Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors

Career Overview

Supervise and coordinate the activities of ground crew in the loading, unloading, securing, and staging of aircraft cargo or baggage. May determine the quantity and orientation of cargo and compute aircraft center of gravity. May accompany aircraft as member of flight crew and monitor and handle cargo in flight, and assist and brief passengers on safety and emergency procedures. Includes loadmasters.

Also Known As

• Cargo Supervisor
• Line Service Supervisor (LSS)
• Loadmaster
• Ramp Supervisor

Alternate Job Titles

• Air Cargo Ground Crew Supervisor
• Air Cargo Ground Operations Supervisor
• Air Cargo Specialist Supervisor
• Air Cargo Supervisor
• Aircraft Loadmaster
• Airfreight Loading Supervisor
• Airport Operations Supervisor
• Airport Ramp Supervisor
• Baggage Handling Supervisor
• Cargo Service Supervisor
• Cargo Services Coordinator
• Cargo Supervisor
• Ground Crew Supervisor
• Ground Operations Supervisor
• Helicopter Loadmaster

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Determine the quantity and orientation of cargo, and compute an aircraft's center of gravity.
• Direct ground crews in the loading, unloading, securing, or staging of aircraft cargo or baggage.
• Train new employees in areas such as safety procedures or equipment operation.
• Distribute cargo to maximize use of space.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Customer and Personal Service
• Public Safety and Security
• Transportation
• English Language
• Administration and Management
• Administrative

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Critical Thinking
2. Management of Personnel Resources
3. Active Listening
4. Speaking
5. Monitoring
6. Time Management

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Far Vision
• Deductive Reasoning
• Near Vision
• Multilimb Coordination
• Selective Attention
• Speech Recognition
• Perceptual Speed

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Dependability
• Attention to Detail
• Cautiousness
• Leadership Orientation
• Stress Tolerance

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Support
• Independence
• Relationships
• Working Conditions
• Achievement

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Facebook
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

• Aircraft loaders
• Aircraft wheel chocks
• Airplane baggage tuggers
• Airport cargo conveyor trucks
• Belt loader trucks
• Cargo collection hoppers
• Cargo dollies
• Cargo tiedown straps
• Cargo turntables
• Cargo winches
• Conveyor belt systems
• Data input scanners
• Desktop computers
• Elevating transfer vehicles ETV
• Forklift scales

Work Environment

• E-Mail
• Telephone Conversations
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Contact With Others
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$38,010
Median	$63,940
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$96,300

Workers Employed Nationally: 10,160

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.