Airfield Operations Specialists
SOC Code: 53-2022 Job Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed
Ensure the safe takeoff and landing of commercial and military aircraft. Duties include coordination between air-traffic control and maintenance personnel, dispatching, using airfield landing and navigational aids, implementing airfield safety procedures, monitoring and maintaining flight records, and applying knowledge of weather information.
Advertisement
Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Airfield Operations Specialists. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford, IL | $57,845 | $78,333 | $98,800 | $119,288 |
| Kankakee, IL | $57,824 | $78,270 | $98,738 | $119,184 |
| Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $56,909 | $77,355 | $97,781 | $118,227 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $55,869 | $76,502 | $97,136 | $117,770 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $55,598 | $76,315 | $97,032 | $117,749 |
| Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $51,750 | $72,821 | $93,870 | $114,941 |
| West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $54,454 | $74,360 | $94,245 | $114,150 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $41,184 | $65,000 | $88,837 | $112,653 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $41,142 | $64,958 | $88,774 | $112,590 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $41,163 | $64,958 | $88,774 | $112,570 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Washington International Flight Academy | 6 | $75,830 |
| Florida Institute of Technology | 2 | $40,075 |
| City of Midland | 1 | $56,932 |
| J & M Alaska Air Tours, Inc. | 1 | $52,000 |
| Tavaero Jet Charter, Corporation | 1 | $105,000 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | $72,800 |
| 2023 | 1 | $72,800 |
| 2024 | 2 | $62,400 |
| 2025 | 7 | $68,380 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 | |
| Monitoring | 4.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 | |
| Speaking | 3.8 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | |
| Coordination | 3.8 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.4 | |
| Writing | 3.4 | |
| Active Learning | 3.2 | |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.2 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Public Safety and Security | 4.5 |
| Transportation | 4.2 |
| English Language | 4.2 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 4.0 |
| Education and Training | 3.7 |
| Telecommunications | 3.6 |
| Administration and Management | 3.6 |
| Law and Government | 3.4 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 50.9% |
| High school diploma | 33.8% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 14.7% |
Typical Tasks
- Implement airfield safety procedures to ensure a safe operating environment for personnel and aircraft operation.
- Plan and coordinate airfield construction.
- Coordinate with agencies, such as air traffic control, civil engineers, or command posts, to ensure support of airfield management activities.
- Monitor the arrival, parking, refueling, loading, and departure of all aircraft.
- Train operations staff.
- Relay departure, arrival, delay, aircraft and airfield status, and other pertinent information to upline controlling agencies.
- Coordinate communications between air traffic control and maintenance personnel.
- Perform and supervise airfield management activities, including mobile airfield management functions.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Adobe Photoshop Extensible markup language XML Intuit QuickBooks Linux Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word Oracle Database SAP software Aircraft noise monitoring system software
Calculate your wage level for Airfield Operations Specialists →
Advertisement
Looking for an H-1B immigration attorney?
Find experienced immigration lawyers in our attorney directory.