Air force officers specialise in flying or ground duties, and supervise a team of air force personnel. They coordinate their team’s training and welfare, and perform duties specific to their area of specialisation.
ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:
the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.
These occupations require some skills and knowledge of air force officer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of air force officer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.
This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of air force officer.
Camouflage: The different kinds of materials and specialised clothing used for concealment of people, vehicles or other equipment. Military aviation: The rules and regulations concerning military aviation procedures, such as military air space, aviation procedures in civilian air space, and specific military aviation equipment. Air force operations: The operations, procedures and compliant behaviour of a military air force, and of a specific air force base. Military combat techniques: The fighting techniques specific to military operations, using military weapons and equipment, and the regulations concerning military combat actions. Military weaponry: The types of arms used by different military organisations, such as army, navy or air force and in different nations worldwide; the weapons’ aspects, damage potential and ways to defend against them. Military drill: The marching techniques and use of weapons, and other disciplinary methods applied in military operations. Surveillance methods: Surveillance methods used in the gathering of information and intelligence for investigation purposes.
These skills are necessary for the role of air force officer.
Lead military troops: Lead the actions of military troops on the field during a mission, either combat, humanitarian or otherwise defensive, compliant with the strategies devised prior to the operation and ensuring communication with other troops is maintained. Give instructions to staff: Give instructions to subordinates by employing various communication techniques. Adjust communication style to the target audience in order to convey instructions as intended. Perform military operations: Perform military operations according to given instructions from superiors, such as battle operations, rescue missions, aid missions, search and intelligence missions or other operations concerning defense. Train air force crew: Train a crew of air force personnel in activities specific to their duties, in air force regulations and operations, and ensure their welfare. Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information. Ensure public safety and security: Implement the relevant procedures, strategies and use the proper equipment to promote local or national security activities for the protection of data, people, institutions, and property. Apply air force procedures: Apply the procedures present in a military air force and on a specific base and being compliant with all the regulations and policies. Ensure compliance with types of weapons: Use different kinds of firearms and other types of weapons and their matching ammunition, in compliance with legal requirements. Devise military tactics: Devise the strategic and tactical components of a military operation, taking into account the available equipment and assigning tasks to the different troops, and supervising the use of weapons and other battle equipment. Apply military aviation regulations: Apply the procedures and regulations present in military aviation operations and missions, ensuring compliance with policies, safety and security. Handle surveillance equipment: Monitor surveillance equipment to observe what people are doing in a given area and ensure their safety. Supervise crew: Supervise and observe the behaviour of employees. Identify security threats: Identify security threats during investigations, inspections, or patrols, and perform the necessary actions to minimise or neutralise the threat. Delegate activities: Delegate activities and tasks to others according to the ability, level of preparation, competence and legal scope of practice. Make sure that people understand what they should do and when they should do it.
This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of air force officer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Visual flight rules: Types of flight rules which are a compilation of regulations that allow pilots to fly aircrafts in clear as well as unclear weather conditions whereby it is declared that outside visual reference to the ground and other obstructions are not safe. Aircraft flight control systems: Know the setting, features and operation of aircraft flight control systems. Manage flight control surfaces, cockpit controls, connections, and operating mechanisms required to control the flight direction of an aircraft. Operate aircraft engine controls in order to change aircraft speed. Military code: The code language used in specific intelligence or military organisations and operations, how to use and decipher them. Aviation meteorology: Understand aviation meteorology to deal with the impact of weather on air traffic management (ATM). Understand how thorough changes in pressure and temperature values at airports can create variations in head and tail-wind components, and may impose low visibility operating conditions. Knowledge of aviation meteorology can help to reduce negative impact on the ATM system by diminishing disruption and the consequent problems of disturbed flow rates, lost capacity and induced additional costs.
These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of air force officer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.
Operate radio equipment: Set up and operate radio devices and accessories, such as broadcast consoles, amplifiers, and microphones. Understand the basics of radio operator language and, when necessary, provide instruction in handling radio equipment correctly. Ensure efficient communication in air traffic services: Ensure the implementation of an efficient communication exchange in air traffic services (ATS) involving airport movement areas. Follow procedures within the network. Execute flight plans: Listen to the briefing given by the captain or the crew manager; understand service requirements and apply the commissioned tasks in an appropriate manner. Coordinate humanitarian aid missions: Coordinate the deployment of troops and resources to areas where humanitarian aid is required, and the operation in the area itself to ensure that the area is safe, the people have access to medical aid, shelter, and food, and that any danger and risks are removed. Give battle commands: Give commands during a battle or similar confrontation with enemy units to guide the activities of the troops, ensuring the safety of the troops and success of the operation, and give these commands in a comprehensible manner compliant with guidelines, and in dangerous and stress situations. Operate cockpit control panels: Operates control panels in the cockpit or flight deck according to the needs of the flight. Manage on-board electronic systems to ensure a smooth flight. Perform flight manoeuvres: Perform flight manoeuvres in critical situations, and associated ‘upset’ manoeuvres, in order to avoid collision. Coordinate patrols: Coordinate the investigation and inspection of a certain area by assigning patrollers to routes and areas, establishing the area that needs patrolling, and coordinating the activities during the patrol. Ensure compliance with civil aviation regulations: Ensure best practice standards are adopted and all regulatory requirements met Write situation reports: Write reports according to specifications and regulations of an organisation on the situation which needs to be reported on, such as the status of an investigation, of intelligence gathering, or of missions and operations. Coordinate rescue missions: Coordinate rescue missions during the event of a disaster or during an accident, ensure that all possible methods are being used to ensure the safety of the people being rescued, and that the search is as efficient and thorough as possible. Undertake procedures to meet aircraft flight requirements: Ensure that operation certificates are valid, guarantee that take-off mass is a maximum of 3,175 kg, verify that the minimum crew is adequate according to regulations and needs, ensure that the configuration settings are correct, and check if engines are suitable for the flight. Create a flight plan: Develop a flight plan which details the flight altitude, route to be followed and the amount of fuel required using different sources of information (weather reports and other data from air traffic control). Communicate in english in a competent way: Competent use of English; R351refers to level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
