Job search came to an end: Started an airport ops job over a month ago

[N918KT]

Guys, I actually have some news to tell you all about me job search. The truth is I actually started an airport ops job (more like an airport ops, security, and maintenance job) at a small GA reliever airport near my home back in early December. I did not want to tell you guys right away because I wanted to make sure I could keep that job for at least a month before letting you guys know. So I guess it is now safe for me to spill the beans to you all.

For the most part, I really love working at a GA airport! You get to know all the pilots and tenants and sometimes the pilots would come into the airport ops building and just swap aviation stories with the airport staff. This is one of the best parts of the job.

Some parts of the job are easy and routine, while others are challenging for me. Overall, so far I do enjoy this job. So yeah, just wanted to let you know about this news.

 

[overdrive148]

Nice!

The stories are awesome, got to hang out with a couple guys who flew Jeff Dunham in for a show at a local casino. Getting paid to be around planes all day is pretty awesome in and of itself too. Is yours a full time or part time gig?

 

[N918KT]

Nice!

The stories are awesome, got to hang out with a couple guys who flew Jeff Dunham in for a show at a local casino. Getting paid to be around planes all day is pretty awesome in and of itself too. Is yours a full time or part time gig?

It is a full time job. I was working various shifts when I first started, but now my work schedule is starting to become more routine.

 

[overdrive148]

Nice! Do you tow planes or just fuel them? That was one of the hardest things for me to handle. I can taxi a plane just fine but pushing or pulling them with a golf cart and a reversed control scheme was definitely a brick

 

[N918KT]

Nice! Do you tow planes or just fuel them? That was one of the hardest things for me to handle. I can taxi a plane just fine but pushing or pulling them with a golf cart and a reversed control scheme was definitely a brick

We don't tow or fuel the planes. We do fuel the FBO's avgas and jet fuel trucks from the fuel farm, and lifting the heavy fuel hose from the farm to connect it to the fuel truck is challenging.

 

[overdrive148]

Really? I get to do both here and fuel the trucks as well. Although I just get to use the standard nozzle into the top of the truck for 30-45 mins.

Towing is interesting and kind of scary. The usual 172's... or...

 

[N918KT]

Wow, cool!

 

[overdrive148]

My boss came from an airport in NJ to manage here years ago, he seemed to like the area and wants to go back to the East coast sometime. How easily did you get the job if you dont mind me asking? And what are your 'credentials'? I applied for a job like yours (slightly more supervisory) in OKC and 150 applicants nudged me out of the running. After I'd been working here 6 months too

 

[N918KT]

To be honest, the interview was not really much of an interview, it was more informative.

I had a B.S. degree in Aviation Administration and was a AAAE member and student chapter president of AAAE for my college. But in my opinion, I think anyone with at least a high school diploma could probably get the job because I've seen my coworkers come from all sorts of backgrounds. Some are still in college or technical school and one other person made a career change into aviation.

I think I am the only employee with an aviation degree and AAAE membership who works in airport ops.

 

[overdrive148]

Interesting. Where did you grab your degree from? And how difficult was the process on becoming a member of AAAE? I have been looking at it for a while, but I've only been making good use of their job listings for the most part. The guys before me in this job were less than stellar and did not have any interest in aviation, it was just a job for them. Not nearly as "qualified" if that's the term for it

 

[N918KT]

Interesting. Where did you grab your degree from? And how difficult was the process on becoming a member of AAAE? I have been looking at it for a while, but I've only been making good use of their job listings for the most part. The guys before me in this job were less than stellar and did not have any interest in aviation, it was just a job for them. Not nearly as "qualified" if that's the term for it

I got my aviation degree from Farmingdale State College (SUNY Farmingdale). I don't think becoming a member of AAAE was that difficult but I believe there was a process for student members including sending a transcript to AAAE. But the process for other types of membership are different I think. Just go on to the AAAE website and you should find the steps for joining.

 

[Mason]

Guys, I actually have some news to tell you all about me job search. The truth is I actually started an airport ops job (more like an airport ops, security, and maintenance job) at a small GA reliever airport near my home back in early December.

That is great news.

Do a fantastic job and keep learning and many doors will be open for you with a bright future.

 

[overdrive148]

I got my aviation degree from Farmingdale State College (SUNY Farmingdale). I don't think becoming a member of AAAE was that difficult but I believe there was a process for student members including sending a transcript to AAAE. But the process for other types of membership are different I think. Just go on to the AAAE website and you should find the steps for joining.

