Managing ground operations Published Dec. 1, 2011 By Senior Airman Rae Perry 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Being an airfield manager is no easy task. The small office located within the Base Operations building is responsible for maintaining approximately 12 square miles of runway and flightline ramp here. "Our mission is to ensure a safe flying environment for any type of aircraft," said Staff Sgt. David Goltry, 4th Operations Support Squadron (OSS) airfield management operations supervisor. "We conduct flightline driver's license tests, daily runway checks and create flight plans for F-15E Strike Eagles, KC-135 Stratotankers as well as any other aircraft." In 2010, the airfield management office licensed more the 1,300 Airmen to drive on the flightline and filed 22,663 flight plans, which include detailed information on where aircrew will conduct training in the area. Airmen from airfield management conduct flightline checks four to five times a day. After conducting these checks, the Airmen brief a supervisor of flying on the conditions on both the runway and flightline. The supervisor of flying then reports the condition of the airfield to the four fighter and aircraft maintenance squadrons. "During these checks we look for foreign object debris and ensure the arresting cables at either end of the flightline are operational," said Goltry. Along with airfield management, Airmen working on the flightline also conduct FOD walks to make sure the ramp is clear of any debris that can wreak havoc on the internal workings of any aircraft that lands here. When checking the arresting cables, which catch and stop aircraft that have a malfunction with their braking system, airfield management ensure they are not laying on the runway where an F-15E Strike Eagle's tail hook cannot catch it. "We also use a street sweeper on the runway after an aircraft that calls in an in-flight emergency lands," said Airman 1st Class Bryson Hendrix, 4 OSS airfield manager. An in-flight emergency is called when something on an aircraft malfunctions. It can vary from a warning light malfunction to a round being stuck in the chamber of the Gatling Gun. The shop is manned anytime there are aircraft in the air. "The airfield is the most important aspect of the Air Force, without airfield management, planes cannot take off or land," said Goltry.