48th FW Goal Days by numbers

  • Published
  • By 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  The 48th Fighter Wing recently modified its goal day program, placing renewed emphasis on the primary mission: flying.

While not everyone at Lakenheath is a pilot or has a job out on the flightline, every Liberty Airman plays a role in meeting this mission, said Col. Robert Novotny, 48th Fighter Wing commander.

"A goal day is an opportunity for the wing to take a day off, assuming we've met our mission requirements," he said. "In the past, our goal day has been measured on things such as 'fully mission capable rate' or, essentially, how healthy the airplanes are."

Using that rate doesn't always tell the entire story, he said.

"You can fix the jets on Friday and then sit the jets on Saturday and Sunday, and your FMC rate actually climbs, but you're not flying any sorties," Novotny said.

Instead, the wing is now using a goal day metric called flying scheduling effectiveness, he said.

"Our flight operations at RAF Lakenheath are in fact the reason for our existence," Novotny said. "The runway, the ability to project airpower downrange, that's it. We need to do that like nobody's business.

"It's inherent in our DNA as Airmen... we produce combat sorties," he said. "And if we're unable to do that, or if we lose focus on what's important, then there's no point in us being here."

While some of the previous goal day metrics were removed, he said, others components such as Physical Training and Career Development Course test results are still included. The new goal day metrics are broken down into the following components:

- Contracted Flight Hours for each Mission Design Series (MDS) : 40 points available per quarter.

The maintenance group will track and report the execution of monthly contracted flight hours (+/- number of hours from monthly goal). Each MDS will be awarded points at the end of the quarter based on meeting the contracted hours; F-15C/E can earn 15 points each, HH-60 can earn 10 points; 0 points earned for not meeting or exceeding the contracted hours for the quarter (based on approved monthly schedules).

- Flying Scheduling Effectiveness (FSE): 30 points available per quarter.

Each MDS evaluated monthly; 3 points earned per month for meeting the goal, 0 points for not meeting the goal, and 1 bonus point at the end of the quarter for meeting the goal in all three months. F-15C must meet an FSE greater than or equal to 80% per month, F-15E must meet an FSE greater than or equal to 70% per month, HH-60 must meet an FSE greater than or equal to 84% per month.

- Physical Training Performance: 15 points available per quarter.

Same category as previous goal day program; PT monthly pass rate increased from 90% to 94%; 5 points awarded per month.

- CDC pass rate: 15 points available per quarter.

Same category as previous goal day program; Pass Rate remains 98%; 5 points awarded per month.

A wing goal day is earned by scoring a minimum of 85 total points during the quarter.