Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors

What the job really is

Supervise and coordinate the activities of ground crew in the loading, unloading, securing, and staging of aircraft cargo or baggage. May determine the quantity and orientation of cargo and compute aircraft center of gravity. May accompany aircraft as member of flight crew and monitor and handle cargo in flight, and assist and brief passengers on safety and emergency procedures. Includes loadmasters.

At a glance

• Sector: Transportation & Material Moving
• O*NET-SOC code: 53-1041
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 6
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Determine the quantity and orientation of cargo, and compute an aircraft's center of gravity.
• Direct ground crews in the loading, unloading, securing, or staging of aircraft cargo or baggage.
• Train new employees in areas such as safety procedures or equipment operation.
• Distribute cargo to maximize use of space.
• Calculate load weights for different aircraft compartments, using charts and computers.
• Accompany aircraft as a member of the flight crew to monitor and handle cargo in flight.

Tools and technology

Facebook, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Aircraft loaders, Aircraft wheel chocks, Airplane baggage tuggers, Airport cargo conveyor trucks, Belt loader trucks, Cargo collection hoppers, Cargo dollies

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators
• Airfield Operations Specialists
• Transportation Inspectors
• First-Line Supervisors of Passenger Attendants
• First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand
• Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
• Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
• Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.