Aircrew Flight Equipment

What does the Aircrew Flight Equipment career field do?

Directly supports aircraft generation, sortie production, and enables aircrew and special warfare operator performance through aircrew flight equipment and life- sustaining assets. Manages, performs, and schedules inspections, maintenance, fitting, and adjustments of assigned Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE), Aircrew Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (ACBRN) equipment and associated components. Prepares, maintains, and monitors AFE operations IAW with applicable publications and directives. Prepares for response to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons contamination and supervises and conducts Aircrew Contamination Control Area (ACCA) processing. Disassembles, assembles, inspects, fabricates, cleans, repairs, and packs aerospace weapon system and Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) components such as floatation equipment, emergency evacuation systems, and parachutes. Schedules, supervises, and conducts ACBRN and aircrew continuation training. Related DoD Occupational Subgroup: 186000.

Duties and responsibilities

• Inspects, maintains, packs, and adjusts AFE such as flight helmets, oxygen masks, parachutes, flotation devices, survival kits, helmet mounted devices, aircrew night vision and other ocular systems, anti-G garments, protective equipment, chemical biological protective ensembles, and other types of AFE and ACBRN systems. Repairs thermal radiation barriers, flotation equipment, and various parachutes. Evaluates problems and determines feasibility of repair or replacement related to inspecting rubber equipment and parachutes. Evaluates work orders for fabrication and repair of AFE.
• Installs and removes aircraft-installed AFE, effectively accounting for all assets and serviceability status, to include inspection records and manufacturing details. Operates, maintains, and inspects machinery, test equipment, and tools. Performs operator maintenance and service inspections on shop equipment. Stores, handles, uses, and disposes of hazardous waste and materials based on environmental standards.
• Requisitions, stores, forecasts, handles, and transports ammunition, aircrew survival pyrotechnic devices, and other explosives such as actuated cartridges.
• Conducts aircrew continuation training; instructs aircrews on equipment use, operation, and capabilities. Conducts ACBRN training; instructs aircrew on ACBRN donning, doffing, and ACAA contamination mitigation procedures.
• Plans, directs, organizes, and evaluates operational aspects such as equipment accountability, personnel reliability, mobility readiness, and other activities necessary to meet operational readiness. Maintains associated databases to ensure equipment accountability. Establishes performance standards, improves work methods, and advises on inspection, repair, and repack of aircrew flight equipment. Ensures serviceability based on required specifications and technical publications.
• Prepares checklists and complies with operating instructions. Develops lesson plans for aircrew training, safety, and other required programs. Assigns, trains, and prepares AFE personnel for deployment. Procures, maintains, stores, and prepares equipment for deployment. Determines facilities, funding, and mobility of AFE assets to support operational taskings. Develops and submits budget requirements. Requisitions equipment and supplies. Maintains custodial files for accounts such as supply and equipment, munitions, and test, measurement, and diagnostic equipment. Obtains assistance from other agencies to support AFE programs.
• Manages unit and staff agency AFE programs. Provides unit and staff agency assistance to subordinate units to ensure AFE planning, and training have been accomplished, and adherence to. Analyzes training and deficiencies to preventing wartime task degradation. Conducts quality assurance inspections to ensure compliance with policies and directives. Identifies and documents equipment and personnel training discrepancies and recommends corrective actions. Evaluates and critiques instructors' effectiveness, and ensures presentations are accurate and current. Advises and assists agencies whose functions affect AFE activities. Evaluates data involving equipment development and sustainment to resolve problems. Conducts aircraft mishap safety investigations and analysis where operator, aircrew-issued and aircraft-installed life-sustaining equipment is involved. Conducts assessments and provides operational risk analysis in matters affecting the AFE enterprise.
• Establishes, coordinates, and distributes exposure and contamination mitigation procedures. Monitors associated requirements and procedures. Ensures assigned personnel take safety precautions. Prepares wartime and contingency response plans. Coordinates actions to ensure prompt response to enable and sustain operations in a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear environment with minimal degradation of combat capability. Coordinates actions to continue and/or restore vital functions and operations. Prepares guidance annexes, appendices, supplements, and other supporting documents to support operations plans. Advises leadership on mission impact and recovery activities following an attack; coordinates ACCA requirements. Supervises contamination control operations teams.

