AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- Many complex factors go into the planning of a mission and something as simple as the weather is no less important. At the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Operations Weather Flight airmen collected and analyzed weather data, predicted patterns and briefed aircrews before each mission, May 1.
Previously, most generic weather information sent by weather flight airmen to the aircrews here occured by telephone and email. Face to face interaction between the flying squadrons and weather flight was limited.
Armed with the Air Force Manual guidance on the need to become more integrated with support units throughout all stages of mission planning and execution, the weather flight set off to work. Together, the airmen created a vision with the resources available to advance their support in order to provide the most timely and up to date information.
“As a team, we put in the time and effort to place ourselves into positions to improve the support we provide,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Julian Davis, a weather forecaster with the 379th EOSS/OSW. “First, we separated the duties of the Mission Integration Function (MIF) from the Airfield Support Function (ASF). We then relocated the MIF position to the aircrew operations center so they can provide tailored weather support for each mission.”
Since the relocation of the weather flight airmen assigned to MIF duties, aircrew members have had immediate access to subject matter experts and are able to ask questions before and during their missions. The impact of the change has been noticed by every flying squadron at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing. The groundwork for more face to face interaction between the flying squadrons and weather flight has allowed future weather flight airmen to be successful.
“The services provided by weather flight is outstanding and is worthy of our [aircrew] gratitude and praises,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Geoff Ashby, operations officer with the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. “The weather product enhancement and delivery reduces mission planning time enabling the pilots to reduce ground time and in return, allows us to maximize our mission.”