Weather Briefings. Weather briefings are a three-phase process including the planning, mission execution, and post-mission debrief. Your local Combat Weather Team (CWT) is the primary point of contact to obtain a briefing and they provide all weather-related support for operational needs. If you are not at home base, your CWT will arrange for weather support with another CWT or Operational Weather Squadron (OWS). OWSs will support transient aircrews or aircrews without CWT support. Weather briefings are obtained in-person, via telephone, or on-line depending on the situation. Always obtain a mental picture of the weather situation. Ask yourself, "How is this weather situation going to affect each phase of my flight?" Understanding weather’s impacts to your operations is essential to a successful mission, especially if emergency actions are required. Spend as much time as possible gathering the required data, especially when adverse weather is a factor. Extra time spent with the weather briefer helps form a clear mental picture of potential weather impacts and could be vital to a successful mission. Never hesitate to ask about any item you believe needs clarification.

Web-based Aircrew Briefing Terminals. Web-based programs utilizing OWS Program Generation Scheduler/Server (PGSS) capabilities provide flight weather and, unless MAJCOM prohibited, a self-briefing capability. These programs (e.g., the Military Aircrew Information System (MAIS) and OWS websites) are intended for use by DoD aviators. They are not intended to replace the weather person. Aircrews using these programs should call a weather facility to obtain additional information, clarify the products, or to ask questions. Briefing terminals provide the standard weather alphanumeric, graphics, satellite, and radar information. This includes airfield observations, forecasts, winds, weather hazards, pilot reports, and current weather warnings. CWTs and OWSs provide access information and procedures to supported units. CWTs include information on how to access and use web-based PGSS systems in the Instrument Refresher Course (IRC) and can provide additional training to local customers upon request.

Requesting Weather Briefings. A unit flight scheduler will usually notify the CWT of all planned flights. If your flight is not scheduled with the CWT, provide upcoming flight notification by website, phone, or other locally established procedures. Transient or aircrews without CWT support, should request OWS support on-line or by phone if web access is not available. OWSs need a minimum of two hours notification to prepare a weather briefing so the sooner you can notify them of your request, the better. You should never leave your home base without knowing whom to contact for weather support and updates while in transient status. Military weather briefing facilities and phone numbers are listed in the back or the IFR supplement and are handily available at the CWT. When requesting a briefing be prepared to provide as much information as possible. At a minimum include:

A. Your name (Always identify yourself as a crew member)

B. Aircraft identification/type

C. Enroute plan (stops, low levels, landing zones, targets, ranges, etc)

D. Proposed altitude

E. Estimated time of departure/return

F. Time enroute to destination

G. Alternates required

Mission Planning Forecast (MPF). Whenever possible, you should request a Mission Planning Forecast (MPF). Ideally the MPF request is made a minimum of 24 hours in advance. Outline mission parameters to the CWT. This will allow the CWT to select the best weather products to support the mission and allows them to begin monitoring your specific operational areas. Furthermore, this process allows the CWT to efficiently prepare your actual mission briefing, the Mission Execution Forecast (MEF). The MEF will contain a general synopsis of take-off, enroute profile (targets, landing zones, etc.) and recovery phases. MPF results may directly effect your final mission profile decisions (types of PGMs, refueling altitudes, etc.) including the go/no-go decision. Once your final mission parameters are set based on the MPF, you will order a MEF.

Mission Execution Forecast (MEF). CWTs prepare and brief MEFs to aircrews and the Supervisor of Flying (SOF). DD Form 175-1, Flight Weather Briefing, is the standard MEF tool, but the MEF may take other forms. MEFs can be stand-alone flimsies for local flying, a customized weather depiction for a specific mission (e.g., ARs, DZs, Low-levels), or customer-specific visualizations. CWTs use TAFs as general guidance for MEF takeoff, landing, and alternate airfield information. The MEF takes into account takeoff and landing weather thresholds for specific aircraft, pilot category or mission. CWTs use OWS-generated Military Operating Area Forecasts (MOAFs) to help create mission-specific (refueling, drop/landing zone, etc.) MEFs. Coordinate MEF production times, method of delivery, etc., with your local CWT.

