Airfield Management

You are training to be an Airfield Operations Specialist — the foundation of flight operations on a military airfield. This role merges airfield management and air traffic control support functions, and your understanding of the airfield operations picture will determine how safely and efficiently aircraft move through your installation.

Complete the Airfield Operations initial training at Keesler AFB, MS. Learn the coordination between airfield management and air traffic control operations, including operations desk procedures, airfield inspection requirements, NOTAMs, and the interface between the towers and the airfield. Study airport certification standards and learn to identify conditions that affect safe aircraft operations. Practice shift operations, communications with ATC facilities, and the documentation standards that govern airfield activity. Learn FLIP maintenance and airfield information services for transient aircrew.

• 01Airfield operations coordination, NOTAM management, airfield inspection techniques, ATC-airfield interface procedures, FLIP documentation, transient aircraft support, operations desk management

• —AFI 13-204 (Airfield Management), AFI 13-205 (Air Traffic Control), local Airfield Operations Instructions, FLIP technical orders, applicable FAA publications

• —Pass initial airfield operations training; NOTAM procedures correct; inspection techniques demonstrated; airfield certification knowledge demonstrated; operations desk shift procedures executed correctly

• —Treating airfield coordination as sequential tasks rather than a simultaneous picture — conditions at one end of the airfield affect operations at the other end, and airfield operations specialists who think one task at a time will miss the interactions that cause incidents.

An apprentice who studies both the airfield management and ATC sides of every procedure, understands why they are coordinated the way they are, and can articulate the safety logic behind each requirement rather than just the procedure itself.

You are a qualified Airfield Operations Specialist managing the airfield operations desk on your shift and supporting full flight operations for your installation.

Operate the airfield operations desk during assigned shifts. Issue and manage NOTAMs, conduct airfield and runway inspections, coordinate with ATC on airfield status changes, brief transient aircraft commanders, and manage aircraft parking. Maintain FLIP currency and airfield certification documentation for your shift. Coordinate between flying units, civil engineering, security forces, and wing leadership on airfield operational decisions. Develop proficiency in managing multiple simultaneous airfield coordination requirements under time pressure.

• 01Shift airfield operations desk management, NOTAM lifecycle management, coordination with ATC and flying units, airfield inspection execution, FLIP currency, transient aircraft briefing, aircraft parking management

• —AFI 13-204, local airfield ops instructions, wing flying schedules, FLIP documentation, applicable FAA advisory circulars

• —Zero NOTAM errors; airfield inspections completed on schedule; FLIP current; coordination with ATC professional and accurate; transient aircraft supported correctly; shift documentation complete

• —Allowing FLIP amendments and NOTAM updates to accumulate during busy periods — the documentation backlog creates risk as soon as a transient crew member receives outdated information. Real-time documentation discipline is non-negotiable.

A SrA airfield operations specialist who maintains the same documentation discipline at 0300 on a quiet night as at 1400 on a busy afternoon — because the transient aircraft commander who lands at 0400 deserves the same accurate airfield picture as everyone else.

You are a shift supervisor or section trainer, responsible for training junior specialists and ensuring consistent airfield operations quality across all shifts.

Serve as shift supervisor or section trainer for airfield operations. Supervise and mentor junior specialists during shifts. Train apprentices and journeymen on airfield inspection, NOTAM management, and ATC coordination procedures. Evaluate their performance. Maintain the airfield certification package and ensure all required inspections and documentation are current. Interface with wing flying operations and ATC facilities on ongoing airfield issues. Begin taking on section-level administrative responsibilities.

• 01Shift supervision, junior specialist training and evaluation, airfield certification package management, ATC management coordination, section administrative duties, standardization compliance

• —AFI 13-204, AFI 13-205, AFI 36-2201, local airfield ops instructions

• —All junior specialists performing to standard; airfield certification package audit-ready; no documentation gaps attributable to shift supervisor oversight failures; ATC coordination professional

• —Allowing individual specialists to develop personal approaches to NOTAM coding or airfield inspection reporting that deviate from local procedures — inconsistency between shifts creates documentation confusion that affects airfield safety.

