ASOG 2021 Focus Area: News & Information

Posted By: ASOG Desk Editor | Mark Pomerleau, C4ISRNET, Dec 16, 2021

I thought this was an interesting article to share with the group. I came across this article published by C4ISRNET – "US Air Force cyber team demonstrates first-ever in-flight mission." It highlights the demonstration of cyber warfare teams conducting in-flight operations. That's a first for me. It's great to see the Airborne Sensor Operator profession and EW world innovating and expanding, i.e., the Airborne Sensor Operator career field continues to thrive and grow.

US Air Force cyber team demonstrates first-ever in-flight mission

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: General ASOG Management

Posted By: Patrick Ryan

ASOG Members,

Like the previous years, it's time as a group to review, adjust and prioritize ASOG's focus areas for 2022. The due date for inputs is 15 Jan 2022. The main Categories are:

• General ASOG Management
• Networking
• Information & News
• Advocacy
• Professional Standards
• Training & Education
• Certifications
• Individual Career Support
• Industry Support

Below this note, you can review each category's specifics (goals and objectives). Then, as members, you can recommend changes or additions. The rationale of the ASOG Focus Areas is to help manage everyone's interest and efforts regarding individuals' and corporate supporters' participation and end-states.

Again, ASOG is an open platform/network for professional individuals (like you) to share their experiences and knowledge to help individual career efforts, advance aircrew operations, and improve the aerial remote-sensing profession.

If you have an input, you can quickly respond here on the blog page or send me a separate message no later than 15 Jan 2022.  Again, like last year, I'm looking forward to your inputs and recommendations. Plus, I hope everyone has a safe and festive Holiday and New Year!

Best Regards,

Patrick

Patrick Ryan | ASOG Managing Director | pryan@aso-group.org

--------------------- Draft ASOG 2022 Focus Areas

ASOG 2022 Focus Areas

1. General ASOG Management

Goal: Enhance the operational functions of the Airborne Sensor Operators Group (ASOG).

Objective:

• Improve and expand administrative processes and capabilities.
• Enhance individual membership and corporate supporter management processes, services, and capabilities.
• Upgrade information, communication, and social media technologies & capabilities, e.g., webpage, feedback platforms, messaging, chat, etc.

2. Networking

Goal: Promote, support, and provide the means for individual members and corporate supporters to network professionally.

Objectives:

• Provide a virtual networking platform and encourage meetups.
• Highlight events and support local or regional in-person social networking meetups.
• Organize local or regional in-person social networking meetups.
• Develop a framework for regional in-person conference events.
• Formulate an international virtual conference event.

3. Information & News

Goal: Provide and support disseminating relevant information regarding the ASO profession, manned & unmanned aviation, and aerial remote sensing (IA/GIS), e.g., new technologies & services, trends, best practices, career management, safety topics, industry developments, etc.

Objectives:

• Produce and publish regular articles.
• Share a post, news, press releases, and content articles.
• Support and publish articles from individual members and corporate supporters.
• Conduct and publish surveys, polls, and quizzes.
• Produce and publish a monthly newsletter.

4. Advocacy

Goal: Promote and advocate the ASO profession.

Objectives:

• Promote the inclusion of the ASO profession in academic, media, and industry publications.
• Advocate the inclusion of ASO roles and responsibilities in global civil aviation regulatory guidance.

5. Professional Standards

Goal: Identify, promote, and advocate professional standards that enhance ASO skills, knowledge, and performance that result in excellent practices and support professional growth.

Objectives:

• Identify and formalize basic standards for the ASO profession/career field.
• Promote and advocate standards for the ASO profession/career field.
• Develop and publish Specialized ASO Standard Guides

6. Training & Education

Goal: Identify, promote, and advocate training and education standards and opportunities.

Objectives:

• Promote and advocate specialized training and education programs for the ASO profession/career field.
• Share or Post ASO profession/career field training and education opportunities.
• Support, Partner, or Sponsor educational courses, webinars, podcasts, etc., related to the ASO profession/career field.

