A Typical day at work for a Turn Around Coordinator (TCO)

 

A Typical day at work for a Turn Around Coordinator (TCO)

In the Aviation Industry a lot of elements are harnessed to ensure a safe and efficient operations of flight. The Turn Around Coordinators are always on ground to ensure the effective coordination of these elements.

Sometimes it takes knowing about other people’s roles and the enormous task they are saddled with to really appreciate them.

Fatoye Olawaiye who is very experienced on this role has been able to take time out of his busy schedule to run us through how a typical day at work is for a Turn Around Coordinator. I hope by the time you go through it you will agree with me that a Turn Around coordinator has alot to deal with.

“A TCO starts the day with briefing, usually done by his colleagues who are handing over the station.He then reads his mails, check the hand-over notes and the relevant documents and tools needed to carry out his role.

A study of the schedule is mandatory as it forms the bedrock of his plans. Any changes to the schedule are noted and acted upon. He holds another briefing with the airline’s service providers such as Nahco, Sahcol, ASL etc

Servicing equipments, avio-bridge and parking bays are inspected and abnormalities are noted and reported for quick solutions.

Rostering is often carried out prior to these functions as TCOs are stipulated to handle a flight at a time.

Loading instructions are issued for respective flights after passenger figures and cargo are considered after initial flight plan study. This subsequently leads to the preparation of the loading instructions, monitoring of loading and the submission of the final loading report for the preparation of the weight and balance document (Loadsheet)

Monitoring and evaluation of service providers then come in through supervision of fuelers, loaders,equiment operators,caterers and his colleagues such as ramp agents (agents given the training to account and authorize hold baggage), boarding agents etc

The TCO is expected to take time lines as events unfold so as to discuss and subsequently apportion his delay code (if any). Post flight analyses and reports,debriefing and short meetings including raising of the GHR (Ground Occurence Report) in the case of an unforeseen adverse development are the responsibilities of a TCO.

In case of an arrival,documents such as CPM(Container Pallet Message-For wide body) and LDM(Load Message) coupled with the aircraft’s movement message should be printed out and studied by the TCO in order to ensure a seamless turnaround operation.

The TCO shares the responsibility with the ramp agent to ensure that all items are screened prior to carriage. He uses the his/her knowledge of dangerous goods,live animal and load and HSE (Health Safety and Environment) to ensure compliance to IATA dangerous goods regulations, LIve animal regulations etc.

All said, the Turn around Coordinator’s focus is ensuring an efficient operation.

Hectic day isn’t it?