job roles in aviation

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JOBS Roles in Aviation Industry By

Itam, Margaret Okoi

Institute Of Technology and Management

Leisure and Tourism Department

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Air Traffic Controllers are responsible for maintaining the safe and orderly movement of aircraft along major air routes and around airports. They give pilots instructions and advice as to height, speed and course. Controllers have a number of aircraft under their control at any one time. With more than 6,000 aircraft in UK airspace every day. Ensuring that aircraft take-off and land safely is the key responsibility of Air Traffic Controllers. The majority of controllers work at control centres as Area Controllers with a relatively small percentage working at airports. At large airports, controllers may have a number of different roles. They may be responsible for approach work or aerodrome control duties. At London City Airport, controllers are employed by NATS.

Responsibilities

• Keep radio and/or radar contact with aircraft• Direct the movement of aircraft at an airport or en-route• Instruct aircraft to climb or descend and allocate final cruising level.

Provide information to aircraft about weather conditions• Ensure minimum distances are maintained between planes• Handle unexpected events, emergencies and unscheduled traffic• Deal with instrument landing systems that allow some planes to make

automatic landings• Ensure planes are placed in holding patterns when airports are busy

Personal Qualities

• Ability to work unsocial hours• Able to work sitting in a fixed position all the time.• Flexibility to work where needed in the UK• Able to deal with an extremely pressured environment and a highly

responsible job• A high level of concentration and the ability to concentrate and think

logically over long periods of time• Confidence using technology• Good spatial awareness Education & Experience• Minimum requirement is 5 GCSEs (A-C) including English and

Mathematics• A degree in the area of physical, mathematical, applied science or

engineering is an advantage

SKILLS

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The majority of candidates train through the NATS, which has its own set of entry requirements. According to NATS, you will need to show:

motivation; conscientiousness and rule adherence; decisiveness and confidence; emotional stability; error awareness; information processing capability; numerical awareness; open to learning and development; planning, decision making and problem solving; spatial awareness; Team working.

Other Requirements

• The minimum age for applicants is 18 years and eight months• The maximum age for the NATS scheme is 30 years, unless you have

recent aviation experience• Ability to complete psychometric tests to a certain level• A good standard of fitness, eyesight, colour vision, hearing and clear

diction

RAMP SERVICES AGENTS have the most physically demanding job at the airport. Their main responsibilities are aircraft marshalling, the co-ordination of aircraft loading and baggage handling, application of ground power and aircraft start-ups. Agents must be in good health with normal colour vision. They are outside in all weathers and this role requires great attention to health and safety.

Responsibilities

• Maintain highest levels of health and safety standards and customer service standards in the workplace.

• Aircraft marshalling.• Placement of aircraft chocks in front of and behind nose wheel.• Aircraft ground power ensure the correct voltage power supply to the

aircraft from both fixed and mobile ground power units.• Baggage handling and sorting.• Aircraft start-up.• Snow clearance and de-icing of aircraft when required.

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THE CUSTOMER SERVICES CENTRE AGENT is the focal point in any airport terminal. The key function of the Customer Services Agent (employed by London City Airport Limited, the airport operator), is to respond to a vast range of enquiries for information from both internal and external customers of the airport. Agents must be well presented and prepared to answer questions in a professional manner. They must have a passion for working with people and delivering a high standard of service. Customer Services Agents report to the Terminal Team Leader.

Responsibilities

• Provide flight, ground transportation and tourist information to passengers.

• Making public address announcements• Dealing with lost and found property• Co-ordination of ground transport• Emergency training• Assistance for passengers with reduced mobility• Patrols of the site to monitor service standards, including reporting of any

defects.• Undertaking cash, cheque and credit card transactions• Operating the main Airport switchboard

SKILLS You will need to show:

communication skills that allow you to inform, help and advice customers clearly and to liaise effectively with other professionals;

listening skills, to understand exactly what customers require; problem-solving skills; confidence, patience, politeness, tact and diplomacy, when dealing with

difficult situations; motivational skills and an ability to supervise and lead a team of

customer service assistants; creative thinking, to be able to come up with new ideas to improve

customer service standards; an ability to work well under pressure; organisational and planning skills to develop customer services policies; good personal presentation, especially when working with customers face

to face;

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A commitment to improve your own customer service skills on an ongoing basis.

Work experience

Competition amongst graduates is quite high and so previous experience of working with customers, such as in a shop, call centre, office or bar, may give you an advantage when applying for work or training schemes.