7. Certifications

Goal: Identify, promote, and advocate professional certifications that validate ASO skills, knowledge, and performance.

Objectives:

• Share or Post specialized certification Opportunities related to the ASO profession/career field.
• Develop a framework for implementing civil ASO certifications.

8. Individual Career Support

Goal: Support individual members' career development and job placement.

Objectives:

• Share or Post Career Management Information.
• Share or Post Job Opportunities.
• Encourage Mentoring and Career Coaching.
• Provide individual members and industry a platform to be seen and connected.

9. Industry Support

Goal: Support corporate supporters' business development and operational requirements.

Objectives:

• Provide corporate directory information.
• Share Press Releases and surveys.
• Provide individual members and industry a platform to be seen and connected.

ASOG Focus Area 2021: News & Information

Shared By: Astrid Ayling

This article came in from one of our members (Astrid Ayling). Astrid thought it would be informative and educational for the community.

What does a rescue helicopter sound like to a victim when approaching? “Joy, Reassurance, Hope?” Suppose you want to know how Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopters bring relief to victims and their families. In that case, one of ASOGs Corporate Supports highlights the unique elements of this critical lifesaving operation and how the helicopter gets the job done.

The Leading Edge of Search & Rescue Operations: Aerial Work Helicopters

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: Career Management

Shared By: Luke Aspinall

Position Description: SYPAQ Position Description - Aerial Sensor Operator - ISP.pdf

ASOG Article of the Month: November 2021

ASOG Author: Patrick Ryan

As of today, the ASO profession, in general, is not recognized or formalized by many civil aviation authorities around the world. Why is this, and what can be done to professionalize this aircrew position and improve Aviation Safety?

Aviation Safety concerns are the most relevant in all aviation sectors, be it GA, Airlines, and Aerial Work aviation. This is because so many human lives are always at stake, making it worth all the right reasons to improve on it. Additionally, in the civil aviation sector (especially in the Aerial Work aviation community), the economic effect of an accident or regulatory violation can be a disaster regarding staying in business for many medium and small companies.

One of the primary reasons accidents & violations happen is due to human error in the cockpit and between the various crew members. The fuel that usually feeds human error is a lack of professionalism, skills, and a poor safety mindset at different levels within the various career fields that make up the aviation community.

So, What do I Mean by "Missing Link."

The "Link "that I'm talking about is the civil non-rated Airborne Sensor Operator (ASO) career field. This profession is a global group of highly skilled technical individuals focused, along with rated pilots, on collecting information or data from an aircraft for critical governments and commercial-type applications. For instance:

• Aerial Surveying & Mapping
• Aerial Photography
• Aerial Cinematography
• Aerial Videography
• Flight Inspection
• Aerial Agriculture
• Aerial Firefighting
• Aerial Maritime Patrol
• Aerial Search & Rescue
• Airborne Law Enforcement
• Airborne Command & Control
• Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
• Airborne Electronic Warfare
• And more….

Since the beginning of man flight, ASOs have directly participated as crew members in civil and military aerial remote sensing operations. Today, hundreds and even thousands of individuals operate as ASOs on and off-board a manned or unmanned aircraft worldwide and across the spectrum of Aerial Work aviation. To highlight this point, search the internet and what you'll find are many job postings for:

• Airborne Sensor Operator
• Payload Operator
• Aerial Survey Operator
• Aerial Photographer
• Tactical Flight Officer
• Aerial cinematographer
• And many more…

However, ASO's have been overlooked or ignored by the global aviation community regarding standards, training, and developing a safety mindset equal to rated Pilots, Flight Dispatchers, and Flight Engineers. Again, search the internet, and you'll find very little regarding specific civil aviation regulations or non-government organizations producing or promoting standards for this profession, i.e., the Civil Aviation Authorities, industry, and the aviation world, in general, are not "closing the link."  

