Airport Operations

CAREERS INCLUDE, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, AIRCRAFT REFUELLER, BAGGAGE AND RAMP HANDLER

Air Traffic Control (ATC)

Entry Requirements: Year 12, Diploma, Bachelor or CPL
Experience Required: Entry Level Role

You are responsible, calm under pressure and have excellent situational awareness. “Fast paced, dynamic, challenging and rewarding” are words you’ll hear when speaking to an Air Traffic Controller about their job. It’s an exciting sector, coordinating the movement of aircraft to maintain a safe distance between aircraft operating into, out of, and between airports throughout Australia and with overseas regions adjoining Australian airspace. Controllers also provide information and assistance to pilots if they experience an inflight emergency.

Airservices Australia provide all Air Traffic Control services in Australia. To become an Air Traffic Controller you apply for an Air Traffic Control Trainee position with Airservices, who provide structured on the job training. The training includes 12 months of Tower Operations training and approximately 14 months of Route Training. On completion of training you graduate with a Diploma in Aviation (ATC). A job as an Air Traffic Controller is a fantastic opportunity to work all around the country and you can move to different roles within Airservices.

Ramp Handling

Entry Requirements: Year 12 or equivalent
Experience Required: Entry Level Role

You like working physically outdoors and work well in a team. The Ramp is the hard surface where aircraft park. Ramp agents are responsible for all movements to and from the aircraft and servicing the aircraft before take-off. They marshal the aircraft onto the parking bay and position all ground support equipment around the aircraft, they guide passengers into the terminal, load and unload aircraft baggage, operate baggage carts and de-ice the planes. They organise the aircraft cleaning and service the aircraft water and lavatory systems. It’s a physical job requiring strength and endurance. Ramp agents work on a roster that include nights and weekends. Working on the Ramp is a great way to really understand the behind the scenes operation of an airport.

Baggage Handling

Entry Requirements: Year 10 or equivalent
Experience Required: Entry Level Role

You’re physically strong and work well in a team. Baggage handling is what it states, you handle baggage loading on and off the aircraft, both passenger bags and freight. The size of aircraft determines the loading style, larger aircraft use freight containers. These are loaded using equipment, whereas on smaller aircraft the bags are loaded individually and manually. Baggage handlers operate and drive baggage carts with several trailers as well as operating baggage loading machines. It’s a fantastic job to earn decent money, learn teamwork and the importance of good situational awareness.

Airport Operations

Entry Requirements: Yr 10 or equivalent
Experience Required: Entry Level Role

You are competent, organised, diplomatic, a clear communicator and enjoy a varied work day. Airport Operations jobs are a great way to understand the ‘behind the scenes’ operation of an airport. There are a variety of roles within two areas, landside and airside. Landside roles manage and organise airport retail leases, landside passenger facilities, car parking, gate allocation and airline check-in facilities. Working airside you work on the “aircraft” side of the airport. One interesting airside job is an Airport Operations Officer, which involves driving on the airfield to check the security of the airport and the condition of the runway, conducting bird management to avoid bird strikes, and engaging with airline customers, ground handling companies, aviation refuelling companies and other airside service providers to ensure the safety of the airside ground operation.

Aircraft Refueller

Entry Requirements: Year 10 or equivalent
Experience Required: Entry Level Role

You are responsible, reliable, enjoy working outdoors and have great common sense. As an aircraft refueller you don’t just refuel the aircraft, it’s more complicated than that. You have the added responsibility of checking that fuel weights comply with load limitations and ensuring safe distribution of fuel between the aircraft fuel tanks. You also have a large safety responsibility on the ground. Training includes how to handle accidental spillage and how to adhere to strict regulatory requirements and you are required to complete regular quality checks of the refuelling equipment. The role requires a driver’s licence and the ability to obtain airside security clearance. You learn skills transferable to other jobs and areas of life, it’s a very satisfying job.

Airport Operations

Air Traffic Control (ATC)

Ramp Handling

Baggage Handling

Airport Operations

Aircraft Refueller

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