- [Man] You take, you know, probably the worst turbulence
- [Man] You take, you know, probably the worst turbulence

you've kind of experienced and multiple it by about 10,
you've kind of experienced and multiple it by about 10,

and that's the potential that we're going into.
and that's the potential that we're going into.

(light orchestral music)
(light orchestral music)

- [Narrator] That's the voice of Justin Kibbey.
- [Narrator] That's the voice of Justin Kibbey.

He's a pilot.
He's a pilot.

- [Justin] My job title says Hurricane Hunter pilot.
- [Justin] My job title says Hurricane Hunter pilot.

- [Narrator] Yeah, he flies planes through hurricanes.
- [Narrator] Yeah, he flies planes through hurricanes.

It's all in the name of science.
It's all in the name of science.

He works for NOAA.
He works for NOAA.

- [Justin] The National Oceanic
- [Justin] The National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration.
and Atmospheric Administration.

- [Narrator] These missions are for data gathering,
- [Narrator] These missions are for data gathering,

to track and study hurricane paths and movements.
to track and study hurricane paths and movements.

But Justin Kibbey and I aren't talking about data.
But Justin Kibbey and I aren't talking about data.

We're talking about what it feels like
We're talking about what it feels like

to fly an airplane through a hurricane.
to fly an airplane through a hurricane.

(ominous orchestral music)
(ominous orchestral music)

- [Justin] It starts to get cloudy.
- [Justin] It starts to get cloudy.

And once you're in the storm,
And once you're in the storm,

you'll start to hear rain hitting the windscreen.
you'll start to hear rain hitting the windscreen.

It can be very loud.
It can be very loud.

(rain falling and thunder rumbling)
(rain falling and thunder rumbling)

It surrounds you, it surrounds the whole plane.
It surrounds you, it surrounds the whole plane.

Probably the best way to describe it
Probably the best way to describe it

is if you have ever lived in a house with a tin roof.
is if you have ever lived in a house with a tin roof.

It's hard to hold a conversation inside.
It's hard to hold a conversation inside.

- [Narrator] These are the conditions
- [Narrator] These are the conditions

Hurricane Hunters fly through
Hurricane Hunters fly through

every time they go on a mission,
every time they go on a mission,

because the point of flying through a hurricane
because the point of flying through a hurricane

is to fly through it and get to the eye.
is to fly through it and get to the eye.

And he was telling me about the first time he ever did that.
And he was telling me about the first time he ever did that.

- [Justin] And that was 2010.
- [Justin] And that was 2010.

We were flying into Hurricane Earl.
We were flying into Hurricane Earl.

- [Man] What's the latest information
- [Man] What's the latest information

we're getting about Earl, Chad?
we're getting about Earl, Chad?

- [Chad] 135 miles per hour and still getting stronger.
- [Chad] 135 miles per hour and still getting stronger.

- [Justin] And then, I remember breaking out
- [Justin] And then, I remember breaking out

into the eye of the storm.
into the eye of the storm.

Everything just kinda stopped.
Everything just kinda stopped.

Everything. The noise stopped, the lightning stopped.
Everything. The noise stopped, the lightning stopped.

It was pitch black out, you could see stars above you.
It was pitch black out, you could see stars above you.

It was really beautiful, serene; it was quiet,
It was really beautiful, serene; it was quiet,

(soft piano music) and it was a holy shit moment.
(soft piano music) and it was a holy shit moment.

What did we just do?
What did we just do?

What just happened?
What just happened?

And a bolt of lightning lit up the entire outbound eye wall
And a bolt of lightning lit up the entire outbound eye wall

where I could see it visually.
where I could see it visually.

And all of a sudden, I was like,
And all of a sudden, I was like,

"Oh man, that's gonna be scary." (laughing)
"Oh man, that's gonna be scary." (laughing)

It was a rough ride on the way out,
It was a rough ride on the way out,

but I'll never forget it.
but I'll never forget it.

It was probably one of the coolest that I've been on.
It was probably one of the coolest that I've been on.