Bottomline - The aviation sector is failing not to recognize and take action to mitigate a source of risk.

Passenger vs. Aircrew Member

When it comes to the question of what is an ASO, one would argue that there is no safety "Missing Link" because the Airborne Sensor Operator is just a:

• "Passenger"
• The "Guy in Back" (GIB)
• "Self-Loading Luggage"
• Some person who babysits a sensor on a tethered Aerostat
• "The Dude standing next to me operating the camera on my drone"

Additionally, others would argue that individual civil ASO's are not in direct control of the aircraft like a Pilot or Flight Engineer, which mitigates them as a link in the risk management process. Therefore, no need to establish and enforce standards for this aircrew profession.

Plus, others would say civil ASO's should informally mirror pilot & remote pilot standards and best practices to meet the job's critical safety & task expectations. But, in general, it should not bother the established civil aviation community with another area of improvement. Or industry should hire from the various militaries worldwide for well-trained ASO's.

The counter-argument to this is the true intent of Civil Aviation Safety – "Mitigate Risk." The means of mitigating this risk is to identify areas of improvement and apply the appropriate actions or efforts in a rigorous & standardized manner. 

In this case – Airborne Sensor Operators. Allowing a group of professionals to participate in flight activities without universal guidance and oversight is a formula for trouble. Developing and implementing mechanisms to professionalize the ASO aircrew position, the civil aviation community will shave off accident percentages, ASOs will improve their skills, and commercial firms will protect their bottom-line.

Closing the Missing Link

Like with any problem, there is a solution. In this case, the solution is no different than the qualification process used for rated crewmembers, i.e., standards, training, and certification.

Standards

The first step is to establish and publish standards. This action consists of civil aviation authorities (ICAO, CAA, FAA, EASA, etc.) to recognize this aircrew position and establish basic operating standards. Doing so will provide an authoritative framework for non-government organizations (Associations, Aviation Societies, Industry, etc.) to refine & improve specific non-rated ASO/flight crew safety and qualification programs, i.e., Professionalize with safety and improvement mindset.

Training

The second step is to establish ASO training programs focused on airmanship and remote-sensing knowledge linked to the above civil aviation and industry standards. To achieve this training, non-governmental organizations (Flight Schools, etc.) would develop and offer dedicated training courses for ASO crewmembers beyond what is offered today.

Formal ASO training for ASO's will educate a group of active flying participants who lacked access to such training in the past. Without a doubt, this approach will help expand the expertise within manned and unmanned flight operations and diminish some of the risks associated with flying.

Certification

The third and final step is to establish professional Certifications to formally validate an individual ASO's level of knowledge and experience. Like with other aviation professions establishing a global certification system will enhance the professionalism of the ASO/Aircrew member career field while providing commercial & non-commercial entities the means to mitigate risk by hiring quickly & correctly with a standard qualification criterion.

Bottomline

Again, It appears the aviation community has a "Missing Link" in its safety perspective. The link is related to a particular highly skilled aviation group, in this case, the Airborne Sensor Operator.

As of today, the ASO profession, in general, is not recognized or formalized by many civil aviation authorities around the world. Because of this, the ASO profession lacks the formalization to guide participants to the next level of professionalism & a safety mindset equal to other critical aviation careers fields. By incrementally formalizing this profession through standards, training, and certification programs, the aviation community as a whole, as it should, can improve its safety margins!

However, today, the aviation industry sector is failing not to recognize and take action to mitigate a source of risk. It doesn't make sense. Why the non-action?

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: News & Information

Shared By: Astrid Ayling

Are you keeping up with technology and how it plays in your aircrew life? Articles and white papers from companies are one of the best sources of information regarding new technology or the application of technology in the ASO world.

Here’s an article posted in AVBuyer magazine Multi-Mission / Aerial Work aviation section, i.e., how mobile phones are used as emergency beacons in Search & Rescue operations. It provides a simple overview of how the technology works and one type system on the market today.