An SSgt who personally validates every new specialist's NOTAM issuance and inspection report documentation until they are consistently correct, building the habit of accuracy before allowing independent operation.

You are the Airfield Operations Officer/NCOIC or senior section supervisor, responsible for the airfield certification, training program, and operational quality of the entire airfield operations section.

Serve as the Airfield Operations NCOIC or senior supervisor. Own the airfield certification package and ensure continuous compliance with all certification requirements. Oversee the training program for all airfield operations specialists. Brief the wing commander on airfield status, certification issues, and operational risks. Coordinate with civil engineering on infrastructure projects. Interface with FAA and MAJCOM inspectors during airfield certification inspections. Represent the section at wing operations meetings.

• 01Section NCOIC responsibilities, airfield certification package ownership, wing commander briefings, civil engineering coordination, FAA/MAJCOM inspection preparation, training program management

• —AFI 13-204, FAA Advisory Circulars, MAJCOM airfield standards, wing policies

• —Airfield certification continuously maintained; inspection results positive; wing commander has accurate airfield status; training documentation audit-ready

• —Managing certification documentation in inspection cycles rather than continuously — the airfield certification that is only accurate in inspection months is a safety liability for the other ten months.

A TSgt whose airfield certification package is always current, whose junior specialists can brief airfield status accurately to any transient aircrew, and whose coordination with civil engineering is proactive — calling about a drainage issue before the standing water creates a NOTAM, not after.

You are the senior airfield operations NCO at the group or MAJCOM level, advising commanders and shaping airfield operations standards across multiple installations.

Serve as the group or MAJCOM airfield operations superintendent. Advise commanders on airfield certification compliance, operational risks, and training standards across the portfolio. Interface with FAA and MAJCOM inspection programs. Contribute to AFI policy updates. Assist wing NCOICs on complex airfield situations. Manage complex personnel actions. As 1stSgt, own the welfare and discipline of the airfield operations formation.

• 01MAJCOM airfield oversight, FAA institutional interface, AFI policy contribution, complex situation resolution, inspection program management, personnel management

• —AFI 13-204, FAA regulations, MAJCOM airfield publications, ACC/AMC directives

• —Portfolio installations meeting certification standards; FAA relationship productive; policy contributions accurate; complex situations resolved appropriately

• —Allowing airfield conditions to be managed primarily as compliance metrics rather than flight safety factors — the airfield operations NCO who speaks the language of safety data rather than regulatory checklist status is more effective at protecting aircraft and aircrew.

An MSgt who can brief the wing commander on airfield infrastructure condition trends across the portfolio using safety incident data, not just certification compliance status — connecting maintenance deferral patterns to mishap risk in language that drives investment decisions.

You are the most senior airfield operations enlisted leader, shaping career field standards and airfield safety policy at the command level.

Serve as the ACC or AMC airfield operations career field manager. Shape training standards, certification requirements, and career development for the 1C7X1 community. Advise four-star commanders on airfield safety, certification compliance trends, and infrastructure investment priorities. Interface with FAA at the institutional level. Contribute to airfield operations doctrine for austere and expeditionary environments. Ensure the career field adapts to unmanned aircraft integration challenges and evolving airfield certification standards.

• 01Career field management, FAA institutional engagement, airfield safety doctrine, four-star advisory, expeditionary airfield operations capability, unmanned aircraft integration

• —ACC/AMC career field publications, FAA regulations, DoD airfield standards, expeditionary airfield publications

• —Career field producing qualified specialists for all airfield types; doctrine current; four-star commanders have accurate certification compliance picture; unmanned integration addressed in training

• —Allowing FAA regulatory changes to affect military airfield certification compliance without timely translation into AFI updates and training — regulatory lag creates a window where wing Airfield Managers are operating under outdated guidance.

A CMSgt who maintains a direct relationship with the FAA Military Operations Specialist and uses it to give wing Airfield Managers advance notice of regulatory changes months before the AFI update cycle catches up.