Mission Planner

About the role

The Mission Planner plays a crucial role in ensuring that all National Airlines flights comply with Federal Air Regulations, company guidelines, and foreign government requirements. They are responsible for researching each proposed flight operation for compliance and interfacing with the sales team.

Responsibilities

• Interfaces with sales on trip feasibility to ensure each proposed mission can be accomplished considering all constraints.
• Provides a route analysis to include projected in route times, fuel burn projections, mandatory way points, and any additional route constraints or concerns.
• Identifies all required overflight and landing permissions and sets realistic expectations by providing expected lead time required for obtaining each permit.
• Identifies any additional insurance requirements for the carriage of special cargo such as dangerous goods or operations into high-risk areas.
• Conducts an aircraft performance and airport suitability check for each leg to ensure payload requirements can be met. Adds technical stops as necessary.
• Provides a maximum expected payload based on expected constraints and limitations. Provides constraints on any proposed dangerous goods including the lead time required to obtain special permission.
• Sets up required permits through vendors, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Diplomatic Authorities (APACS), or military as appropriate.
• Maintains all necessary documentation for the acquisition of permissions.
• Collaborates with corporate attorneys on trip planning issues as necessary.
• Builds confirmed trips in AIMS and Navblue computer systems.
• Coordinates with Maintenance Control and Sales for aircraft trip assignments.
• Coordinates with Ground Operations to ensure all necessary ground operations preparations are made.
• Coordinates with Crew Scheduling on crew requirements.
• Coordinates or advises the Director of SOC, Director of Operations, and/or Chief Pilot on all unusual requests or circumstances.
• Attends and discusses operational issues/matters in the daily operations meeting.
• Coordinates with SOC support on the maintenance of all aircraft and airline documents required for trip planning and permitting.
• Coordinates with the DOD on military missions as necessary.
• Sets up diplomatic clearances as necessary.
• Flexible hours/shift work required to cover operations 24/7.
• May be asked to act as a dispatcher if needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Experience & Skills

• A High School Diploma or General Education Development (GED) Diploma.
• A Bachelor's Degree preferred but not required.
• A valid Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aircraft Dispatcher Certificate is required.
• Two (2) years' experience working in a flight operation center.
• Two (2) years Aviation experience.
• A basic understanding of obtaining flight operations permits for flights into or over foreign states.
• A basic understanding of U.S. Military contracts for flight operations preferred but not required.
• Exceptional communication skills with complete fluency in written and spoken English.
• A basic foreign language skill (read, speak, and understand) preferred but not required.
• A regular attendance and/or punctuality is required.
• A pass for a ten (10) year background check, pre-employment drug test, and criminal history records check (CHRC).
• A strong technical knowledge of aircraft performance, navigation, weather, and Federal Air Regulations as they relate to trip planning.
• A proficiency with Microsoft products.
• An ability to work in a team environment.
• A strong attention to detail.