The ER-2 launched from Warner Robins, Georgia at 8:30 am (EDT) on September 25 to sample Hurricane Georges as it was moving through Key West and along the western coastline of Florida. Dee Porter, the ER-2 pilot, flew East/West legs through the hurricane eye as the storm headed north. He then headed to Melbourne, Florida to fly under the TRMM satellite and over the TRMM rain gage network and the S-POL radar.
The ER-2 pilot noticed the hurricane eye would appear and disappear between eye crossings. He also experienced considerable turbulence at 63,000 feet. He reported that the turbulence smoothed out once he increased his altitude to 65,000 feet. He described the clouds surrounding the eye as a "bubbling caldron." As comical sidelight, he also found that two pairs of Florida lovebugs accompanied him in the cockpit during the trip.