Aviation Services Specialty

Course Description

AVS0683 — Aviation Services Specialty is a Postsecondary Adult Vocational (PSAV) clock-hour course providing specialized aviation services training in a specific operational discipline. The course typically addresses one of several Aviation Services specialty areas: cargo operations and dangerous goods handling; deicing operations; ramp safety and audit; aircraft fueling support; or specialized customer service operations — depending on institutional and employer priorities. Specific course content varies by delivering institution.

This course is offered at Florida district technical colleges and career centers as a specialty/concentration option within the broader Aviation Services PSAV program. Students should consult their institution for specific subject matter coverage in any given semester.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of AVS0683 (specialty content varies), students will be able to:

• Apply specialized operational skills in the chosen Aviation Services specialty area to industry-standard proficiency.
• Apply regulatory compliance specific to the specialty: ICAO/IATA dangerous goods regulations (for cargo specialty); FAA AC 120-89 (for deicing specialty); EPA fueling regulations (for fueling specialty); and similar specialty-specific regulatory frameworks.
• Apply safety-critical procedures specific to the specialty area, including PPE selection and emergency procedures.
• Apply industry documentation specific to the specialty: dangerous goods declarations; fuel quality logs; deicing fluid logs; passenger service records; etc.
• Apply workplace coordination with other ramp personnel, flight crew, dispatch, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrate specialty-area workplace professional behaviors: precision, regulatory compliance, customer service.

Optional Outcomes

• Pursue industry-recognized credentials appropriate to the specialty area (e.g., IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations certification; deicing fluid handling certification).

Major Topics

Required Topics (Specialty-Dependent)

Specific major topics depend on the institutional specialty offering. Common specialty paths include:

• Cargo Operations and Dangerous Goods (DG): ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air; IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR); UN classification system; Class 1–9 hazard classes; DG declaration; segregation rules; loading restrictions.
• Deicing Operations: SAE AMS 1424 (Type I) and AMS 1428 (Types II, III, IV) fluid specifications; FAA AC 120-89 (Ground Deicing/Anti-Icing); holdover time tables; deicing-only and deicing/anti-icing two-step procedures; quality control; spent fluid containment per Florida environmental regulations.
• Aircraft Fueling Support: Jet A and Avgas fuel chemistry; bonding and grounding; static electricity control; fuel quality (water and particulate contamination testing); spill response; EPA SPCC plan awareness.
• Ramp Safety and Audit: ISAGO (IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations); OSHA inspections; FAA ramp inspections; safety culture and SMS; root cause analysis.
• Customer Service Operations: Passenger service at gates; special-assistance passenger handling; ADA compliance; cultural awareness; service recovery; complaint resolution.

Resources & Tools

• Specialty-specific industry standards (IATA DGR, FAA ACs, SAE AMS, ICAO documents)
• Airline and FBO-specific operations manuals
• Specialty-area training simulators and equipment
• Industry-credential preparation materials (IATA DGR, etc.)

Career Pathways

Specialty completion supports advanced specialty-area roles:

• Cargo Operations Specialist with DG handling certification at airlines and freight forwarders.
• Deicing Operations Specialist for cold-weather and northern-Florida aviation operations (limited application in Florida; transferable to Northeast/Midwest career markets).
• Fueling Coordinator at FBOs and airline operations.
• Ramp Safety Auditor for airline or third-party safety audit organizations.
• Senior Customer Service Representative at airline gate operations.

Special Information

Specialty Variation

Because AVS0683 specialty content varies by institution, students should consult specific course syllabi for the semester in which they enroll. Some institutions offer multiple specialty paths concurrently or in rotation.

Industry Certifications

Specialty-specific credentials include the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations Initial and Recurrent certifications (for cargo operations); SAE/IATA deicing certifications; and NATA Safety 1st Trained Professional Aircraft Refueler (PARC) certification (for fueling).

Continuing Aviation Drug-and-Alcohol and Security Requirements

All requirements from prior Aviation Services coursework apply.

Program Structure (PSAV / Clock-Hour)

AVS0683 clock-hour allocation typically ranges from 75 to 200 clock hours, depending on the specialty path and institutional structure.