Photo By Scott Sturkol | Airman 1st Class Brett Kiser, air transportation journeymen from the 436th Aircraft...... read more read more
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DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Air transportation airmen, or aerial porters, with the 436th Aerial Port Squadron at Dover AFB support the 436th Airlift Wing's airlift mission every day by managing the aerial port operations for the entire base.
The 436th APS ensures the safe and efficient upload and download of cargo and personnel on all organic and contracted aircraft to the base, facts show. To do the heavy lifting, they use specific material handling equipment such as forklifts capable of lifting upwards of 10,000 pounds of cargo and aircraft cargo loaders which are capable of holding pallets and cargo weighing up to 25,000 and 60,000 pounds. The loaders, when filled with cargo, are driven out to the aircraft, the deck is raised hydraulically, and powered rollers on the loader push the cargo on board the plane.
Each air transportation airman with the 436th APS has to maintain a myriad of skills and job knowledge. According to the official Air Force job description for the air transportation career field, they must maintain mandatory job knowledge in passenger and cargo movement functions to include transport aircraft types, capabilities, and configuration. They must also know weight and balance factors, airlift transportation directives and documentation, cargo securing techniques, border clearance requirements, operation of materials handling and other types of loading equipment or devices, fleet service functions.
In directing air transportation activities, aerial porters supplement policies and direct supervisory personnel to provide cargo and passenger loading and unloading services. He is trained to establish procedures for passenger and aircraft clearance through international border clearance agencies and to inspect airlift activities for compliance with directives, the job description states.
Aerial porters are also trained to verify eligibility of cargo and mail offered for airlift and to review passenger travel authorizations for validity and accuracy. They ensure all cargo documentation, packaging, labeling and marking requirements, and all border clearance requirements have been met. They also provide information on schedules, routes, air movement requirements, baggage limitations and local facilities for passengers and requisitions, stores and issues expendable and nonexpendable items for use on aircraft.
Aerial porters can also check in passengers and process, schedule, transport and escort passengers to and from aircraft. They determine quantity and type of cargo to be loaded according to allowable aircraft cabin load and they check cargo against manifests, and annotate overage, shortage or damage.
The 436th AW is home to C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III airlift aircraft as well supporting airlift operations around the world.
| Date Taken: | 06.27.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2011 11:43 |
| Story ID: | 72828 |
| Location: | DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, DELAWARE, US |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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