In the ultra-high-energy (UHE) regime, the low predicted neutrino fluxes are out of reach for currently running neutrino detectors. Larger instrumented volumes are needed to probe these low fluxes. The Radio Neutrino Observatory Greenland (RNO-G) detects in-ice radio waves emitted by neutrino induced particle showers in the Greenlandic ice sheet. Radio waves have a large attenuation length ($\sim$1km), and therefore RNO-G implements a sparse instrumentation to cover an unprecedented volume. By 2022, seven stations have been deployed, consisting of a deep in-ice component and antennas just below the surface. Apart from measuring UHE neutrinos, RNO-G will be able to detect cosmic-ray air showers with a total effective area of close to $\mathcal{O}$(100km$^2$) above 0.1 EeV. Detected air showers can be used as a source for in-situ calibration of the detector and provide an important verification measurement due to the possible backgrounds. Prospects for in-ice signal detection of air showers are developing further: Simulations suggest energy dense cores which propagate though the ice and are visible to deep antennas. In addition, catastrophic energy losses from high energy air shower muons penetrating the ice may mimic the interaction of a neutrino. An efficient surface trigger will provide a veto mechanism for both types of events. The collected data of shallow and deep antennas can be used to verify simulations for in-ice development of air showers. This contribution introduces RNO-G, discusses lessons learned from the first year of data taking and outlines possible backgrounds.