| Course | AVF-4720 Airport Management I |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 5 |
| Paper type | Written Assignment 3: airport operations and communication systems |
| Length | About 616 words, 5 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | B.S.B.A. in Aviation Management |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for AVF 4720 Module 5
Who Knew the Runway Was Closing? Operations and Communication in One Winter Storm at Cumberland Bay Regional
Student Name
B.S.B.A. in Aviation Management, Thomas Edison State University
AVF-4720: Airport Management I
Mentor Name
Month Day, Year
Who Knew the Runway Was Closing? Operations and Communication in One Winter Storm at Cumberland Bay Regional
What Airport Operations Does
Prather and Steele (2015) describe airport operations as the department that keeps the airfield safe and usable every hour it is open. At Cumberland Bay Regional, operations staff inspect the airfield, report its condition, manage wildlife, coordinate snow removal with maintenance, issue notices to air missions (NOTAMs) about closures and hazards, respond to emergencies and serve as the link among the airport's many organizations. The operations center is staffed around the clock and holds radios for the airfield, the county emergency network and the airport's own vehicles.
Who Needs to Know
An airport is a meeting point for organizations that do not report to one another: the FAA control tower, the airlines and their ground handlers, the fixed-base operator serving private aircraft, the Transportation Security Administration, rental car companies, the county fire and police and the airport's own maintenance crews. Each needs some of the same information, especially about the runway, but each uses different channels.
The Storm
In this scenario, a winter storm reached the airport on a Thursday afternoon. Operations closed the main runway for plowing at 4:10 p.m. and issued a NOTAM and a field condition report. The tower knew immediately. The airline's local station manager learned of the closure from the NOTAM, but the airline's dispatch office, in another state, was working from an earlier forecast and sent the evening flight. The aircraft diverted to another airport, and its crew and 70 passengers were bused back hours later. Meanwhile, passengers at the terminal learned of the diversion from a phone app before the gate agent announced it.
| Time | Event | Who knew |
|---|---|---|
| 3:30 p.m. | Snow begins; plowing planned | Operations, maintenance |
| 4:10 p.m. | Main runway closed for plowing; NOTAM issued | Operations, tower, local station |
| 4:40 p.m. | Evening flight departs from hub | Airline dispatch (unaware) |
| 6:05 p.m. | Flight diverts | Tower, dispatch, passengers on board |
| 6:15 p.m. | Gate announcement | Waiting passengers, after many saw the app |
What Went Wrong
The formal systems worked: the NOTAM was issued and the tower knew. What failed was the informal coordination that should have reached airline dispatch before departure, along with an estimated reopening time. Wells and Young (2011) describe operations staff as the airport's link to tenants and agencies during irregular events. Corrigan et al. (2015) evaluated preparation for airport collaborative decision making, an approach in which airports, airlines, ground handlers and air traffic control share operational data and agree on common procedures. They found that its success depended less on technology than on shared understanding, trust and agreed roles among partners. At Cumberland Bay Regional, partners had no shared plan for snow events and no agreed way to give airlines a reopening estimate.
Proposed Changes
First, a shared winter operations call: when snow is forecast, operations hosts a call with the tower, both airlines' dispatch offices, the fixed-base operator and maintenance, repeated every two hours during the storm, to share runway status and expected reopening times. Second, a simple shared status page showing runway condition and estimated reopening, updated by operations and visible to all partners. Third, terminal communication: gate agents receive the same updates as dispatch, and the airport's public screens and social media post closures within ten minutes. Fourth, a review after each major storm, including all partners, to agree on changes.
Conclusion
Airport operations depend on information reaching everyone who acts on it. At Cumberland Bay Regional, formal systems worked during the storm, but the airline's decision-makers were outside the conversation. A shared call, a common status page and joint reviews, following research on collaborative decision making, would close that gap at little cost.
References
Corrigan, S., Mårtensson, L., Kay, A., Okwir, S., Ulfvengren, P., & McDonald, N. (2015). Preparing for airport collaborative decision making (A-CDM) implementation: An evaluation and recommendations. Cognition, Technology & Work, 17(2), 207-218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-014-0295-x
Prather, C. D., & Steele, R. N. (2015). Airport management. Aviation Supplies & Academics.
