Richard Henning

Richard Henning is a Flight Director for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Hunters.1 As a Flight Director, he plays a crucial role in NOAA's hurricane research and monitoring efforts.

Professional Background

Richard Henning has extensive experience in meteorology and hurricane research. He serves as a Research Meteorologist and Flight Director onboard NOAA's WP-3D and Gulfstream G-IV research aircraft.4 In this capacity, he leads missions that fly directly into hurricanes to gather critical data for forecasting and scientific purposes.

Responsibilities and Expertise

As a Flight Director, Henning's responsibilities include:

1. Directing flights into hurricanes to collect vital meteorological data
2. Overseeing the use of advanced equipment to measure various aspects of storms
3. Coordinating multiple flights during hurricane events

Henning describes the experience of flying through a hurricane as "like riding a roller coaster through a car wash," highlighting the intensity and challenges of these missions.1

Professional Achievements

Throughout his career, Richard Henning has made significant contributions to the field of meteorology:

• He chaired the 2004 AMS conference session on landfalling storms
• In 1999, he served as the chairman of the Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference in Biloxi, MS2

Current Status

As of March 18, 2024, Richard Henning announced that he is considering retirement from his full-time employment as a GS-1340 Flight Director for the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center.3 This indicates a long and distinguished career in the field of hurricane research and meteorology.