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Richard Henning
Flight Director at NOAA
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:
- Directing flights into hurricanes to collect vital meteorological data
- Overseeing the use of advanced equipment to measure various aspects of storms
- 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.
Highlights
Hello - I am looking at retirement from my present full time employment as a GS-1340 Flight Director for the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (the NOAA Hurricane Hunters) after a 27 year civil service career served partially concurrent with a 24 year military career (10 years in the Navy and 14 years in the USAF Reserves). I'm interested in utilizing my acquired skills as a Subject Matter Expert in real-time airborne data collection and analysis, post-mission data QC, radio and data link communications, airborne radars, crew resource management and critical real-time decision making, through a part time hybrid position supporting launch operations at the Kennedy Space Center and / or Canaveral Space Force Station as a contractor.