Any other relevant experience of working with people, perhaps through membership of student clubs and societies, is also useful.

Try to arrange a period of work shadowing with customer service managers in different settings to find out which type of organisation might suit you best.

Qualifications

Although this area of work is open to all graduates, the following degree or HND subjects may improve your chances:

business studies; consumer studies; management studies; Marketing.

CLEANING ASSISTANT

Keeping an airport spic and span is a very important task. There are two contract cleaning companies who carry out different cleaning roles at London City Airport. Internal facilities employ staff to keep the airport terminal and offices clean and tidy and they currently employ 38 cleaners. Responsible for cleaning the inside of the aircraft in the time between a flight landing at the airport and it taking off again.

Responsibilities

• To keep the airport terminal or the• planes clean to a high standard• To use a two-way radio to respond to• cleaning tasks• To report any broken/unserviceable• Facilities

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Education & Experiences

• No specific qualifications are required• Experience is not necessary as in house training is provided

Personal Qualities

• Keen and willing to work• Punctual and reliable• Trustworthy

Car Park Co-ordinator

A car park co-ordinator deals with all aspects of the airports car parks including the short-stay car park, long stay car park and staff parking. They ensure the car parks are kept running smoothly and efficiently for passengers to use and have exceptional customer service and problem solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Servicing of payment stations and car• park equipment• Car park patrols to check for• maintenance issues and report misuse• Ensure health and safety procedures• are carried out• Provide good records of all car park• Operations

Education & Experience

• Educated to GCSE level of equivalent in English and Mathematics• IT literate• Customer service experience would be beneficial

Personal Qualities

• Good problem solver• Use of initiative• Practical• The ability to work unsupervised

Car Hire Agent

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All airports will have car hire companies on-site, London City Airport has several; Avis, Europ car and Hertz, for use by passengers and the local community alike. These companies employ Customer Service Agents to serve passengers who wish to hire a car.

Responsibilities

• Provide the highest level of customer service• Complete all rentals using the internal computer system• Handle telephone enquiries• Complete all rentals, re-rents, reservations and quotations in accordance

with procedures and policies• Undertake daily administrative tasks


• Some (but not all) companies may require a minimum number of GCSEs.• Work experience in a customer facing environment is beneficial

Personal Qualities

• Excellent organisational and time management skills.• Good communication skills, both written and oral• Ability to work well as a team.• An enthusiastic, flexible and positive attitude towards selling.• Minimum age requirement is 23 for insurance purposes

CABIN CREW based at London City Airport are employed by an airline and mainly work on short haul flights. The only exception is the British Airways service to New York. Whichever aircraft or service you are working on, passenger safety always comes first; your job is performed while thousands of feet in the sky and customers are your main priority – with no day ever being the same. Airlines you could work with at London City Airport include British Airways City Flyer, City Jet, Lufthansa and Swiss.

Responsibilities

• To ensure the comfort and safety of passengers• Pre-flight briefings• Security/equipment checks on aircraft• Check the aircraft is cleaned to high standard• Welcoming passengers on board• Emergency demonstrations

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• Provision of in-flight bar and meal service• Respond to incidents that may occur on board• Attend regular training programmes and pass

Personal Specification

• Usually, aged 19 years or above• Usually height and weight restrictions, minimum of 5ft 2in (1.58m) in

height with weight in proportion to height• Required to pass a medical examination and be physically fit• Well presented, no visible tattoos or piercings and willing to conform to

strict uniform standards

Personal Qualities

• Friendly and caring personality• Confident in responding to pressured situations• Prepared to work unsociable hours


• Entry requirements vary among airlines, but the majority seek the following:

• Minimum of between 3 and 5 A-C GCSE’s including English• A foreign language is an advantage• Valid First Aid Certificate is desirable• Must have a valid passport

AVIATION FIRE FIGHTERS: The Fire Fighting Service provided at an airport is a statutory requirement, which operates within Civil Aviation Authority legislation. Fire Fighters employed by London City Airport Limited, the airport operator, are specifically trained to deal with potential aircraft emergencies. After completing a number of courses as a trainee Fire Fighter, individuals move on to be a qualified Fire Fighter.