MEF Content. Mission parameters, the weather situation, and published Air Force guidance dictate MEF content. Figure 9-1 and 9-2 show typical items covered in a MEF.

DD Form 175-1, Flight Weather Briefing. The DD Form 175-1, Flight Weather Briefing (also known as the Dash-One) is the standard briefing form. Whether you receive a verbal or written briefing, your briefing will contain the elements contained on this form. Some blocks on the form may not be completed and additional information may be included. The following section discusses the DD 175-1 format. All time entries are in Zulu (Z). All heights are in hundreds of feet AGL/MSL. All winds are entered in tens of degrees and speed in knots.

1. Date
2. Aircraft type/no. (Specific aircraft type and identification such as the radio call sign, mission number or last three digits of tail number).
3. Dep pt./ETD (departure ICAO and estimated time of departure)
4. Runway temperature and dew point (° C, unless otherwise requested).
5. Temperature deviation (° C, unless other requested).
6. Pressure altitude/density altitude
7. Surface wind (Magnetic direction for local and true direction for remote locations).
8. Climb winds (Entered in true direction).
9. Local weather advisory. (Weather warnings or advisories valid for ETD +/- 1 hour).
10. RCR. (Latest reported Runway Conditions Reading (RCR) for departure).
11. Remarks/Takeoff Alt. Forecast. (Any remark on weather that will affect take-off and climb (i.e., inversions, icing and turbulence)).

1. Flight Level (entered in three digits).
2. Flight level winds and temperature
3. Clouds at flight level. (Appropriate block will be checked).
4. Minimum visibility at flight level outside of clouds (statute miles). (Will include the phenomenon that will lower the visibility).
5. Minimum ceiling and location (hundreds of feet and geographical location).
6. Maximum cloud tops and location (including geographical location and excluding of thunderstorm tops).
7. Minimum freezing level and location.
8. Thunderstorms (tops) (height of thunderstorm tops, coverage percentage, and applicable weather watches/weather warnings identification number).
9. Turbulence (geographic location, levels, intensity)
10. Icing (geographic location, area, levels, intensity, advisory identification number (usually date time group)).
11. Precipitation (geographic location, levels, intensity, identification number of bulletin (usually date/time group)).

1. Terminal forecasts. (Destination and alternate).
2. Cloud layers.
3. Visibility/Weather
4. Surface Wind. (True direction provided for off-station and magnetic for local).
5. Altimeter. (The lowest altimeter setting expected during the valid period).
6. Valid Time. (Forecast will be valid through +/- 1 hour of ETA).

1. Briefed on latest RCR for Destination and Alternate
2. PIREP. (PMSV frequency annotated).
3. Remarks. (May include any other significant data).
4. Data for which there was insufficient space in other blocks.
5. Comments and remarks (on terminal forecasts).
6. Icing and turbulence (destination descent (enter location, type, intensity and level)).
7. Specialized remarks (for low level areas, air refueling or gunnery/bombing ranges).
8. Contact information for transient aircrew status weather support.

1. Weather briefed at. (Time briefing was completed).
2. Flimsy/briefing number. (Briefing package, flimsy or CFP identification).
3. Forecaster’s signature or initials. (Name of the forecaster providing the briefing).
4. Void Time. (Army and Navy use only).
5. Extended to weather. (Army and Navy use only).
6. Weather re-briefed time
7. Forecasters initials
8. Name and grade of person receiving briefing

Post-Mission Debrief. Beyond pre-mission interface with the CWT, the post-mission debrief is the best way an aircrew can influence and improve weather support. Aircrews providing mission feedback of actual weather encountered vice the forecast from the MEF, help the CWT evaluate the MEF process and improve product accuracy and overall support. Debriefings can be made in person, via telephone, by locally established procedures, or on-line (where available).