If you want to learn more about this technology, one of our ASOG members (Peter Myers) is a Subject Matter Expert (SME), i.e., just reach out to him via the ASOG web mail service with your questions.

Mobile Phone as an Emergency Beacon

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: Networking

Posted By: Patrick Ryan

As the Managing Director of ASOG, I saw that many ASOG members and Corporate Supporters were heading to the European Rotor Show & Conference. So, with that, I booked a plane ticket and headed to Cologne, Germany, this week. As I expected, it was a blast connecting with both new and old members and connecting them. Plus, networking with future members and Corporate Supporters.

One of the positive side effects of this is that the management of the European Rotor event would like our community to shape and recommend an ASO plan for next year's event. The idea is to have informative, or training topics focused on the ASO or non-rated Aircrew members who fly manned or unmanned rotor aircraft.

So, at some point in time, we'll reach out to you, the core members, for your inputs…plus, we'll work on getting a discount for the core ASOG members so that you can attend. So, with that, and if you are reading this post with interest but not a core ASOG member, click the "Sign-Up" button and complete your professional profile (plus, profile picture).

Before I sign-off, I would like to recognize some of the current members, future members, and corporate supporters that I encountered and for their hospitality, networking, and interest in ASOG:

Individuals / Companies

• Astrid Ayling – AVBuyer
• Ian Sheppard – AVBuyer
• Mike Rogers – L3 Harris
• Richard Turner – Adams Aviation
• Peter Myers – ARTEMIS
• Thomas Unger – Airborne Technologies
• Manuel Hellerschmid – Airborne Technologies
• Eugen Maier – HENSOLDT Sensors
• Frank Liemandt – European Rotors
• Volker K. Thomalla – Aero Buzz.de
• Héctor Coloma - Lifeseeker

During the week of October 25th, Sentient Vision Systems and Diamond Special Mission Aircraft were carrying out a series of demonstrations of the new ViDAR equipped DA42 MPP with North Sea Aviation Services (NSAS) at Ostend in Belgium.

After a busy start to the week with successful demos finding dummies in the water for the Belgian Coastguard and carrying out a number of flights things took a change on Wednesday 27th. As the presentations to the attendees started, a call came in from the Belgian MRCC to see if we would be able to support a live mission. They had received a ditress call from a migrant boat with 24 people on board that had been aimlessly floating in the North Sea for 48 hours with the health of the passengers deteriorating quickly. The only information that they were able to provide was that they could see a wind turbine. Taking into account that there are thousands of wind turbines 30nm off the coast of Belgium this was not giving an accurate location.

The MRCC were unable to get a helicopter airborne as none were available so the call came to NSAS to see if we could get ViDAR on the DA42 MPP to help. It was only 10 minutes after receiving the call that the aircraft was airborne and it headed out with ViDAR operating to scan the area. 20 minutes later the boat was detected by ViDAR approx 50km off the shore. The DA42 then proceeded to carry out overwatch of the situation while a helicopter was able to get to the area some time later. The Police, Navy and Coastguard were also given the coordinates of the boat and they were able to carry out a rescue and all 24 passengers were brought to saftey.

The sensor operator on board (Gavin Edwards) is not a trained sensor operator and this was in fact only the 4th time he had flown with ViDAR. The ease of use of the CarteNav AIMS mission system with the ViDAR plug in, the ability for ViDAR to detect non-radar reflective objects, the ability to quickly get airborne in the DA42 all led to a successful mission.

• Position Title                : Sensor Operator
• Company/Organization  : Action Air Environment 
• Job Location                 : France
• Brief Description of Position: Aerial Thermographic data capture over France during next winter. 3rd Jan 2022 till 31st March 2022
• Instruction on How Candidate should Respond : Email resume to operateurgabo@action-air.net
• Requirements : Minimum of three years experience as an ASO
• Link to Full Job Posting

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: Networking

Shared By: George DeCock

ASOG members Konstantin Krivovs and roving Ambassador George meet at MiliPol 2021 in Paris with the newest Penguin C VTOL UAV. The nose section turns 180 degrees upward for safe landing.

