclined young geeks, we hit upon a practical joke. We had a large freezer where we kept hailstones found after storms. We also had some chemically pure H2O. The idea was to super-cool the H2O and then repeatedly dip the end of a string into it forming an ice-ball much as one makes a candle. Once the ice-ball reached a sufficiently terrifying size - about 8" dia. - we used the shop band saw to cut it in half revealing very hail-stone like layers. We then showed this to Paul and his fellow scientists at the 'appropriate' time. When we saw the reaction was getting totally out of hand, we were forced to reveal our subterfuge.. I don't think some ever forgave us.

Departed Grand Forks AFB, headed south then west. The low level entry point was in western South Dakota and there was a front between where we were to where we needed to be. Cruised south along the front at about FL240 looking with radar for a hole between thunderstorm cells big enough to slip through. Found on and called for the turn. We went from warm and sunny to wet to a Popsicle in short order. It was cold across the front and we iced up fast. All the engine over temp and fire lights came on. Indicative of inlet icing. The pilot called for an emergency decent with center and asked me where cloud base was. 10,000 MSL was the briefing. We burst out into sunshine at 12K MSL and all the lights went out.

Everything was in order, all the gauges checked and we head for the low level route (IR472). We fly the training mission and return to base. Reporting the icing encounter at maintenance debrief and word comes back from the flight line, 3 of the 4 engines have bent fan blades and vanes in the first to stages. But the engines never complained, no vibrations recorded. They are heavily instrumented and our on board systems report and record everything real time. Just could no kill those GE jets. B-1B aircraft.

BillT

Just me and a large cup of iced tea in the right seat were ferrying a
King Air from Dothan, AL to Centennial Airport in Denver. I was
penetrating a squall line around Memphis at FL180 using radar to avoid
the yellow, red, and purple areas. It one point I came out of the
clouds only to be able to see what was all around and below me. I wish
I hadn't gotten that short look out the window!

I spent the night in western Kansas visiting friends and, next morning
looking at the weather display at the airport found the entire state of
Kansas was shown in red. I filed IFR to APA via OKC and departed. When
the controller gave me my clearance he asked: "Let me get this
straight. You're going to Denver by way of Oklahoma City?" I said,
"That's affirm. I have a company credit card and I'm not feeling
lucky." The last leg was smooth sailing.


On 2/9/2015 10:40 AM, Benedict Smith wrote:
Now take a look at the aviation herald to see what happened yesterday!
http://avherald.com/h?article=48188170&opt=0
Great timing on your story....

At 17:21 09 February 2015, JJ Sinclair wrote:
With storms pounding both coasts, I thought it would be fun to tell out
bes=
t (worst) storm story. I'll kick it off with my favorite. 1950's, old JJ
w=
as a boom operator on a tanker crew and we were on a refueling mission
over=
Colorado. There was a big thunderstorm between us and the rendezvous
point=
.. The newly formed USAF was not to be stopped by any weather, latter on
LeM=
ay decreed that "No peacetime mission required penetrating a
thunderstorm",=
but in 1953 we charged right on in! The cloud turned a pale green,
except
=
when lightning struck, then everything turned red! Vertical gusts were
unre=
al, everyone tightened up their straps and hung on. As the props de-iced,
s=
ome of it would hit the fuselage and it was like being inside a drum with
s=
omeone beating on it with a bat! After about 5 minutes of this, the AC
scre=
amed; Navigator, should we keep going or turn around? In a calm voice,
the
=
Navigator replied, I don't know, sir, the hail just knocked out my radar!
I believe the Navigator was the only one on the crew that wasn't scared
shi=
tless!=20
We finally flew out the other side and then made a precautionary landing
at=
Denver. I can still see the big hole in the ray dome and a good 10
inches
=
of ice built up on the little stub antennas.
OK, Who's next?
JJ


--
Dan Marotta

As I don't fly powered aircraft, I can only mentioned three commercial flights with storminess. BTW, I always want a window seat.
1. 1974, DC-10 going into Chicago through big summer cells. First time I'd seen wing tip deflections of ten's of feet.
2. February 1974, 707 inbound American Samoa on edge of typhoon passage. Landed in 50kt crosswinds following an amazingly bouncy approach. Tense PAX and much applause after landing. PanAm had lost one inbound there in January 1974.
3. Early 1990's 767 night flight from Seattle to London. Aurora was on both sides of aircraft. Absolutely beautiful. Solar storm;^)

Frank Whiteley

Flew an SR-20 Cirrus from Fargo to Miles City Montana (no de-ice on the SR-20). Intended destination was Billings. Cruising at 6000 IMC with a forecast freezing level of 8000. 40 miles east of Miles City I started to ice up, climbed to warmer temps (3C) at 7000. Closest IFR approach was Miles City. ATC restricted my altitude at 7000 and as I descended with a load of ice I considered the parachute (ballistic chutes are installed on Cirrus aircraft). Controls got jammed with ice and as I pulled the elevator free, the plan snapped into a spin. I lost about 3000 feet in 45 seconds as I tried to get the aircraft flying again. Power idle, mixture cut-off, hand moving to pull the chute, when I drop into VFR and the ice started to fly off. Got the dirty side down, put the mixture to full, added power and flew to Miles City VFR. Sat there for two days for the weather to improve before flying on to Portlans OR.