Responsibilities

• To respond to any emergency involving aircraft or property• To assist in fire prevention duties within airport premises including -

testing of fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems, hand fire appliances and hose reels

• Inspection, testing and maintenance of rescue and fire fighting equipment

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• To attend training courses as required to obtain the necessary qualifications and proficiency as an Airport Fire Fighter

• Deliver airport staff fire training.• To provide assistance to disabled passengers getting on or off aircraft• To assist in the clearing of runway, taxiways and apron• Disposal of material confiscated by UK Border Agency


• Good general education, including GCSE (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics

• Full, clean driving licence, held for minimum of six months• Experience of working in a team environment Personal Qualities• Able to think and assess situations quickly and act on own initiative• Able to accept reasonable command without question• Can be relied upon to complete tasks to a high standard and on time• Good communication and social skills

Medical, Age and Height Requirements

• Aged 21 – 54 years• Minimum height 5’6” (1.67 m)• Good all round health and mobility• Good unaided vision• Normal colour vision• Normal hearing• Not subject to vertigo/ claustrophobia• No history of epilepsy

Training When starting at London City Airport, a Trainee Fire Fighter will be seconded to one of the three watches. Individuals must have/ pass a heavy goods vehicle licence as he/she may be expected to drive fire appliances. Individuals must have/pass as a coxswain in order to take charge of the rescue boat. Individuals must also pass an LGV class 2 driving test within nine months of starting date.

AVIATION SECURITY OFFICER are responsible for ensuring passengers and staff are safe when at the Airport. Officers are employed by London City Airport Limited, the airport operator, and carry out a variety of tasks, including checking passenger boarding passes, baggage screening and body searching, airport patrols, control of airport access points and vehicle and aircraft searching

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Responsibilities

• Provide excellent customer service• Passenger screening - search departing passengers and their hand luggage• Controlling airport access points• Monitoring of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)• Issue security passes• Patrolling restricted and public areas• Screening unattended or suspicious items• Assisting with terminal evacuations

Personal Qualities

• Able to work shifts including weekends and public holidays• Smart appearance, no visible tattoos• Team player• Strong interpersonal skills• Able to work under pressure and unsupervised• Confident in dealing with difficult customers• Tactful• Able to act on own initiative• Enthusiastic and friendly manner• Exhibit a professional approach• Reliable and punctual


• Good general education, GCSE (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics is desirable

• Full, clean driving licence, held for minimum of six months• Previous security experience is not necessary as training is provided• Customer service experience is desirable

Medical Requirements

• Physically fit with good sight (normal colour vision) and hearing

AIRFIELD OPERATIONS AND SAFETY ASSISTANT: The Airfield Operations and Safety Department manages and regulates the airfield, ensuring that it is safe. An Airfield Operations and Safety Assistant is employed by London City Airport Limited, the airport operator, and works both indoors and

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out. The role is demanding, and requires individuals to think quickly and make decisions.

Responsibilities

• Collect and interpret information from Air Traffic Control, Handling Agents and Airlines

• Control of bird and wildlife habitat on the airfield• Maintenance and updating of the Flight Briefing Unit (FBU) with

weather charts, warnings, and other information required by air crews• Maintaining a statistical database for recording activity and identifying

trends• Recording information relating to defective equipment or problems on the

airfield• Ensuring that a safe and efficient operation is maintained on the aircraft

manoeuvring area• Snow clearance – ensuring all requests for the removal of snow/ice within

the airport grounds are carried out

Personal Qualities

• Reliable and punctual• Excellent communication skills• Able to think and assess situations quickly and act on own initiative• Attention to detail• Able to work under pressure in a noisy and potentially stressful

environment• Exhibit a common sense approach to work• Able to work shift including weekends and public holidays


• 5 GCSE passes including English and Mathematics at grade C or above• Experience of dealing with people over the phone• Experience of working in a high pressure environment• Experience of working in an operational environment and working shifts

is an advantage

Catering Assistant There are many catering jobs to be found at airports. Passengers and staff all need to eat! At London City Airport, SSP UK manages the restaurants and bars along with all catering requests within the Business Centre. City Net Catering supplies the airlines with in-flight catering for their

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passengers. They employ people in production (preparing the food and working in the kitchen) and loading (delivering the food to the aircraft). There are also opportunities with other catering companies’ onsite such as Pret-a-Manger and Caffé Nero.

