Airfield Operations Specialists
Overview
SaveJob Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
Ensure the safe takeoff and landing of commercial and military aircraft. Duties include coordination between air-traffic control and maintenance personnel, dispatching, using airfield landing and navigational aids, implementing airfield safety procedures, monitoring and maintaining flight records, and applying knowledge of weather information.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $98K |
| Median: | $51K |
| Low: | $28K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- Inspect airfield conditions to ensure compliance with federal regulatory requirements.
- Implement airfield safety procedures to ensure a safe operating environment for personnel and aircraft operation.
- Assist in responding to aircraft and medical emergencies.
- Conduct inspections of the airport property and perimeter to maintain controlled access to airfields.
- Initiate or conduct airport-wide coordination of snow removal on runways and taxiways.
- Manage wildlife on and around airport grounds.
- Coordinate communications between air traffic control and maintenance personnel.
- Coordinate with agencies to meet aircrew requirements for billeting, messing, refueling, ground transportation, and transient aircraft maintenance.
- Perform and supervise airfield management activities, including mobile airfield management functions.
- Plan and coordinate airfield construction.
- Monitor the arrival, parking, refueling, loading, and departure of all aircraft.
- Use airfield landing and navigational aids and digital data terminal communications equipment to perform duties.
- Coordinate with agencies, such as air traffic control, civil engineers, or command posts, to ensure support of airfield management activities.
- Train operations staff.
- Maintain air-to-ground and point-to-point radio contact with aircraft commanders.
- Receive, transmit, and control message traffic.
- Procure, produce, and provide information on the safe operation of aircraft, such as flight planning publications, operations publications, charts and maps, or weather information.
- Relay departure, arrival, delay, aircraft and airfield status, and other pertinent information to upline controlling agencies.
- Anticipate aircraft equipment needs for air evacuation and cargo flights.
- Provide aircrews with information and services needed for airfield management and flight planning.
- Post visual display boards and status boards.
- Receive and post weather information and flight plan data, such as air routes or arrival and departure times.
- Conduct departure and arrival briefings.
- Collaborate with others to plan flight schedules and air crew assignments.
- Maintain flight and event logs, air crew flying records, and flight operations records of incoming and outgoing flights.
- Coordinate changes to flight itineraries with appropriate Air Traffic Control (ATC) agencies.
- Check military flight plans with civilian agencies.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Public Safety and Security
89%
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Transportation
85%
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
English Language
84%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service
81%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Education and Training
75%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Telecommunications
73%
Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Administration and Management
72%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Administrative
68%
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Law and Government
68%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Computers and Electronics
66%
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
80%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring
80%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination
75%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking
75%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
75%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking
75%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Complex Problem Solving
68%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Writing
68%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Learning
65%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Instructing
65%
Teaching others how to do something.
Top 10 Abilities
Deductive Reasoning
83%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Problem Sensitivity
83%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
80%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Inductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Speech Clarity
75%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Far Vision
73%
The ability to see details at a distance.
Information Ordering
73%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Near Vision
73%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Top 10 Work Activities
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
95%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
94%
Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
92%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
89%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
88%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Documenting/Recording Information
87%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Getting Information
87%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
86%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
86%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
85%
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Detailed Work Activities
- Inspect facilities, equipment or supplies to ensure conformance to standards.
- Inspect facilities.
- Plan flight operations.
- Inspect work sites to identify potential environmental or safety hazards.
- Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with security or safety regulations.
- Assist others during emergencies.
- Remove snow.
- Confer with coworkers to coordinate maintenance or cleaning activities.
- Coordinate operational activities.
- Maintain facilities.
- Communicate with others to coordinate vehicle movement.
- Coordinate flight control or management activities.
- Plan work operations.
- Monitor vehicle movement or location.
- Train transportation or material moving personnel.
- Pilot aircraft.
- Record operational details of travel.
- Meet with coworkers to communicate work orders or plans.
- Review work orders or schedules to determine operations or procedures.
Education
Interests
Conventional
72%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Realistic
68%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Enterprising
64%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Investigative
51%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Social
36%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Artistic
15%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Work Values
Support
86%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Independence
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
60%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Relationships
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Majors
Colleges
SAGE Scholars Member Schools that offer majors leading to this career.
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