On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 11:42:24 AM UTC-7, Bill D wrote:
On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 10:21:03 AM UTC-7, JJ Sinclair wrote:
With storms pounding both coasts, I thought it would be fun to tell out best (worst) storm story. I'll kick it off with my favorite. 1950's, old JJ was a boom operator on a tanker crew and we were on a refueling mission over Colorado. There was a big thunderstorm between us and the rendezvous point. The newly formed USAF was not to be stopped by any weather, latter on LeMay decreed that "No peacetime mission required penetrating a thunderstorm", but in 1953 we charged right on in! The cloud turned a pale green, except when lightning struck, then everything turned red! Vertical gusts were unreal, everyone tightened up their straps and hung on. As the props de-iced, some of it would hit the fuselage and it was like being inside a drum with someone beating on it with a bat! After about 5 minutes of this, the AC screamed; Navigator, should we keep going or turn around? In a calm voice, the Navigator replied, I don't know, sir, the hail just knocked out my radar!
I believe the Navigator was the only one on the crew that wasn't scared ****less!
We finally flew out the other side and then made a precautionary landing at Denver. I can still see the big hole in the ray dome and a good 10 inches of ice built up on the little stub antennas.
OK, Who's next?
JJ

Back in the early 1960's I was working with Paul MacCready's company Meteorology Research. Inc on a cloud seeding project near Flagstaff, AZ. This involved flying light airplanes such as C-180's and Twin Commanders into CB's to dump silver iodide and dry ice pellets and then to collect things like cloud particles and measure electric fields.

One of the big concerns was that our cloud seeding might inadvertently generate a big hailstorm doing immense damage to the surrounding area. Paul was particularly concerned about that.

Being a young idiot among a few similar inclined young geeks, we hit upon a practical joke. We had a large freezer where we kept hailstones found after storms. We also had some chemically pure H2O. The idea was to super-cool the H2O and then repeatedly dip the end of a string into it forming an ice-ball much as one makes a candle. Once the ice-ball reached a sufficiently terrifying size - about 8" dia. - we used the shop band saw to cut it in half revealing very hail-stone like layers. We then showed this to Paul and his fellow scientists at the 'appropriate' time. When we saw the reaction was getting totally out of hand, we were forced to reveal our subterfuge. I don't think some ever forgave us.

I was a grad student at NAU in Flagstaff at the time. We never saw any huge hail, but one day after the seeding we did get hail piled 6" - 8" deep all around the place. If I remember it was Vince Schaefer who had a big hand in the experiments.

On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 3:53:17 PM UTC-7, Bob T wrote:
On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 11:42:24 AM UTC-7, Bill D wrote:
On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 10:21:03 AM UTC-7, JJ Sinclair wrote:
With storms pounding both coasts, I thought it would be fun to tell out best (worst) storm story. I'll kick it off with my favorite. 1950's, old JJ was a boom operator on a tanker crew and we were on a refueling mission over Colorado. There was a big thunderstorm between us and the rendezvous point. The newly formed USAF was not to be stopped by any weather, latter on LeMay decreed that "No peacetime mission required penetrating a thunderstorm", but in 1953 we charged right on in! The cloud turned a pale green, except when lightning struck, then everything turned red! Vertical gusts were unreal, everyone tightened up their straps and hung on. As the props de-iced, some of it would hit the fuselage and it was like being inside a drum with someone beating on it with a bat! After about 5 minutes of this, the AC screamed; Navigator, should we keep going or turn around? In a calm voice, the Navigator replied, I don't know, sir, the hail just knocked out my radar!
I believe the Navigator was the only one on the crew that wasn't scared ****less!
We finally flew out the other side and then made a precautionary landing at Denver. I can still see the big hole in the ray dome and a good 10 inches of ice built up on the little stub antennas.
OK, Who's next?
JJ

Back in the early 1960's I was working with Paul MacCready's company Meteorology Research. Inc on a cloud seeding project near Flagstaff, AZ. This involved flying light airplanes such as C-180's and Twin Commanders into CB's to dump silver iodide and dry ice pellets and then to collect things like cloud particles and measure electric fields.

One of the big concerns was that our cloud seeding might inadvertently generate a big hailstorm doing immense damage to the surrounding area. Paul was particularly concerned about that.

Being a young idiot among a few similar inclined young geeks, we hit upon a practical joke. We had a large freezer where we kept hailstones found after storms. We also had some chemically pure H2O. The idea was to super-cool the H2O and then repeatedly dip the end of a string into it forming an ice-ball much as one makes a candle. Once the ice-ball reached a sufficiently terrifying size - about 8" dia. - we used the shop band saw to cut it in half revealing very hail-stone like layers. We then showed this to Paul and his fellow scientists at the 'appropriate' time. When we saw the reaction was getting totally out of hand, we were forced to reveal our subterfuge. I don't think some ever forgave us.

I was a grad student at NAU in Flagstaff at the time. We never saw any huge hail, but one day after the seeding we did get hail piled 6" - 8" deep all around the place. If I remember it was Vince Schaefer who had a big hand in the experiments.