Interesting, thanks. I heard you had to submit a thesis to be a member or something along those lines. I don't have enough hands-on experience to do that just yet I'll look into it. The reason I cared about aviation was the deciding factor in being hired at this job and it was basically an informal interview instead of really asking questions. The other couple applicants were not aviation related and were just applying to have a job. Fortunately my boss saw that i wanted to advance in the industry and has been trying to help ever since.

 

[JoeSelch]

Congratulations, Kevin!

 

[N918KT]

Interesting, thanks. I heard you had to submit a thesis to be a member or something along those lines. I don't have enough hands-on experience to do that just yet I'll look into it. The reason I cared about aviation was the deciding factor in being hired at this job and it was basically an informal interview instead of really asking questions. The other couple applicants were not aviation related and were just applying to have a job. Fortunately my boss saw that i wanted to advance in the industry and has been trying to help ever since.

Thanks guys! And overdrive, regarding the AAAE membership, I believe the thesis is if you are going for the AAAE's A.A.E. (Accredited Airport Executive). That requires passing a difficult multiple choice exam, a thesis, and a panel interview with other A.A.E. people. For joining the AAAE, I don't think there are any special requirements, other than paying the membership fee.

 

[overdrive148]

Thanks guys! And overdrive, regarding the AAAE membership, I believe the thesis is if you are going for the AAAE's A.A.E. (Accredited Airport Executive). That requires passing a difficult multiple choice exam, a thesis, and a panel interview with other A.A.E. people. For joining the AAAE, I don't think there are any special requirements, other than paying the membership fee.

That is a ton of A's and E's

I might have to do join up the standard way. Thanks for the info

 

[Skywalker]

Congratulation to your new job!

 

[momalley]

Congrats on the new job and what airport is it?

 

[flhrci]

Congratulations! You have given me a slight bit of hope that I can get into an airport job post college (3 years post). But the opportunities locally are so few and far between.

David

 

[N918KT]

Yeah, usually for an airport job, they are scattered across the country, so you are not likely to find one close to home and you usually have to move. Luckily, I found one close to home, about a 40 minute drive from my home.

At a small airport, you wear many different hats doing, operations, fuel farm operations, snow removal, wildlife control, security patrols, and some landscaping and airfield and vehicle maintenance.

 

[Maciej]

Yeah, usually for an airport job, they are scattered across the country, so you are not likely to find one close to home and you usually have to move. Luckily, I found one close to home, about a 40 minute drive from my home.

At a small airport, you wear many different hats doing, operations, fuel farm operations, snow removal, wildlife control, security patrols, and some landscaping and airfield and vehicle maintenance.

If you were the one that replaced the windsock finally, I tremendously appreciate it lol

 

[Dav8or]

Nice! Do you tow planes or just fuel them? That was one of the hardest things for me to handle. I can taxi a plane just fine but pushing or pulling them with a golf cart and a reversed control scheme was definitely a brick

Be very, very careful when towing any Mooney. If you exceed the steering angle on a Mooney, you dent the nose gear truss and it's thousands of dollars to replace. Newer Mooneys and some older ones that have been upgraded have beefed up trusses, stops and also limit markings visible to you, but they can still bend. The Mooney does not have a tigh turning radius, so just avoid sharp turns and you will be OK. Never get into a jackknife situation. A lot of Mooney owners are sensitive to this issue and will advise you when they leave the plane. Don't be offended, they are just trying to avoid a very unpleasant argument with the FBO.

Here is a picture of a damaged truss on the right with a new one on the left.

Anyhow, sorry for the thread drift. Congrats to the OP on the new job! I would love to work down at the airport.

 

[overdrive148]

Be very, very careful when towing any Mooney. If you exceed the steering angle on a Mooney, you dent the nose gear truss and it's thousands of dollars to replace. Newer Mooneys and some older ones that have been upgraded have beefed up trusses, stops and also limit markings visible to you, but they can still bend. The Mooney does not have a tigh turning radius, so just avoid sharp turns and you will be OK. Never get into a jackknife situation. A lot of Mooney owners are sensitive to this issue and will advise you when they leave the plane. Don't be offended, they are just trying to avoid a very unpleasant argument with the FBO.

Here is a picture of a damaged truss on the right with a new one on the left.

*snip*

Anyhow, sorry for the thread drift. Congrats to the OP on the new job! I would love to work down at the airport.

Thanks for the heads up! The Baron is a challenge to tow as well. The tow pins are very tiny and don't look like they should be able to pull the plane around. During training I ended up breaking one pin by accident (no it's okay just push it backwards like that). 80-120 bucks and fortunately we had more on hand. Haven't broken one since. I didn't know that about the mooney though, I have only towed two and it was just pushing them backwards on the ramp to the edge.