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: Industry Support

Posted By: ASOG Desk Editor

Excellent news! We are proud to announce DEA Aviation Ltd is now an ASOG Corporate Supporter. Again, It's great to see the industry recognize the ASO profession and our group's efforts.

DEA Aviation is a UK-headquartered aircraft operations, management and maintenance service provider. They meet their customers’ specific and diverse requirements by creating custom solutions using their specialized hardware, equipment and personnel. Their services include:

• Airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)
• Land and environmental survey and analysis
• Specialized commercial air transport
• EASA Part M and Part 145 and other regulatory bodies aircraft management and maintenance.

If you want to learn more about DEA, check them out on the ASOG Corporate Supporter page (click their Logo). Also, you can "Friend" Emma Taylor and send her a message via the ASOG e-mail service.

ASOG Article of the Month: October 2021

ASOG Author: Mark Smits (Originally published 4 April 2019, ASOG)

Every profession has its own unique aspects. If you want to know the unique aspects of the Airborne Sensor Operator profession, Mark Smits gives a great breakdown of our career's characteristics and what it’s like to be an ASO.

Here are some great reasons to pursue an Airborne Sensor Operations job and career:

The Pay – If you’re looking for a great opportunity for fresh out of high school, technical or trade school, an undergraduate or graduate program, second career, and military transition, there is very likely a flavor of Airborne Sensor Operations that is right for you! The field, and therefor pay and benefits is greatly varied, however, you can anywhere from a livable wage (at a minimum) to 6 figures depending on what you bring to the table, and what your risk tolerance is. I will say, if you’re in it mostly for the cash, then you will likely be disappointed. This mentality and others will show through eventually in the profession that is both demanding and team driven, and you’ll likely not hit this success criteria if it is your primary motivator.

The Intrigue – Most people, at the minimum understand that you can put a camera on an aircraft, or in space, or on a boat, and these days a drone, to collect information, or at least a picture. You will be on the forefront of data collection, and the genius of hopefully important and valuable information. It may be something that most people are not familiar with these days you can point to Google Earth, and say you do something similar, or talk about the aircraft that spot hotspots for fire fighting efforts. Unless your acquaintances have lived under a rock for the last 20 years, you can relate your work to them. Also, many of us, cannot talk about work, so if you like to keep things short and mysterious, there’s a ASO job for that!

For the Pride – Airborne Sensor Operations are nearly never an end-in-themselves, there is a reason, and usually a pertinent, timely, and valuable demand is driving the requirement to get information. Rarely mindless, always relevant; there is a true satisfaction to understand the work would you do have value, sometimes economic, sometimes tactical, sometimes strategic, but again always valuable.

For the Schedule – The bane and beauty of most ASO work is the time on/time off schedule. The job is typically demanding, and employers are often balancing either have too many staff with the risk of having some sit out unpaid or having to little and countering attrition. Lots of firms will schedule week on/week off, or when OCONUS, 6 months onsite, then name your time to return. For those looking for high investment in you, a year in, year out schedule may look like one month on, one week off. The firms that will work with you on an individual level or have so strict of policies that both mutually benefit (cost) and lose (opportunity) in step with one another, can be the easiest to work scheduling with. Look for a firm that values resources, your time, and their own time, and you will be set up for a winning opportunity. Think travel, fishing, hiking, exploring, additional training and education, and side hustles, ASO schedules can enable these schedules.

The Travel – There are a few services related, and business-related fields that can support regular, regional, national, and global travel. Almost no other profession will couple travel with time on/time off scheduling for you to take advantage of where you are. Company paid travel can be one of the great beauties to ASO employment. Most firms will allow you to save yourself money by piggy-backing on your work travels and using that as a launching point for your own personal exploration and travel. You’ll typically be paid to go to the work, to the bird, that’s waiting for you.

