Life as a Flight Operations Officer

In 2019, before I am going to work for other company in another sector of aviation, I would like using little spare time to review my past position as a Flight Operation Officer. From about video clip, you may see the lady wears a yellow high-vis vest with “RC” imprint on it. RC- could refer to “Ramp Coordinator”, exactly position name might be slightly different from airline to airline though. Their major responsibility is to meet the inbound flight and make sure distinguish aircraft services provided, then turn it around – let the outbound flight get underway safely and efficiently. Therefore, Ramp Coordinator is also known as “Turnaround Coordinator“. In short, they are the sole liaison officer for every commercial flight.

Be advised that different airlines have distinguish deployment and arrangement. Some airline directly hire RCs while others assign designated Ground Handling Operator/Agency (GHO/GHA) to employ RCs. Therefore, RC in some GHA may take more responsibilities  than other RC. For example, they act as the Flight Operation Officer to prepare Flight Doc in the office and become the RC when they move out to the ramp area. In short, RC act as a liaison officer at particular parking stands.

Now, let us take a look what is the RC responsibilities. Before the aircraft landing, which is talking about 20 mins before the estimate time of arrival (ETA) of a flight, the RC may arrive or should monitor if there is any gate changing. It is not unusual that the assigned parking stand reallocation due to many reason. Neither airline and GHA is responsible to allocate parking stand – this is the duty by the airport authority (AA). At approx. ETA-15 mins, at which the aircraft still on the sky, RC should arrive the stand and check if all the relevant parties (people) and equipment are deployed on the assigned stand. There are various groups of staff and equipment are needed for every turnaround operation. Also, the quantity and serviceability are essential for safe and efficient operations.

RC don’t check passengers’ travelling documents and don’t manipulate the loading/unloading machine. However, every thing – from the passenger service staff at boarding area, to the number of ramp service agent and serviceability of the aircraft. All should be overseen by the RC – you are the sole liaison officer for the flight – e.g BR852/BR853.

In Hong Kong Airport, aircraft generally have two common method parking into a designated stand, either by marshaller guiding or visual docking guidance system, which still need activation by marshaller. The marshaler in Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for example, they are staff of AA as mentioned above. When every aircraft park into stand and engine shut down, some aircraft technicians are responsible to put chocks to prevent aircraft movement. And these technicians is 3-rd parties staff again. After one of technicians standing under the doom of the nose and giving thumb up to ramp services agents, a jetbrdge/airstair operator move the device approaching the aircraft L1 (or sometimes L2) – passenger door while other ramp services officers and operators drive the loading/unloading equipment closing to the starboard cargo compartment door. All these ground services equipment (GSE) approaching must guiding by a “guide man” which could be ramp service agent or trained staff. You, as a RC don’t need to operate these equipment, but you have to make sure all the relevant staff on position – do their job safely and efficiently.

Next, RC may act the cabin door operator or safety checker – proper door operation is necessary to make sure aircraft not to be damage and no evacuation slide popping out that could lead to casualty. Be advised that do not underestimate the hazard of the emergency chute. In addition, the gap and difference between the cabin door and jetbridge/airstair are overseen by you – RC. Under the pressurized work environment due to precision time limit requirement, some of equipment operator might have more than one role and duty so they are reluctant to re-adjust the deployed equipment. Then, you as the sole liaison officer have to stick with your Standard Operating Procedure and professionalism – use all your rights and methods to communicate with them or high-grade personnel to sort the problem out.

After all the passenger disembarking, as a liaison officer, you should monitor and request more staff and equipment if necessary, so that all the aircraft services (catering, cleaning, lavatory waste tank dumping, potable water uplifting, loading/unloading, Flight Document delivery) are done by precision time schedule (PTS). Don’t forget, it is not uncommon to encounter multi-services behind schedule situation. Then, you as the RC, the sole liaison officer should know the consequence and relationship of how different services affect the turnaround operations. In short, communication skills, time management and multi-tasks abilities are required.

I am so proud of the position and encourage all of the aviation enthusiast join the position.