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As the military hub of European operations, it is imperative the airfield on Ramstein is managed with the attention to detail provided by the 86th Operations Support Squadron airfield management flight.
The flight’s office is manned 24/7 to maintain operational readiness and ensure flightline operations are safe.
Airfield managers are responsible for filing flight plans, inspecting the airfield for damage, emergency response, issuing flightline driver’s licenses and coordinating between aircrew in the air and on the ground.
The flight works with approximately 15 other organizations on base to maintain airfield operations.
“Our role is primarily to be managers,” said Senior Airman John Kalilikane, 86th OSS airfield management shift lead. “We have to know the ins and outs of everything about the airfield. Being knowledgeable in every aspect of the airfield makes us proficient in keeping it safe and operational.”
Airmen from the airfield management flight have to be able to recognize discrepancies, such as breakage and deterioration of the concrete to malfunctioning or blurred signs. Once discovered, discrepancies must then be reported to the appropriate organization in order for them to be corrected.
“Going outside of our office and getting hands-on work with the airfield is my favorite part of the job,” said Airman 1st Class Taylor Starr, 86th OSS airfield management operations coordinator. “It’s a good job, and it definitely keeps us busy.”
Airfield inspections are completed several times a shift and are key to ensuring agencies are able to perform their duty in a safe environment.
“Construction is a huge thing here in the summertime,” Kalilikane said. “We might have anywhere around 20 different construction activities.”
Airfield management is responsible for overcoming the obstacle of directing operations around sites under construction.
Starr said if the checks are not performed as often as they are, the chances for something to go wrong would greatly increase.
The airfield management flight’s ability to disseminate the information that passes through their hands is crucial in the everyday operation of the Air Force. Every aircraft needs an airfield to land, and airfield managers are there to ensure it is clear of any hazards.
Aircraft do not move on the Ramstein airfield without the airfield management flight’s approval. Ramstein’s capability to maintain operations at the pace it is at can be attributed in part to the flight’s ability to sustain a safe airfield.
