Chief, Programs and Projects, Aircraft Operations Center
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
MacDill Air Force Base, Florida
James McFadden is the longest-serving hurricane hunter in the U.S. He has flown more than 575 missions into hurricanes, and now oversees all aircraft programs, including tornado and air quality research.
“Throughout his career, the invaluable storm data he has collected has prevented the loss of countless lives and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage by providing critical early warning to those in harm’s way,” said Timothy Gallagher, chief of flight operations for the Aircraft Operations Center.