Here's a closer look at the instrument panel, this time in a special-purpose variation on the aircraft--the WC-130J--that's used to chase hurricanes, flying out of Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., and into the storms to collect data for the National Weather Service. Atmospheric conditions such as temperature, wind speed, barometric pressure, and humidity are measured both by sensors on the aircraft and by a 16-inch, parachute-equipped cylinder called a dropsonde that the crew lets fall every 400 miles. (In this photo, the head-up displays are stored out of the way, protected by the red fabric covers.)
Besides the introduction of color LCD and head-up screens, improvements in the C-130J include their use of GPS and inertial navigation system technology, digital moving map displays, and low-power color radar.
Photo by U.S. Air Force file photo
Caption by Jonathan Skillings