Specialty qualifications

Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of: Inspection and maintenance procedures; parachute construction; temperature and humidity effects on parachutes and other fabrics; characteristics of rubberized items; solvent, heat, and pressure effects on rubber; proper handling, use, and disposal of hazardous waste, materials, and pyrotechnics; aircrew flight and ACBRN equipment inspections, fitting, and maintenance procedures; supply procedures; principles of contamination control; related technical information, policies, procedures, techniques, and equipment; contingency planning, training, operations, equipment supply procedures, directives and policy; and conducting aircrew continuation and ACBRN Training.

Education. For entry into this specialty, completion of high school with courses in speech, general science, shop mechanics, and basic computer applications are desirable.

Training. For award of AFSC 1P0X1A/B, completion of a basic, suffix specific, aircrew flight equipment course is mandatory.

Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated:

• 1P051A/B. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1P031A/B as well as experience in equipment inspections, instructing aircrew in continuation training and ACBRN procedures.
• 1P071A/B. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1P051A/B. Also, experience supervising and performing functions such as inspections, quality assurance, specialist training programs, and aircrew instruction.
• 1P091. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1P071A/B. Also, experience managing and directing AFE operations and training functions as well as evaluating, planning, and organizing AFE readiness activities.

Other. The following qualifications are mandatory as indicated.

• For entry into this specialty:
• Must possess a valid state driver’s license to operate government motor vehicles (GMV) in accordance with AFI 24-301, Ground Transportation.
• See all items listed in Attachment 4 for entry requirements.
• Passing color vision, as defined by correctly identifying at least 10 or 14 Ishihara Plates.
• For entry, award, and retention of this specialty:
• Ability to speak clearly and distinctly.
• Distance and near visual acuity correctable to 20/20 in at least one eye.
• No record of claustrophobia or claustrophobic tendencies.
• For award and retention of these AFSCs, maintain local network access IAW AFI 17-130, Cybersecurity Program Management and AFMAN 17-1301, Computer Security.
• Specialty requires routine access to Secret material or similar environment. For award and retention of AFSCs 1P0XX, completion of a current National Agency Check, Local Agency Checks and Credit (NACLC) according to DoDMAN5200.02_AFMAN 16-1405, Air Force Personnel Security Program. NOTE: Award of the 3- skill level without completed NACLC is authorized provided an interim Secret security clearance has been granted according to DoDMAN5200.02_AFMAN 16-1405.
• Cross Shredding must be approved by the AFSC 1P0X1 Career Field Manager (RegAF Only).

Civilian career paths

Comparable civilian careers for this field pay roughly $25,020–$115,640 per year (median salaries; varies by role and location):

• Accountants and Auditors: $73,560
• Administrative Services Managers: $98,890
• Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians: $66,440
• Aviation Inspector: $78,400
• Budget Analysts: $78,970
• Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary: $55,620
• Compliance Managers: $116,350
• Emergency Management Directors: $76,250
• Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants: $63,110
• File Clerks: $34,090
• Financial Risk Specialists: $83,660
• First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairer: $70,240
• First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers: $58,450
• First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers: $62,850
• General and Operations Managers: $103,650
• Geothermal Technicians: $42,480
• Hazardous Materials Removal Workers: $45,270
• Human Factors Engineers and Ergonomists: $88,950
• Human Resources Specialist: $63,490
• Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers: $40,460
• Instructional Coordinators: $66,970
• Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers: $25,020
• Maintenance and Repair Workers, General: $40,850
• Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners: $51,560
• Quality Control Analysts: $52,460
• Quality Control Systems Managers: $108,790
• Riggers: $50,850
• Sewers, Hand: $30,000
• Sewing Machine Operators: $28,230
• Stockers and Order Fillers: $29,190
• Supply Chain Managers: $96,390
• Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: $29,910
• Training and Development Managers: $115,640
• Training and Development Specialists: $62,700