TOPC, in the Northern Hemishere, air circulates anti-clockwise around a depression, so that is the way to go to minimise your exposure. When the last really major storm was approaching the Carolinas, we were planned to Miami almost along the coast. The edges of the storm according to the latest piccie were just off the coast. I had major misgivings about flying so close and we had replanned a good alternative route further inland ready. As it turned out, we were just inland with a grandstand view of the edges of a major hurricane, and no turbulence. When we left just over 24 hours later, it was still only half ashore and we went east out into the Atlantic and round the back of it, again impressive weather scenery and no problems.
I don't think there are any hard and fast rules of mixing hurricanes and aeroplanes (except keep latter out of the former). The only people who really know are those US crews who fly the weather ships (Hercs and Gulfstreams I think) right out into them routinely. They must be head bangers, but also very knowledgable. I wish there was a way the airline community could tap that knowledge!