Weather flight's forecasts vital to mission success

  • Published
  • By Capt. Omar Villarreal
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  The weather is something only Mother Nature can control, but the 8th Operations Support Squadron's Weather Flight here stays poised to control what they can, forecasting the region's weather so Airmen can accomplish their missions.

Working closely with the Republic of Korea Air Force, the 10 Airmen assigned to the Wolf Pack's weather flight are able to provide up-to-the-minute weather updates for Airmen on the ground and in the air.

"Korea has so many weather variables to consider," said 1st Lt. Daniel Bigley, 8th OSS Weather Flight commander. "Staying ahead of what weather may be coming sounds like a game of chance, but it is the weather flights responsibility to take the signs Mother Nature throws at us and determine if a mission may be compromised due to weather related issues."

The "signs" the weather flight receives from up above are taken extremely serious by the three fighter squadrons on Kunsan AB.

"The weather flight produces a forecast before each our take-offs and maintains communication with us until every jet has touched down," said Capt. Tyler Robarge, 80th Fighter Squadron C-flight commander. "We can be ready to fly at a moment's notice, but it is important for us to know what to expect when in the air so we don't get caught off guard or put in a bad situation."

Robarge went on to say that without an accurate weather report the safety of the pilot, and the multi-million dollar aircraft flown by that pilot, would be in jeopardy.

Like the operations squadron, the 8th Civil Engineer Squadron requires weather reports to accomplish day to day tasks, as well as to stay ahead of flooding during the summer and snowstorms in the winter.

"It is important to keep projects on schedule," said Senior Master Sgt. Donald Echols, 8th CES operations flight chief. "Weather plays a huge part in what we are able to complete and when we are able to do so."

Echols said the weather flight does a great job at keeping the base populace informed on weather conditions, and even allows his flight to plan ahead in order to keep Kunsan's day to day operations in motion.

"Knowing if there is going to be a severe thunderstorm or snowstorm allows us to forecast work CE Airmen may be in for," Echols said. "Accomplishing the mission is important, but planes can't takeoff on an icy runway and vehicles can't drive through flooded streets; Kunsan depends on an accurate weather forecast."

Knowing that, Kunsan's weather flight uses satellites, radars, local observations and model data, provided by the Air Force Weather Agency, to present the most accurate and up-to-date weather forecasts.
"Weather is something that is constantly changing," Bigley said. "As much as we'd like to, there is no controlling it, but we will do our best to try. Show some love to a weatherman."