Schaefer was involved. IIRC he was the first to demonstrate that cloud seeding might be possible.

This is , after all, forum for glider stories

As I have not yet seen a glider story in this thread, here are annecdotes
from a WGC.

WGC Vrsac 1972.
After the first day, the one decent soaring day, the airmass turned humid
and cloud flying was
the only way to make progress; a few pilots had oxygen and everyone had at
least a T and S; I was
really glad I had borrowed an AH since many hours were spent in cloud.
Base was rarely above 2500 ft.

AHungarian pilot wsa killed after losing control in a Cb; there was
collision and lots of hail damge, holes
sometimes as big as your fist.
Nick Goodhart went to 30k ft in his Kestrel jut after the start, and flew
the course and won the day
in a straight glide; likewise on the penultimate day, which most people
spent between 1000 and 3000 ft AGL,
Witanen waited til a Cb brewed up near the start , long after everyone
else had left, climbed
high enough to complete the 200km course in one glide, the only one to
finish.

The last day was perhaps the stormiest, cloudb base 2000ft andv virually no
lift below it. It was dark under the
extensive canopy of Cb blowoff. Many pilots simply abandoned the task (a
200 km Triangle)
After the start I ws able to climb to 12 k ft and head out on a compass
course in cloud. I asked my crew chief
to do DR based on zero wind and a 60 kt cruise; after some time I got a
glimpse of the ground down a hole and
saw a railway line which was right on the c course line; then I was in
cloud again for 15mins and emerged from
the side of a Cu at 3000ft 10km from TP 1, an airfield; there were a lot
of gliders down there already, and after
turning the mark and looking along the second leg into into a black wall
illuminated with lightning flashes,
I decided this was enough , threw awqy 2000 ft and landed, thankfull to be
alive and undamaged
after ten testing days. Several others followed me ! George MOffat was
there too, we hugged ech other to celebrate
survival.

John Firth, an old, no longer bold pilot.


At 23:32 09 February 2015, Bill D wrote:
On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 3:53:17 PM UTC-7, Bob T wrote:
On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 11:42:24 AM UTC-7, Bill D wrote:
On Monday, February 9, 2015 at 10:21:03 AM UTC-7, JJ Sinclair wrote:
With storms pounding both coasts, I thought it would be fun to tell
o=
ut best (worst) storm story. I'll kick it off with my favorite. 1950's,
ol=
d JJ was a boom operator on a tanker crew and we were on a refueling
missio=
n over Colorado. There was a big thunderstorm between us and the
rendezvous=
point. The newly formed USAF was not to be stopped by any weather,
latter
=
on LeMay decreed that "No peacetime mission required penetrating a
thunders=
torm", but in 1953 we charged right on in! The cloud turned a pale green,
e=
xcept when lightning struck, then everything turned red! Vertical gusts
wer=
e unreal, everyone tightened up their straps and hung on. As the props
de-i=
ced, some of it would hit the fuselage and it was like being inside a
drum
=
with someone beating on it with a bat! After about 5 minutes of this, the
A=
C screamed; Navigator, should we keep going or turn around? In a calm
voice=
, the Navigator replied, I don't know, sir, the hail just knocked out my
ra=
dar!
I believe the Navigator was the only one on the crew that wasn't
scar=
ed ****less!=20
We finally flew out the other side and then made a precautionary
land=
ing at Denver. I can still see the big hole in the ray dome and a good 10
i=
nches of ice built up on the little stub antennas.
OK, Who's next?
JJ
=20
Back in the early 1960's I was working with Paul MacCready's company
Me=
teorology Research. Inc on a cloud seeding project near Flagstaff, AZ.
Thi=
s involved flying light airplanes such as C-180's and Twin Commanders
into
=
CB's to dump silver iodide and dry ice pellets and then to collect things
l=
ike cloud particles and measure electric fields.
=20
One of the big concerns was that our cloud seeding might
inadvertently
=
generate a big hailstorm doing immense damage to the surrounding area.
Pau=
l was particularly concerned about that.
=20
Being a young idiot among a few similar inclined young geeks, we hit
up=
on a practical joke. We had a large freezer where we kept hailstones
found=
after storms. We also had some chemically pure H2O. The idea was to
supe=
r-cool the H2O and then repeatedly dip the end of a string into it
forming
=
an ice-ball much as one makes a candle. Once the ice-ball reached a
suffic=
iently terrifying size - about 8" dia. - we used the shop band saw to cut
i=
t in half revealing very hail-stone like layers. We then showed this to
Pa=
ul and his fellow scientists at the 'appropriate' time. When we saw the
re=
action was getting totally out of hand, we were forced to reveal our
subter=
fuge. I don't think some ever forgave us.
=20
I was a grad student at NAU in Flagstaff at the time. We never saw any
h=
uge hail, but one day after the seeding we did get hail piled 6" - 8"
deep=
all around the place. If I remember it was Vince Schaefer who had a big
h=
and in the experiments.

Schaefer was involved. IIRC he was the first to demonstrate that cloud
see=
ding might be possible.