The Complexity and Challenge – Airborne Sensor Operations are always evolving and are notoriously challenging for a variety of reasons. Let it be said, if you are looking for simple work, someone is looking to automate that work and your place in it. Airborne Sensor Operations both embraces the complexity involved with a variety of situations, with an aircraft or platform that has its own eccentricities, with a demand that must be met, typically for stakeholders that need it NOW! Dealing with these challenges, doing this job, will make you a better resource and person for it.

The Enabling Perspective – There are few professions that touch on so many others and have a state of excellence within them. As an ASO, you can develop skills in operations, negotiations, project management, aviation, and a variety of engineering disciplines. Are you an engineering student that does not know which way to jump into a tighter discipline, come into the field with sensors and instrumentation that leverage mechanical, electrical, optical, electro-optical, aeronautical, thermodynamic, damage tolerance, human-machine interfacing, software and control engineering, and many more disciplines. Are you an intel professional that wants to understand source data? A GIS grad that wants some adventure before you take the desk job? How about international affairs that what’s to travel? How about a veteran looking for great work and previous experience, at lower risk? The beauty of ASO as a career choice is that there are many points of entry, many flavors of employment, and usually something for everyone.

Please note the following role requires you to hold or be able to acquire and maintain a valid security clearance, EU security clearance minimum. 

Company Overview 

DEA is a full-service aircraft operator with extensive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) flight capability backed up by a skilled in-house aviation engineering team. This powerful combination puts us at the forefront of our industry, both in the air and on the ground. It also ensures we can deploy and support quickly and efficiently, even in the world’s most challenging environments.

Task Specialist (Airborne Sensor Operator) Role 

To perform Task Specialist (Airborne Sensor Operator) duties on board fixed wing aircraft supporting ISR operations worldwide.

Key Duties & Responsibilities 

• Liaise with DEA Intel Analysts to understand mission requirement and constraints.
• Brief the aircraft commander on mission requirements and constraints.
• Assist the aircraft commander as required with pre-flight preparations.
• Ensure that all mission equipment is correctly configured.
• Responsible for the correct loading, use and husbandry of all mission equipment.
• Recording and updating all mission equipment technical records.
• Confirming that mission equipment is functioning correctly or that arising and/or unresolved faults do not compromise safety of flight.
• Alerting the aircraft commander to any changes to mission equipment serviceability and/or mission capability.
• Assisting as required with the safe conduct of the mission, such as by external observation and liaison with external agencies.
• Act as the mission manager (to include management of ground-based equipment) in accordance with company procedures to meet agreed customer objectives.
• Record all mission system faults and liaise with DEA Systems personnel as required in pursuit of timely fault resolution and a return to full mission capability.
• Assist the aircraft commander with any pre and post-mission duties as required.
• While engaged on contract, accept all other reasonable tasks as may be required to contribute to overall company objectives, attending, or delivering briefings, provide technical advice and support, representing DEA to the Customer and other stakeholders, and assisting DEA Managers in mission related tasks.

Technical Experience and Qualifications 

Essential attributes:

• To be able to demonstrate trainable competence with the following equipment;
  
  • EO/IR gimbal mounted payloads;
  • Aircraft mounted radar systems;
  • Communications equipment; and
  • Complex mission systems.

• Familiar with and competent in the use of Microsoft Windows OS and baseline Microsoft office products.
• Able to work in a small aircraft cabin environment for prolonged periods of time (up to a minimum of 5 hours daily and over consecutive days)

Desirable attributes:

• Verified experience in a multi crew aircraft acting as a sensor operator/observer.
• Experience of Wescam MX series sensors.
• Previous ISR and/or instructor/evaluator experience.
• Military, SAR or Policing background.

Verified experience in a similar role.

