Weather flight helps gauge mission

Senior Airman Adam Martin, a 51st Operations Support Squadron weather flight forecaster, provides Capt. Justin Davis, a 25th Fighter Squadron pilot, with a weather brief prior to flying a training sortie Feb. 12, 2015, at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. The flight provides timely, relevant and accurate environmental intelligence to enable Osan AB personnel to defend the base, accept follow-on forces, and conduct armistice and wartime operations. (U.S. Air Force photos by Senior Airman David Owsianka)

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- This is the third in a series of articles relating to an overview of the 51st Fighter Wing priorities at Osan Air Base. The major role Team Osan plays in the Republic of Korea and the extent of its mission will be showcased this week in the way Team Osan’s practices “Building Fight Tonight Readiness.” We will provide an in-depth look at how Team Osan “Strengthens the base and team.” Concluding this series will be a wrap-up article reiterating the importance of the wing’s priorities.

Weather affects a variety of aspects in a daily mission, yet there isn’t anything that can be done to change or stop it. A flight at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, is dedicated to provide the Airmen with a constant update of the climate conditions to achieve mission readiness.

The 51st Operations Support Squadron Weather Flight uses real-time radar, satellite imagery, sensor readouts and visual observations to forecast local conditions to provide useful information to the 25th and 36th Fighter Squadrons. By doing this, it allows pilots to complete their mission of flying sorties.

The flight provides timely, relevant and accurate environmental intelligence to enable Osan AB personnel to defend the base, accept follow-on forces, and conduct armistice and wartime operations. The flight is the focal point for all weather services to the 51 FW and other units assigned to Osan.

“We are trained to support 51 FW assets and the mission,” said 1st Lt. Rachel Layne, 51st Operations Support Squadron wing weather. “Our role in supporting realistic and robust readiness is to guide the pilots and mission planners in visualizing the playing field, helping them to arrive at the most effective approach based upon environmental concerns and impacts.

“Weather affects nearly every aspect of our lives,” she said. “Our job is to forecast weather events so that Team Osan can take the necessary precautions to mitigate the effects of the inbound weather.”

To effectively provide readiness to Osan’s mission, the weather flight is split into two main elements: the airfield services element and the mission weather element.

The ASE is responsible for observing and forecasting for the airfield. This element works with the operational weather squadron to create terminal aerodrome forecasts and issue weather watches, warnings and advisories. The section also directly supports the base tower with information that guides their decisions of landing patterns, alternate airfields and other aviation at Osan.

“When driving a car around the country, all you need is a map and a sense of direction because roads don’t change that much,” Layne said. “But when flying, the ‘road’ can change from day-to-day and even minute-to-minute. Through our forecasts of weather at the airfield and those for the ranges, we attempt to give the pilots a ‘road map’ for their mission.”

The MWE forecasters are integrated into the fighter squadrons to create a mission execution forecast. The intent of this forecast is to tailor the forecasts across the peninsula to the pilot’s specific training location and time.

“Forecasters will notify the pilots if weather will be bad in the area the pilots want to train in, and suggest areas with a better climate,” said Senior Airman Adam Martin, 51st Operations Support Squadron weather flight forecaster. “We will provide the pilots with a weather forecast, and solar and lunar information.”

Working in a FS has helped Martin realize the impact his job has on the pilot’s mission.

“Working within an FS is the most interactive experience I have received by being able to see how we impact the mission by having the pilots come back from their sortie and tell us how providing them with weather information helped them complete their training,” he said.

The weather flight ensures the pilots are able to complete their training sorties. “It’s important for us to complete our job because weather is always changing and the pilots need the most up-to-date information when planning their flights,” said Senior Airman Jared Elswick, 51st Operations Support Squadron weather flight forecaster. “By providing them with information about weather conditions, it gives pilots the ability to make short and long- term decisions.”

#csnews