How to become An Airfield Operations Specialist

• Airfield Operations Officer
• Aviation Operations Specialist
• Airport Operations Coordinator
• Flight Operations Coordinator
• Flight Director

What do Airfield Operations Specialists do?

An Airfield Operations Specialist would typically need to:

• Ensure a safe operating environment for personnel and aircraft operation, in compliance with the concerned airport and aviation administration safety regulations
• Ensure airfield safety by monitoring weather conditions, wildlife activity, maintenance work and runway conditions; keep maintenance personnel and flight crew appropriately updated
• Provide information on the safe operation of aircraft through flight planning publications, operations publications, and relevant charts and maps
• Inspect all airport areas, including fences, hangars, runways, fuel storage areas, and lighting equipment to ensure they pass all required safety checks and undergo essential maintenance
• Coordinate the arrival, departure, delays, refuelling, loading, and parking of aircraft with the flight crew and ground staff
• Assist in aircraft and medical emergencies; manage airport ground wildlife; coordinate and plan airfield construction; manage mobile airfield activities
• Operate fire trucks, jeeps, dump trucks, sweeping machines, and pick up trucks in response to emergencies
• Coordinate with air traffic control, civil engineers, maintenance personnel and command posts to guarantee support to airfield management activities
• Ensure communication between air traffic control and maintenance personnel; train operating staff

Airfield Operations Specialists divide their time between working in an office or the outdoors, in and around the airfield. Face-to-face discussions and working in a team are regular occurrences in a typical workday.

Although you may expect a 40-hour standard workweek, it would be more realistic to be prepared for an irregular work schedule that will depend on weather conditions and customer expectations.

Ask your network for referrals, contact potential employers directly, use job search platforms, leverage social media, and inquire at staffing agencies to ensure you land the job that matches your professional skills and goals.

Airfield Operations Specialists are generally employed by:

• The Government
• Support Activities for Air Transportation
• Scheduled Air Transportation
• Non Scheduled Air Transportation
• Management of Companies and Enterprises
• Technical and Trade Schools
• Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
• Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services

Professional associations and organisations such as The International Air Transport Association (IATA) offer their members a chance to showcase their skills and knowledge to potential employers.

• Irregular work schedules; meeting with strict deadlines; dealing with angry or unpleasant people; working in a cramped environment inside a closed vehicle
• Responsibility for others’ health and safety; having to be exact and accurate; high probability of bringing home stress from work
• Strong likelihood of working in bad weather; exposure to potentially harmful fumes, dangerous machinery and loud noises

College internships and apprenticeships recognised by your local regulatory board will enable you to receive desirable on-the-job training and work experience in airport security, dispatch, and maintenance.

Most employers prefer candidates with an associate degree in aviation technology and aviation management, although a high school diploma may fetch you an entry-level job. Universities, community colleges, and technical schools offer degrees and certificates, including classes in aviation law, weather, aviation safety, airport management, and aircraft systems.

A certificate course in air traffic control needs special mention as one with the potential to jumpstart your career.

Ensure you take classes in accounting, algebra, English, chemistry, physics, pre-calculus, and trigonometry in high school. Familiarity with automobile & diesel mechanics, industrial technology, manufacturing systems, metalworking, and transportation technology will also help enhance your knowledge.

Voluntary certification in customer & personal service and business English from an objective and reputed organisation can help you stand out in a competitive job market and increase your chances of advancement.

Performance, experience, and acquisition of professional qualifications drive the career progression of Airfield Operations Specialists. Incumbents who have proven themselves on the job may be promoted to Air Traffic Controller, Machine Supervisor, Operations Manager, Logistics Manager, and Freight Conductor.

Taking part in apprenticeship programs, gaining knowledge and experience will increase the job prospects of an Airfield Operations Specialist.

Usually, two to three years of on-the-job training is required to become a certified Airfield Operations Specialist. Continuing professional development (CPD) in public safety & security, administration & management, customer & personal service and transportation will enhance individual skills and proficiency and prove beneficial in advancing your career.

Aspiring Airfield Operations

Specialists without special prior education or experience may answer vacancy announcements made to the general public. All they need is a four-year degree and equivalent progressive work experience.

Safety First; Safety Always

Use standard protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, and life jackets whenever the situation calls for it. You get to keep yourself safe, ensure others are safe and live to narrate the adventure another day.

Tools of the Trade

Airfield Operations Specialists regularly use MS Office Suite, Adobe Systems and Photoshop, Linux, QuickBooks, XML (extensible markup language, Oracle software, and Apache Web Server) to conduct their work efficiently.

A Houston airport with tons of customer complaints about time spent waiting for luggage rerouted the passengers' path, so they had to walk longer to get their bags; the complaints dropped to almost zero.

Managing airport facilities is as important as managing the people who handle them. Airfield Operations Officers do both and serve as liaisons with anyone who needs valid access to their airfield.

“You’ll need a good sense of spatial awareness and ability to keep calm under pressure”- Lauren Clarkson-Dodd.