Skills Profile

• Possess excellent Crew Resource Management (CRM) skills.
• Able to accommodate irregular shift-patterns, sometimes with minimal notice.
• Communicate clearly and effectively (written and oral).
• Full acceptance of being a net contributor to a problem-solving network.
• Able to integrate seamlessly into small, deployed teams, accepting a full share of domestic tasks to promote team effectiveness and cohesion.
• Demonstrate ability to manage conflicting demands, prioritizing tasks, resources, and workload to meet deadlines and operational needs.
• Demonstrate a personal commitment to the Company’s health, safety and environmental practices and procedures, in full compliance of related regulations.

Essential requirements

• Holds a valid Driving License
• Holds a valid Passport without limitations
• Ability to travel at short notice
• Hold or be able to acquire and maintain a valid security clearance, EU security clearance minimum. 

Interested parties to please send their CV to:

ts.recruitment@dea.aero

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: News & Information

Shared By: ASOG Desk Editor, Article from ASOG Corporate Supporter – AvBuyer Magazine

Great article to read if you're interested in helicopters or the discipline of professional aircrew members.

AvBuyer-GABuyer Europe Magazine - The Highest Ever Flight in a Helicopter - 42,500FT

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: Industry Support

Posted By: ASOG Desk Editor

It's great to see the industry recognize again the ASO profession and our group's efforts. We are delighted to announce another new ASOG Corporate Supporter this week – Hansa Luftbild.

The Hansa Luftbild AG, Muenster, Germany is in the geoinformation sector. They have been in successful operation, at an international level, since 1923. For clients in the public and private service sectors, they offer comprehensive solutions for geospatial problems and undertakings. They support clients with the optimal management of large sets of dynamic geospatial data and assist with effective planning, operating and decision making processes.

If you want to learn more about Hansa Luftbild, check them out on the ASOG Corporate Supporter page (clicking their Logo). Also, you can "Friend" Michal Sanocki (Business Line Manager/Flight Operations at Hansa Luftbild) and send him a message via the ASOG e-mail service.

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: News & Information

Shared By: Georg DeCock, (Article from Defence Web, 14 Oct 2021)

FYI - Possible jobs for some of you in the group. 

MAG Aerospace awarded UN contract for ISR aircraft in Mali

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: Career Management

Shared By: ASOG Career Center

Hey everyone, Michal Sanocki (fellow ASOG Member) is looking for an ASO for a short freelance contract with the option of extending. The requested skills are:

• Experience with UltraCam Eagle Camera and Riegl Laser is essential.
• Aerial Surveying & Mapping familiarity.
• Candidates will be required to work for approximately 4 weeks between November and December.
• The ability to work in DE/EU is a must.

If you are interested and want to get more information about the job, contact Michal via the ASOG e-mail system, i.e., click the “Friend” button on Michal’s ASOG members profile page…once he accepts…you can e-mail Michal.

ASOG Career Center

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: News & Information

Shared By: ASOG Desk Editor – Alex Pollit, AirMed&Rescue Magazine, 13 January 2020

Even though this article focuses on CRM, it highlights something critical to all ASOs and non-rated Aircrew personnel. That is a lack of definition and standards by civil aviation authorities around the world regarding such Aircrew members, i.e., People who fly for a living and contribute to every flight's safety.

If you didn't know, one of ASOG's focus areas is advocating for better clarification in government publications and actions regarding ASOs and non-rated Aircrew Members worldwide. The rationale is that better definitions and guidance will lead to safer operations and better outputs by both employers and employees.

With that, read the article, and let's hear your thoughts?

Crew Resource Management in SAR and HEMS Operations

ASOG Article of the Month: September 2021

ASOG Author: Gary Micklethwaite (Originally published 1 February 2017, ASOG)

It is a debate as ancient as higher education itself - What matters most when it comes to getting a job? Does that college degree get your foot in the door, or does your past work experience count for more? Gary gives his perspective on this question from a 30+ years as an ASO.

OK, I'm about to open a can of worms. Education or Experience? Perhaps a bit of background on why this has percolated to the top of my things to complain about. While continuing on my ever widening job search for something Sensor Op related, I have perused many a job posting where there is a requirement for a post-secondary education along with experience, and this has led me to ask why.

