HEBRON, Ky. — Standing just a few hundred feet from the thunderous roar of an airliner touching down are two members of a critical airport team you've likely never heard of.
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport's operations team ensures the facility is safe and ready for everyone from airlines to food vendors to cargo shippers.
What falls under the team’s purview is a wide-ranging list, said Casey Kinosz, CVG’s Airport Operations Director.
"Our team does everything from ‘Is there something we need to correct out in the airfield immediately?’ to ‘Does the chair look nice that you’re sitting in?’" Kinosz said.
In a room beneath travelers in the concourse, members of the operations team are surrounded by screens.
"All the aircraft and vehicles that are out on the airfield will show up on that map," Kinosz said, explaining the intricate monitoring system that gives the teams eyes and ears in the windowless room.
More than 800 cameras show everything from the taxi lanes to baggage claim.
“The team, just by their daily duties, can be watching that camera scroll and see if something irregular pops up,” Kinosz said.
But the team’s office goes far beyond one room.
Safety is always their top priority. The airfield is inspected at least twice a day, a routine that ensures all signs, lights and pavement markings are in optimal condition.
"The signage system can be complex for somebody who's not familiar," said senior manager Brian Barnott.
During times of low visibility, members of the airport ops team will escort pilots unfamiliar with CVG.
Technology becomes even more instrumental in maintaining flight operations during the winter months. The team deploys a friction tester truck to measure runway slickness and coordinates with a fleet to clear the runway during inclement weather.
Plus, small pucks in the pavement help determine surface temperature. Other weather equipment helps determine how far away lightning may be from the airfield.
While they remain out of sight for many passengers, the operations team gets busier and busier as the airport grows. CVG is now the sixth largest cargo hub in North America and welcomed 8.7 million passengers in 2023.
Those working in airport ops don’t need an aviation background, Barnott said: “If you have a good personality and fit in with the organization, airport operations can come second nature to most folks."
But, employees "gotta love aviation. That's a key requirement," he said with a smile.