On the same thread of not being on the same topic, just for a post or two. How do you guys tie down your planes? I never did it in training (left it on the ramp chocked for the next student) and I can't seem to get a very good knot tied. They always seem iffy. Pulling on them seems strong but I don't trust them. I always chock when I tie down (still pretty rarely since most of the traffic is transient).

 

[denverpilot]

There's a lot of aircraft that will be significantly damaged by turning them too sharply while towing. Personally, seeing posts where you're saying you're not aware of this, and you're busting pins towing very expensive twins, doesn't make me very happy as an owner. There must be some sort of training available on this.

As far as tying down, it's a pain to type anything that will make much sense in text. Plus, practice is needed.

Grab any aviator with white hair and an empty wallet on the ramp and have them show ya. Then ask two more. One will show you something dumb. Drop that one. Haha.

Then practice.

 

[weilke]

Thanks for the heads up! The Baron is a challenge to tow as well. The tow pins are very tiny and don't look like they should be able to pull the plane around. During training I ended up breaking one pin by accident (no it's okay just push it backwards like that). 80-120 bucks and fortunately we had more on hand. Haven't broken one since.

They are that flimsy for a reason: to protect the multi thousand $$ bits you can break if you hook up to the nosewheel directly and exceed he steering angle. Same on a bonanza.

 

[weilke]

On the same thread of not being on the same topic, just for a post or two. How do you guys tie down your planes? I never did it in training (left it on the ramp chocked for the next student) and I can't seem to get a very good knot tied.

This works for me:
- loop through tiedown ring
- half hitch
- half hitch
- half hitch
- 'two half hitches' with the lose end pulled into a bight (like you would tie a shoelace)

The half hitches are what takes the load. The final knot just holds the lose end.

 

[overdrive148]

There's a lot of aircraft that will be significantly damaged by turning them too sharply while towing. Personally, seeing posts where you're saying you're not aware of this, and you're busting pins towing very expensive twins, doesn't make me very happy as an owner. There must be some sort of training available on this.

As far as tying down, it's a pain to type anything that will make much sense in text. Plus, practice is needed.

Grab any aviator with white hair and an empty wallet on the ramp and have them show ya. Then ask two more. One will show you something dumb. Drop that one. Haha.

Then practice.

Oh, I know that turning too sharply can damage the parts. I kind of stuck to the logic that planes are able to follow the yellow lines on the ramp and taxiways so if I follow that I can't really damage them much. If in doubt, straighten out and try again.

The training I got was just pushing them around with supervision of someone who does it a lot, giving me inputs so I could get the feel from driving it myself. I only broke one pin and that was basically my first day and on someone else's instruction. We have like 3 barons on the field and I move them around fairly frequently without breaking anything. I take longer to put planes away because I feel like I'm always turning too hard or too sharply, and pull them farther to have a straighter shot. Makes me feel safer.

I worry about walking onto the ramp and saying "hey how do you tie these things down" as a guy who works there who should be able to. Might if I get some downtime at work though.

They are that flimsy for a reason: to protect the multi thousand $$ bits you can break if you hook up to the nosewheel directly and exceed he steering angle. Same on a bonanza.

Yeah, at first I was upset because I thought it was a thing that Bonanza did so you'd break a lot and they'd get a lot of profit out of it. Then I realized that there are some pretty expensive parts above that. My favorite planes to tow are the Grummans, nearly zero point turning and super light.

This works for me:
- loop through tiedown ring
- half hitch
- half hitch
- half hitch
- 'two half hitches' with the lose end pulled into a bight (like you would tie a shoelace)

The half hitches are what takes the load. The final knot just holds the lose end.

And how tight is that supposed to end up? I did some reading on it from AOPA and other places and it said not too tight because the plane will move and wiggle loose, and not too loose or you won't hold it down enough. And make sure the wheels are lined up with the eyelets on the ground when you tie up or else you'll strain one side more than the other or something along those lines.

 

[weilke]

And how tight is that supposed to end up? I did some reading on it from AOPA and other places and it said not too tight because the plane will move and wiggle loose, and not too loose or you won't hold it down enough. And make sure the wheels are lined up with the eyelets on the ground when you tie up or else you'll strain one side more than the other or something along those lines.

As described, this works best with the lines real tight. There are 25 other ways of doing it correctly. Some FBOs just have a cable across the ramp and click carbines on it.