Wells, A. T., & Young, S. B. (2011). Airport planning and management (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Reading the AVF 4720 Module 5 assignment instructions
The third AVF-4720 written assignment covers Module 5, Airport Operations and Communication Systems, which addresses the third, fifth, seventh and ninth course objectives. Expect to explain what an airport operations department does and how information moves among the organizations that share an airport, and to analyze where communication succeeds or fails. A single event, such as a storm, an emergency or a busy holiday, is a practical way to show the systems at work. Use the Prather and Steele text for operations functions and add research on airport coordination. Questions about communication systems belong on your list for the airport executive you will interview. A timeline of a single event is an efficient way to show where information flowed and where it stopped.
Inside the AVF 4720 Module 5 example
The sample first describes the operations department's daily work at a composite county airport. A section lists the organizations that share information at an airport. The core is a winter storm told through a five-row timeline of who knew what and when, with a margin note explaining that the formal NOTAM system worked. The analysis uses Corrigan and colleagues' study of collaborative decision making to show the failure lay in partners' coordination, not technology. Four changes follow: a shared winter call, a common status page, faster terminal updates and joint reviews. The conclusion restates the gap and its low-cost fix. The paper credits the systems that worked before naming the gap, so no partner is singled out.
Where the marks sit in the AVF 4720 Module 5 rubric
The rubric rewards accurate description of airport operations, a clear analysis of how communication works among airport organizations and practical recommendations grounded in evidence. A paper that traces an actual or realistic event, showing who knew what and when, demonstrates analysis that a general description cannot. Mentors look for correct terms, such as NOTAMs and field condition reports, and for an understanding that many airport partners do not report to the airport. Research on coordination, used to explain the failure, adds depth. Clear organization, a timeline or table where helpful and correct APA form complete the expectations. Proposals that partners outside the airport would accept, such as a shared call, show realistic understanding of how airports coordinate without authority.
Common AVF 4720 Module 5 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Many papers list communication equipment, radios, phones and systems, without showing how information actually moves or fails to move. Others blame one party, often the airline, without recognizing that coordination is shared. Pick one event and follow the information through it. Identify which formal systems worked and which informal links failed. Recommend changes partners would accept, and keep costs realistic for your airport's size. Use correct operational terms. Ask for a first AVF-4720 operations sample on your airport; it costs nothing. Keep recommendations within your airport's budget and staffing; a small airport cannot run a large hub's operations center.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Thomas Edison State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More AVF 4720 and B.S.B.A. in Aviation Management sample papers
- AVF 4720 Module 1: Written Assignment: How Federal Policy Built America's Airports
- AVF 4720 Module 2: Blog Entry: Who Runs an Airport? The Structure of a County Airport
- AVF 4720 Module 3: Written Assignment: Runway Capacity, Markings and Vehicle Movement at a County Airport
- AVF 4720 Module 4: Blog Entry: Noise, Foam and the Neighbors of a County Airport
- AVF 4720 Module 6: Written Assignment: Self-Inspections and Maintenance Under Part 139
- AVF 4720 Module 7: Final Project: Analysis of an Airport From a Tour and an Executive Interview
- AVT 3010 Module 4: Written Assignment: JetBlue's Product Offering and Revenue Management
- AVT 3050 Module 3: Written Assignment: Communication Lessons From Malaysia Airlines for Boardwalk Air
- AVF 4740 Module 2: Blog Entry: Building a Terminal Without Closing the Airport
AVF 4720 Module 5 questions, answered
Where can I find a free AVF 4720 Module 5 sample paper?
The written assignment above traces communication during a winter storm at a composite county airport and proposes changes.
What does an airport operations department do?
It inspects and reports on the airfield, manages wildlife and snow removal with maintenance, issues NOTAMs, responds to emergencies and links the airport's organizations.
What is a NOTAM?
A notice to air missions that informs pilots and operators about closures, hazards and changes at an airport or in the airspace.
What is airport collaborative decision making?
An approach in which airports, airlines, ground handlers and air traffic control share operational information and agree on procedures to improve efficiency.
What modules does AVF-4720 cover?
Seven: airport history, structure, capacity and markings, environment, operations and communication, maintenance and inspections, and safety and security.