Let’s look at my own example. I have no post-secondary education. There are no letters after my name, yet I have 30 years’ experience in Sensor Operation, mission planning, mission management, instruction, standards and aviation in general. When does one outstrip the other? When can one say that education is worth more than experience OR vice versa? Don't get me wrong there’s lots of other things going against me getting suitable employment in a field that I have loved for the past three decades, most notably of which is that I have three extra decades worth of life under my belt, which in a lot of situations would enable me hors de combat in the job competitiveness department. I understand that most employers want someone who can work for them quite possibly for an entire career and I don’t qualify on that count, so the needs of a company who wants someone for the long haul means that their experience levels are much lower than "us of a certain age", therefore the shortfall has to be made up with education, right? Or does it?

While I begrudge no one a career as an ASO, as I loved it for every one of those 30 years, we have to look at the way a lot of businesses run these days. A lot of companies are looking to change the demographic of their workforce in the future. The emphasis has begun to move away from "career" workers and start shifting towards contract or term workers. What employers are looking for then is someone who can parachute in, grab a desk (or hammer, wrench, torch or workstation) and do the job with a minimum of fuss or training. As the labor market constricts, as I see it, older workers will have more say in choosing the kind of  jobs they do, when, and how they work.

This blog doesn't even cover that argument that us old guys are taking jobs away from the youngsters while we should be off enjoying our retirement. There's a whole 'other discussion to be had  about that which I won't cover here. Suffice to say that people want to stay in the workforce for two major reasons. The mental engagement and the income. People are living longer, healthier lives, still want to contribute to society and don't want to outlive their money. Sixty is the new fifty and all that.......

So the kids have longevity on their side and us seasoned guys don't, which brings me back to my initial point of Education vs. Experience. What do we bring to the fight then? There's a lot to be said for age. While the young guy has the benefit of post-secondary education which may or may not be in a related field, I have the added perk of being out there in the work force and have lived life. Sort of a "been there, done that" perk that the kids don’t have in their pocket. Most of us also have the ability to use critical thinking, have strong decision making skills, a good work ethic and outside the box thinking skills. We also tend to be highly trained, self-managed, short on ego and willing to put in a full day’s work. Most of us are also ready and willing to work part time instead of full time.  Throw in efficient, organized, honest, punctual and dedicated and you give employers a lot of options. Put all this into a box and label it "life experience".

Now I'm not saying that younger and more educated people than I aren’t all of what I described in the previous paragraph, in fact a lot of them have all of the attributed I described, which then brings me back to does the employer want education or does he want experience in a worker?

It would seem from looking at job posts that companies are looking for education, and that something I like to call "education creep" is rearing its head. Much like mission creep that all of us who have a military background lived and loathed, education creep is moving the goalposts ever farther to the side of requiring higher and higher education. I have noticed job posts that have a requirement of a baccalaureate degree and an "it would be nice" listing of a post graduate level degree like a masters.  It seems we are over-qualifying the needs that an ASO required to do their job.  Like I said I lived this in the military. When I was a youngster most day to day decisions could be made by a corporal or a lieutenant. those very same decisions now require a Sgt-Major or a full Colonel.

In other words, decisions made today take someone with more experience than education. Kinda seems like a circular argument doesn't it?

ASOG 2021 Focus Area: News & Information

Shared By: Gustavo Duarte

If you want to breakout of your professional ASO silo sector or region of the world and get an impression of other aircrews doing their specialized work, Gustavo (ASOG member since 2018) thought this article and video from the Austrian Wings magazine would do the job.

Published in German, the article covers the Austrian Federal Police Flight department with a special focus on the aircrew, i.e., their duties and training.

To read the article in your mother-tongue language, go to the article and click the translate function on your web browser.

“Mit Video: Flugpolizei bildet neue Flight Operatoren aus” or “Flight Police Train New Flight Operators”