Responsibilities

• Preparing and/or serving food and drinks• Providing customer service in most job roles• Using the cash register to serve customers in some job roles• Cleaning tables and setting them up for the next customer


• A good standard of English is needed for jobs serving customers• A good standard of both English and Mathematics is needed for loading

jobs with City Net Catering in order to complete the required paperwork• A Basic Food Hygiene Certificate is needed for all jobs that involve

working with food. If you have this already it is a big advantage Personal Qualities

• Punctuality and reliability • Ability to communicate with customers if serving food• Able to work shifts • Ability to get on with the rest of your team

AIR CABIN CREW

The role of an air cabin crew member is to provide excellent customer service to passengers while ensuring their comfort and safety throughout the flight. They're trained to deal with security and emergency situations which may arise and can administer first aid to passengers.

As a cabin crew member you will ensure that all emergency equipment is in working order prior to take off and that there are enough supplies. You will also help passengers to board the plane and give a demonstration of safety procedures and equipment.

Air cabin crew strive to make the flying experience a pleasant one for the passengers and will serve refreshments and meals and sell gifts and duty-free items. You may work on short or long-haul flights.

SKILLS

communication skills;

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exceptional customer service; confidence in dealing with a range of people; team working skills (different teams may be worked with every day) and

be able to be supportive of colleagues; discretion when dealing with VIPs/royalty; competence in handling difficult situations and the ability to remain calm

under pressure and in emergency situations; the gift of being tactful and diplomatic but also assertive when necessary; commercial awareness and sales skills; flexibility in working unsocial hours on any day of the year; the capability to work quickly and efficiently, often to tight time

constraints; numeracy skills for handling cash, including foreign currency; the capacity to work in a confined space; the ability to diffuse situations calmly and quickly

QUALIFICATIONS

A degree or HND/foundation degree or postgraduate qualification is not required for entry into work as a cabin crew member. Instead, most airlines require a good secondary education, with some requiring grade C or above in English and maths.

Studying a degree, HND or foundation degree in one of the following subjects may be useful in showing the airline that you have an interest in this area:

hospitality management

languages;

leisure and tourism management;

Travel.

Being able to speak other languages may be particularly useful and this could put you at an advantage against other candidates.

Vocational qualifications (NVQs and BTECs) are available at different levels in various cabin crew topics. They are awarded by bodies such as:

City & Guilds

Edexcel

Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE)

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The majority of airlines do have a list of requirements, however, which candidates must meet. This includes some or all of the following:

minimum age of 18, in some cases 21;

good standard of health and fitness with the ability to swim 25 metres unaided;

minimum height requirement (this may differ depending on airlines) and usually that height be in proportion to weight - in the UK it is often measured as reach rather than height;

good hearing and eyesight, although glasses and contact lenses are allowed;

valid passport permitting unrestricted travel worldwide;

Disclosure and Barring Service check;

Medical examination (some airlines may not require this).

WORK EXPERIENCE

Airlines may wish to see evidence of relevant work experience rather than qualifications, as they're keen to see that candidates have the required skills.

Part-time or temporary work in customer service roles will be particularly useful, as will any work that demonstrates teamwork and communication.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Tasks may vary depending on whether it is a short or long-haul flight and the size of the team you're working in. However, your duties will include:

Attending a pre-flight briefing, during which air cabin crew are assigned their working positions for the upcoming flight. Crew are also informed of flight details, the schedule, the number of infants on board and if there are passengers with any special requirements, such as diabetic passengers or passengers in wheelchairs;

carrying out pre-flight duties, including checking the safety equipment and security checks, ensuring the aircraft is clean and tidy and that the information in the seat pockets is up to date and that all meals, drinks and stock are on board;

welcoming passengers on board and directing them to their seats;

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informing passengers of the aircraft safety procedures and ensuring that all hand luggage is securely stored away;

checking all seat belts and galleys are secure prior to take-off;

making announcements on behalf of the pilot and answering questions during the flight;

serving meals and refreshments;

selling duty-free goods and advising passengers of any allowance restrictions in force at their destination;

reassuring passengers and ensuring that they follow safety procedures correctly in emergency situations;

giving first aid where necessary;

ensuring passengers disembark safely at the end of a flight and checking that there is no luggage left in the overhead lockers and no stowaways or suspicious items on board;

Completing paperwork, including writing a flight report.

Note

The aviation industry requires people with good generic skills. Such skills include problem solving, team working, communication, people management, information technology and organisational skills. Other useful skills include health and safety, languages and first aid. Qualifications or experience in travel and tourism related areas are also valuable. For customer-facing roles, any previous customer service work is also a useful asset. For any roles, the ability to follow instructions, keep to schedules and adhere to regulations is also important.