Video: Virtually, Hundreds Of Pilots Are Flying Into Hurricane Laura

With the release last week of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, hurricane hunting has turned safe and easy. Plus, we’ve got scenes from real hurricane hunters.

Isabel Goyer

Thursday, August 27, 2020 at 10:13 AM ET

Verified

Flying through Hurricane Laura via Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Key Takeaways:

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020's live weather feature has made virtual hurricane flying a popular online trend, leading to numerous videos of users experiencing storm conditions.
The game's rendering of real-time hurricane environments is noted as impressive, enhancing the virtual flight experience for pilots and non-pilots alike.
The article contrasts these virtual flights with real-world hurricane hunter operations, referencing actual footage of a C-130J Super Hercules from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron.

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Whether you’re a pilot or not, flying into hurricanes just for the fun of it has become a thing. There are dozens of videos around the web of pilots doing just that and in a variety of different planes, all thanks, of course, to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, which comes with a live weather feature. So if there’s a hurricane, a hurricane is what you get. The rendering is pretty impressive. Here’s just one of them, and be forewarned that this non-pilot’s flying is pretty rough.

But to get a real comparison, we also checked out the real McCoy—actual video of a hurricane hunter, a C-130J Super Hercules from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron Hurricane Hunters, really flying into the eye of Hurricane Laura.