Image of RONALD H. BROWN Ships, Planes and Helicopters Image of Orion WP-3D Aircraft
Image of MD-500 Helicopter Office of Marine and Aviation Operations 
(OMAO)		 Image of NOAA ship RUDE

Activities:

  • The 40 participants and their parents were welcomed and given a brief introduction by Rear Admiral Evelyn J. Fields, Director, OMAO
  • The participants were broken into 3 groups and spent 20 minutes in the following areas:
    • Aircraft
      • LCDR Brian Taggart  - Flying through a hurricane, a bumpy ride that helps save lives
      • LT Debbie Barr - Adventures in landing a helicopter on a ship in rough seas
    • Ships
      • CAPT Sam DeBow - Mapping the ocean floor with the ship that found TWA Flight 800 and JFK Jr.'s aircraft
      • CAPT Dave Peterson - Sailing the nation's most high-tech research ship across the world
    • Internet @ Sea - How do people on shore "see" scientists and crew on board ships at sea in real time?
      • Bill Herrmann - Up close and personal, where the students were the stars on the Internet 
  • The program ended with a simulation of Internet @ Sea  where the participants could ask CAPT Peterson questions via the telephone
 Major Concepts Addressed in the Activity:
  • Various career opportunities available to women and men as pilots and ship commanders
  • How and why data is collected on some types of NOAA's ships and aircraft
  • Why NOAA airplanes fly into hurricanes
  • How computers, cameras, satellites and the Internet can show what is taking place in real time on our ships while at sea
  • How equipment on the NOAA Hydrographic vessel RUDE was able to locate TWA Flight 800 and JFK Jr.'s aircraft
Pictures of Kids:
     

    All participants and some of the speakers

    LCDR Taggart describes a flight into a hurricane
    LCDR Brian Taggart talks about what it is like 
    to fly into hurricanes (a bit like a roller coaster)    		 Learning about the NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown
    CAPT Petersen quizzes participants on how long would a stack of quarters be to pay for the RONALD H. BROWN  (213 miles)  and how many refills of a car gas tank would equal one tank of gas for the ship ( 12,700, or 20 miles of quarters)
    Bill Herrmann explains Internet @ Sea
    One group learning about Internet @ Sea 
    with Bill Herrmann    		 LT Barr talks about landing a helicopter on a moving ship
    LT Debbie Barr gives partipants a helicopter pilot's view of landing on a moving ship in the ocean
    Learning about hydrographic ships
    CAPT DeBow talks about the equipment used
    on the NOAA Ship RUDE to locate items on
    the ocean floor    		 Another group learning about Internet @ Sea
    Another group posing for the Internet
Internet @ Sea Demonstration Pictures of Attendees:
 
First part of Group A on the Internet Second part of Group A on the Internet
First part of Group B on the Internet Second part of Group B on the Internet
First part of Group C on the Internet Second part of Group C on the Internet
An Internet close-up Internet close-up part II
 Personnel for the Activities:
    Presentations were made by:
  • CAPT David Peterson and CAPT Sam DeBow, Ship Commanding Officers
  • LCDR Brian Taggart, P-3 Pilot
  • LT Deborah Barr, Helicopter Pilot
  • Bill Herrmann, Internet at Sea Demonstration

    • Tour leaders and other assistants:
  • Jeanne Kouhestani
  • Janet Brockett
  • Darlene DuFour
  • Jim Martin
  • Jeanette McDonald
  • Carol Baldwin
 Office Site Kids Day Contact Person and Phone Number:
    Jeanne Kouhestani, 301-713-3441 ext. 220
 Link Back to the NOAA Kids Day Web Site: http://www.education.noaa.gov/kids2000/