Unit of competency Outline

Date retreived
22/07/2026 7:59 AM AWST

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Manage complex aerial operations for an incident

Manage complex aerial operations for an incident

Unit of competency
National Code
PUAFIR004
State Code
OCZ91
TGA Status
Current
DTWD Status
Approved
Current Release Number
1.00
Current Release Date
08/02/2021
View on TGA
State Implementation and Classification
Approved Date
16/06/2021
Field of Education
039905 - Fire Technology
Original Release Date
16/06/2021
Nominal Hours
35
Description
This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge to manage complex aerial operations during the response to an incident. It includes working within organisational and regulatory frameworks, establishing and managing an air operations unit for an incident, confirming safety and effectiveness of aerial operations, developing aerial operations strategies, developing and maintaining an air operations plan within an incident action plan, managing the implementation of an air operations plan, responding to changed circumstances and establishing systems for the safety and security of aerial operations.The unit is applicable to personnel that may fill the role of the air operations manager at an incident. The air operations manager is the most senior aviation related official, during an incident response, responsible for coordinating a range of tactical aerial operations missions within a complex operational environment. They are also responsible for managing personnel undertaking missions and for providing aviation related support services. Authorisation to perform this role is subject to organisational policies and procedures.The fire sector is those sections of government departments, statutory authorities or agencies that have responsibility under jurisdictional arrangements for the delivery of firefighting and fire management services. No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Notes
Elements and Performance Criteria
1 Workwithin an organisational and regulatoryframework
  • 1.1 Briefing on the incident is obtained from the operations officer
  • 1.2 Responsibility for coordinating aerial operations for the incident and managing work of the air operations unit is accepted
  • 1.3 Legislation, regulations and organisational policies and procedures for incident aerial operations are identified and implemented
  • 1.4 Communication is established and maintained with state or territory aircraft coordinator
  • 1.5 Air space requirements and issues are referred to state or territory aircraft coordinator
  • 1.6 Incident reporting requirements for air operations are met
  • 1.7 Advice is provided on aircraft availability and capability, support requirements and operational priorities in accordance with organisational regulatory framework
2 Establish and manage air operations unit
  • 2.1 Air operations unit, appropriate to incident scale and needs, is established
  • 2.2 Personnel are allocated responsibilities and are briefed and debriefed at the conclusion of their deployment
  • 2.3 Communication is maintained with operations officer, aircraft officer and air attack supervisor and their specialist expertise is sought, as required
  • 2.4 Communication is maintained with aircraft contractors including pilots, engineers and refuellers and their specialist advice is sought, as required
  • 2.5 Team Resource Management (TRM) principles are applied to incident air operations and roles and responsibilities for air operations missions are confirmed
  • 2.6 Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements are implemented
  • 2.7 Job hazards are identified and action is taken to eliminate, minimise or control them
  • 2.8 Personnel are managed and monitored for safe and effective work practices and those who are impaired or working in an unsafe way are stood down from duty
3 Confirm safety and effectiveness of current aerial operations
  • 3.1 Air operations plan and details of specific aviation support aspects are confirmed
  • 3.2 Aircraft at incident, en route or in the vicinity are identified
  • 3.3 Aerial operations missions are identified
  • 3.4 Temporary restricted air space need is determined with incident controller and operations officer, with requests then forwarded through to the state air desk
  • 3.5 Air communications plan is established and maintained
  • 3.6 Flight following procedures are established and maintained
  • 3.7 Support services and related personnel are confirmed
  • 3.8 Accident response plan is established and maintained
4 Develop aerial operations strategies
  • 4.1 Incident controller’s intent and incident management objectives are identified
  • 4.2 Current and projected incident situation is obtained
  • 4.3 Capabilities and constraints of available aircraft are reviewed
  • 4.4 Options for use of aircraft resources to support operational needs are developed and analysed
  • 4.5 Aerial strategies and tactics that contribute towards achievement of incident management objectives are developed
  • 4.6 Availability of resources to implement strategies are confirmed with aircraft officer
  • 4.7 Priorities and strategies for use of aircraft resources are proposed and confirmed with operations officer
5 Develop and maintain air operations plan within the IAP
  • 5.1 Air operations plan is developed in accordance with organisational procedures and in collaboration with operations officer and planning officer
  • 5.2 Aerial operations mission resources, support facilities and services are identified in the air operations plan
  • 5.3 Accident response and air communication plans are developed and are included in the air operations plan
  • 5.4 Air operations plan is developed in consultation with operations officer and submitted to incident controller for approval
  • 5.5 Air operations plan is regularly reviewed in response to changed situations or at predetermined timeframes
6 Manage implementation of air operations plan
  • 6.1 Roles and responsibilities for implementing air operations plan are confirmed
  • 6.2 Arrangements are made for aerial operations mission personnel to be briefed
  • 6.3 Tasking of flights is authorised in accordance with organisational procedures
7 Respond to changed circumstances
  • 7.1 Effectiveness of aerial operations missions is monitored and priorities for aircraft use are regularly confirmed with operations officer
  • 7.2 Procedures are established for reassignment of aircraft
  • 7.3 Operations officer is notified of changes to aircraft capability or status and situations that are or may be hazardous
8 Provide oversight of systems for safety and security of air operations
  • 8.1 Flight following procedures are established and implemented in accordance with organisational regulations and requirements
  • 8.2 Search and rescue procedures are established and implemented in accordance with organisational regulations and requirements
  • 8.3 Incident and near miss reporting system is established and monitored
  • 8.4 Notifiable incidents are reported in accordance with organisational procedures and regulatory requirements
  • 8.5 Secure areas are designated for aircraft and are monitored to ensure only authorised personnel can access them
  • 8.6 Security for aircraft and equipment and arrangements for controlling access to the air base are established
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