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Airfield management keeps aircraft, personnel safe

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason Barebo
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  You might have heard that safety is everyone's responsibility, but you might not know that airfield management plays a critical safety role as one of primary means of protecting flightline assets and personnel.

The 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron's airfield management experts highlight safety by managing aircraft arrivals and departures, responding to emergencies, and coordinating hazardous cargo allowing 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Army, Navy and coalition based aircraft to support warfighters downrange.

"As part of airfield management, we ensure that the entire airfield and its surrounding areas are safe, efficient and effective for all aircraft operations," said Senior Airman Shannon Maar, 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron airfield management operations supervisor. Airman Maar is deployed here from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

"At this location, the amount of responsibility that airfield management has is probably greater than at any stateside base," said. Capt. Jonathan Townsend, 379th EOSS airfield operations flight commander.

"They are all doing an outstanding job handling tasks and responsibilities that generally exceed their rank and experience," Captain Townsend said. The captain is deployed here from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.

"With a seven-person team accountable for filing flight plans, coordinating aircraft parking, inspecting the airfield and responding to in-flight and ground emergencies, this team plays a vital role in supporting the global war on terror," said Lt. Col. John Harrison, 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron commander. "I'm proud to lead professionals who display such a consistent commitment to excellence. The level of effort that goes into making the airfield run as smoothly as it does is truly amazing."

One of the most visible airfield management missions is being the primary focal point for all arriving and departing aircraft.

All aircraft arriving to and departing from the base must file a flight plan with airfield management, who then logs the information in accordance with local guidelines and ensures coordination with the host nation.

"We have processed more than 8,500 flight plans here since September," Senior Airman RayShauna Grooms, 379th EOSS airfield Management operations supervisor. "We also separate arrivals and departures by assigned aircraft, transient aircraft and distinguished visitors." Airman Grooms is deployed here from Holloman Air Force base, N.M.

Transient aircraft include all aircraft landing here that are not assigned to the 379th AEW.

"Transient aircraft and aircraft carrying distinguished visitors must have prior permission to land here," Airman Maar said. "We have very limited aircraft parking space here and that is one of the things we look at before granting prior permission for an aircraft to land here."

Since September, the airfield management office has accommodated for more than 9,500 aircraft arrivals and departures including assigned and transient aircraft.
airfield management also coordinates and responds to every in-flight and ground emergency that comes up.

"The air traffic control tower uses the primary crash phone to notify us of an in-flight emergency," said Airman Maar. "We in turn activate the secondary crash phone which allows us to notify numerous agencies at once with all available information. In addition, an airfield manager responds to the area to ensure it is clear and free of any foreign objects or other hazards once the emergency is terminated. Once the area is safe and clear, it is reopened for use."

"Ground emergency procedures are very similar to in-flight emergencies," Airman Grooms said.

So far, the 379th EOSS airfield management flight has coordinated emergency response for more than 80 in-flight emergencies and more than 20 ground emergencies.

In addition to emergencies, airfield management also coordinates aircraft parking locations for loading and unloading of hazardous cargo.

Hazardous cargo includes any type of ammunition, explosives, gases, flammable liquids and solids, and poisonous, radioactive, corrosive and miscellaneous materials.

"We coordinate where the aircraft needs to be parked during the loading and unloading operations, keeping it safely away from other aircraft, vehicles and personnel," Airman Grooms said. "Since we arrived in September we have coordinated for more than 600,000 pounds of hazardous cargo loading and unloading."

On top of those mentioned above, airfield management performs several other functions that can directly or indirectly affect airfield operations.

"We perform an airfield inspection every morning," Airman Maar said. "We check for any FOD or equipment that is out of place as well as make sure that drivers entering the airfield complete their tire checks for FOD and adhere to flightline driving regulations."

"We also issue all flightline drivers' licenses for everyone who needs to drive on the flightline," Airman Grooms said. "We have issued more than 2,000 licenses since we started here in September."

With approximately 90 combat and support aircraft assigned, the mission generates many daily combat sorties and provides the bulk of transportation of armed forces in and out of the area of responsibility, so it is our job to manage the airfield smoothly and enable aircraft to take off and accomplish the mission, Airman Maar said. 

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