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An airfield driving story

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Gerald Gilchrist
  • 305th Operations Support Squadron Airfield Management
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAEKHURST, N.J. --  We, in airfield management, wear many hats when we are doing day-to-day operations. One of the biggest things we do is airfield safety and the driving program. Basically, we monitor the way people drive on the airfield, if they are driving properly, or if they are even carrying their airfield driver's license with them.

Yes, for those of you who do not know there is a special license for driving on the flightline. Someone must undergo a considerable amount of training to obtain a flightline driver's license and it is even harder to get it back if it confiscated by Airfield Management. That, of course, is the purpose of this commentary, to educate you so you do not violate a golden rule and get your airfield driving privileges taken away.

If you are driving along and you hit the entry control point of the airfield, there will be a sign to the right that will say FOD, or foreign-object debris, Checkpoint. It is vital the FOD check is complete. I know what you are thinking "A FOD check isn't that big of a deal," but you could not be more incorrect. Jet engines are very delicate and the rock that came from your tire could very well destroy an engine. Also, often times there will be bigger FOD found under your car. It really only takes about 30 seconds to complete a good FOD check and if you are in a hurry, chances are you are already late for work.

Another thing my colleagues and I notice on the airfield is excessive speeding. The same rule applies to the rule of thumb with FOD checks and that is if you are in such a hurry, then you are already late for work. Speeding on the flightline will just cause more problems than solutions in the long run. If you are caught speeding, your airfield driver's license will be confiscated and you will have to find rides onto the flightline, or even walk to work. The cons defiantly outweigh the pros when it comes to speeding. If you are not aware of the speed limits, do not be afraid to ask. It is better than getting stopped for speeding on the flightline.

Another big deal that may not seem like it on the surface is placing placards on your vehicle while parked on the flightline. The reason we issue placards or cones is to keep accountability on the flightline and when somebody gets spotted without a placard, the issue goes up the chain of command. It is never good to be on the list of people that get caught without their placards. I do not know how many times I have heard "I just was in a rush and forgot to put my placard up." Once again, if you are running so far behind that you forget all of the requirements; perhaps you should leave your house sooner.
 
Lastly, just be safe and smart on the airfield when driving. Much of what we see is just carelessness and lack of situational awareness. Be very careful when operating machinery or your vehicle on the flightline, because there are multi-million dollar aircraft on the ramp and I do not think anyone would like to have a mishap out there. Many of the consequences with reckless behavior on the flightline is getting your airfield driver's licenses taken away. When this happens, you will be unable to do your job or even get to your job. So, just heed my warning and take it safe and slow and there will be no issues.