Aviation Services 1

Course Description

AVS0091C — Aviation Services 1 is a Postsecondary Adult Vocational (PSAV) clock-hour course in Florida's Aviation Services career-preparatory program. The course introduces students to entry-level work in aviation ground services and aircraft support: ramp operations, aircraft marshalling, basic aircraft cleaning and servicing, ground support equipment (GSE) operation, baggage handling, and airfield safety. The "C" suffix denotes integrated lecture and laboratory with hands-on practice in simulated or live ramp environments.

This course is offered at Florida district technical colleges and career centers serving regional airports. The Aviation Services PSAV program prepares students for entry-level employment with airline ground operations, FBOs (fixed-base operators), aircraft handling companies, and airport service providers.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of AVS0091C, students will be able to:

• Apply airfield and ramp safety practices: foreign object debris (FOD) awareness; jet-blast and propeller hazards; airfield vehicle operations; lighting and visibility; coordination with aircraft and ground vehicles.
• Apply aircraft marshalling: standard hand signals; positioning for aircraft taxi-in and pushback; coordination with flight crew.
• Apply basic aircraft cleaning and servicing: exterior cleaning; interior cleaning; lavatory servicing; potable water servicing; appropriate cleaning agents and procedures.
• Operate ground support equipment (GSE): aircraft tugs/tractors; baggage tugs; ground power units (GPU); air start units; air conditioning units; potable water and lavatory carts.
• Apply baggage handling: load planning awareness; weight distribution; secure stowage; bag tag and tracking systems.
• Apply communications protocols: ramp radio communication; aviation phonetic alphabet; standard ramp communication phraseology.
• Apply safe lifting and ergonomic practices for ramp work; team-lift procedures.
• Demonstrate workplace professional behaviors: punctuality (mandatory in aviation), uniform and PPE compliance, customer service, security awareness.

Optional Outcomes

• Apply aircraft fueling support awareness (fueling itself is performed by certified fueling personnel).
• Apply de-icing operation support awareness for cold-weather operations.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Airfield Safety: FOD prevention; jet-blast and propeller hazards; airfield signage and markings; airfield vehicle operating areas; visual and audible warnings; ramp lighting awareness.
• Aircraft Marshalling: Standard hand signals (per ICAO/FAA); aircraft positioning; pushback and engine-start coordination; communication with flight crew via marshalling.
• Aircraft Cleaning and Servicing: Exterior cleaning (visual aircraft service after each flight); interior cleaning; lavatory servicing (waste removal, tank rinse); potable water servicing.
• Ground Support Equipment: Aircraft tugs and tractors; baggage tugs; ground power units (28V DC for piston/small turbine; 115/200V 3-phase 400Hz for transport aircraft); air-start units; pre-conditioned air units; lavatory and water carts.
• Baggage Handling: Load planning; weight distribution awareness; secure stowage in cargo bays; bag tag and tracking; lost-baggage procedures.
• Communications: Ramp radio operations; aviation phonetic alphabet; standard ramp phraseology; coordination with flight crew, dispatch, ramp tower.
• Safety: Lifting and ergonomics; PPE selection (safety glasses, hi-vis vests, hearing protection, gloves); team-lift practices for heavy items.
• Aviation Security: TSA-required security awareness for ramp workers; access control; reporting suspicious activity.

Resources & Tools

• FAA Advisory Circular AC 150/5210-20 (Ground Vehicle Operations on Airports)
• OSHA 29 CFR 1910 General Industry standards
• TSA security guidelines for ramp personnel
• Industry texts: airline-specific ramp operations manuals
• Training facilities including ramp simulators or supervised live-ramp practice
• SkillsUSA CTSO

Career Pathways

Successful completion supports entry-level employment in aviation ground operations:

• Ramp Agent / Ramp Service Worker (SOC 53-6051, Transportation Inspectors and 53-6021, Parking Lot Attendants — varies). Florida airline hubs (Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville) employ thousands of ramp workers across major carriers.
• Aircraft Cleaner at airline contract cleaning operations.
• FBO Line Service Technician at Florida fixed-base operators (Signature Flight Support, Atlantic Aviation, Sheltair, Galaxy, Banyan).
• Baggage Handler at airline ground operations.
• Ground Support Equipment Operator with continued specialization.

Special Information

Aviation Drug-and-Alcohol Testing

Per FAA regulations, ramp workers performing safety-sensitive functions are subject to random drug and alcohol testing. Pre-employment, random, post-incident, and reasonable-suspicion testing are standard.

TSA Security Threat Assessment

Ramp workers with airfield access require completion of a TSA Security Threat Assessment as part of the SIDA (Security Identification Display Area) badge issuance process.

Program Structure (PSAV / Clock-Hour)

AVS0091C clock-hour allocation typically ranges from 150 to 250 clock hours. The full Aviation Services program may be 600–900 clock hours across multiple OCPs.