Melanie Humphreys has worked as an airfield safety officer at Liverpool John Lennon Airport for six months. She is the only woman in a team of seven.
What does your job involve?
Quite a large part of it is marshalling aircraft onto stands using hand signals and making sure they stop at the right point.
We also supervise safety around the apron, making sure all staff wear high visibility jackets and that driving standards are maintained. We regularly inspect the apron and airfield.
Liverpool John Lennon is a full international airport so we help to park lots of different aircraft, including Boeing 737s and 757s, freight planes and Hercules.
The next move up from my job would be to airfield duty manager.
How did you get your job as safety officer?
I worked my way up through the airport. I've been here for six years now. I started at Liverpool in a temporary security job and then became an air traffic control assistant and dealt with flight plans and clearances.
All the other safety officers were baggage handlers so most people start doing one job and work their way up. If you've a basic knowledge of airfields and how they operate, a bit of common sense and you're willing to learn, then you can do it.
You also need a good education, good communication skills and some knowledge about different aircraft so you can stop them at the right point on the stand depending on their length.
How did you train for the job?
I did a short training course on marshalling signals - I had to learn about six to 10 key ones - and after that it was on the job training. To begin with I was marshalling a car. You're not as nervous with a car as you are with an aircraft coming toward you!
What are the rewards and challenges of your job?
The main reward is that every day is different.
The challenges include dealing with people. If they breach safety regulations we issue them with a caution and that can sometimes annoy people.
You also have to get to know the dimensions of the aircraft and how well they can turn.
Working on an airfield can be dangerous if safety regulations aren't followed. You have to be aware of suction from the engines and no one should approach an aircraft if the engines are running.
Weather conditions such as strong winds and rain can be very challenging.
We have had some very cold conditions. You have to make sure that snow and ice are cleared from the runway, taxiway, apron and passenger way. In thick fog we have to escort aircraft to the runway and the stand.
flight.workingweek@rbi.co.uk
Source: Flight International
