ADF- Airline Dispatchers Federation

I think it’s $35…and yes.
From the people you meet to the industry professionals you meet…the major and legacy carrier unions actually pay for the membership.
I don’t know why TWU and the Teamsters don’t pay for their regional union members to be members.
 
Pepwave1 said:
I think it’s $35…and yes.
From the people you meet to the industry professionals you meet…the major and legacy carrier unions actually pay for the membership.
I don’t know why TWU and the Teamsters don’t pay for their regional union members to be members.
Click to expand...
Got it.
 
It ABSOLUTELY is worth it!

Quick story: I was working at a supplemental about 8 years ago. Originally there were about 6 of us total, so I didn't know anyone outside of my own shop. After a relocation I didn't want to make, I realized I had a certificate and experience, but no real connections. A friend of mine recommended going to the ADF summit, and so I went...not knowing ANYONE with the exception of my friend and a couple of the vendors. I put myself out there, met a bunch of great dispatchers, and asked a ton of questions. In the end, the advice I was given, and the connections I made helped me land an interview, and now I'm almost 5 years in at SWA!

Here's something you (or anyone for that matter) can do: ADF is offering a 1st time attendee scholarship for the Summit in Orlando this October. Go to 2024 Scholarships | Airline Dispatchers Federation . If selected, ADF covers your hotel and registration fee for the Summit. You can't win if you don't apply!
 
flyinbrian22 said:
It ABSOLUTELY is worth it!

Quick story: I was working at a supplemental about 8 years ago. Originally there were about 6 of us total, so I didn't know anyone outside of my own shop. After a relocation I didn't want to make, I realized I had a certificate and experience, but no real connections. A friend of mine recommended going to the ADF summit, and so I went...not knowing ANYONE with the exception of my friend and a couple of the vendors. I put myself out there, met a bunch of great dispatchers, and asked a ton of questions. In the end, the advice I was given, and the connections I made helped me land an interview, and now I'm almost 5 years in at SWA!

Here's something you (or anyone for that matter) can do: ADF is offering a 1st time attendee scholarship for the Summit in Orlando this October. Go to 2024 Scholarships | Airline Dispatchers Federation . If selected, ADF covers your hotel and registration fee for the Summit. You can't win if you don't apply!
Click to expand...
Which Supplemental were you working at?
 
flyinbrian22 said:
It ABSOLUTELY is worth it!

Quick story: I was working at a supplemental about 8 years ago. Originally there were about 6 of us total, so I didn't know anyone outside of my own shop. After a relocation I didn't want to make, I realized I had a certificate and experience, but no real connections. A friend of mine recommended going to the ADF summit, and so I went...not knowing ANYONE with the exception of my friend and a couple of the vendors. I put myself out there, met a bunch of great dispatchers, and asked a ton of questions. In the end, the advice I was given, and the connections I made helped me land an interview, and now I'm almost 5 years in at SWA!

Here's something you (or anyone for that matter) can do: ADF is offering a 1st time attendee scholarship for the Summit in Orlando this October. Go to 2024 Scholarships | Airline Dispatchers Federation . If selected, ADF covers your hotel and registration fee for the Summit. You can't win if you don't apply!
Click to expand...

Sounds like the summit would be a good excuse (if nothing else) to get out and network but what else happens there? Are there workshops? Vendors? Airline reps? What’s the general vibe of the summit?
 
Bustedcropdusta said:
Sounds like the summit would be a good excuse (if nothing else) to get out and network but what else happens there? Are there workshops? Vendors? Airline reps? What’s the general vibe of the summit
Click to expand...
Really positive!

Day 1 (Monday): There's usually a meet & greet / happy hour, which allows everyone to catch up, meet the vendors, etc. There will probably be a "welcome to the summit" bingo, where each square is something like "Never had a diversion", "dispatched for more than 20 years", or "1st time ADF attendee". Basically it gets to you meet random people in a different but fun way.

Day 2 (Tuesday): There are several panels, lectures, and info sessions by various speakers. Usually there will be a panel with the major carrier senior managers or VPs, talks about the future of dispatch and aviation in general. There are usually Q&A sessions after each panel or lecture. In between sessions, there are usually coffee / beverage breaks, and the vendors will have a chance to answer your questions about the school / academy / business they represent (vendors like Flightkeys, Garmin, IFOD, Jeppesen, and a bunch of other aviation businesses). Also, vendors typically sponsor the food and beverage available to the attendees.

Tuesday night - This year a lot of folks go out to dinner, find evening activities to do. A couple of years ago when we had it in Vegas, there were a million things you could do. This year in Orlando, we are still trying to figure out some evening activities.

Day 3 (Wednesday): Half-day of more lectures and panels. There are also a bunch of items up for raffle: Things like iPads, Garmin watches, model replicas, and other airline merch.

Again...if you are new to dispatch, have been trying to get on with the majors, or just want to meet dispatchers from other shops, the ADF summit is a great place to do it!
 
Bustedcropdusta said:
Sounds like the summit would be a good excuse (if nothing else) to get out and network but what else happens there? Are there workshops? Vendors? Airline reps? What’s the general vibe of the summit?
Click to expand...
It's mostly lecture style presentations.
I'd really like to see small workshops/breakouts... but it's really organized and sponsored by the Big 3 unions...there's not much in the way of career development.
Lovely people...but it's not going to do much to advance your career unless you're able to get 50% of your workgroup to pay the $30 annually to join.
I can't honestly name 3 reasons for a person to spend $30 to join...selling ADF isn't really something ADF is good at...they survive on the membership dues paid by the unions.

On the upside: it's REALLY inexpensive. The people are fellow aviation nerds. Everyone I have met at ADF is someone I could envision working with.

Last year I learned a lot from the ATC presentations and I thought the way they did questions at the end of panels was stellar.
 
flyinbrian22 said:
Really positive!

Day 1 (Monday): There's usually a meet & greet / happy hour, which allows everyone to catch up, meet the vendors, etc. There will probably be a "welcome to the summit" bingo, where each square is something like "Never had a diversion", "dispatched for more than 20 years", or "1st time ADF attendee". Basically it gets to you meet random people in a different but fun way.

Day 2 (Tuesday): There are several panels, lectures, and info sessions by various speakers. Usually there will be a panel with the major carrier senior managers or VPs, talks about the future of dispatch and aviation in general. There are usually Q&A sessions after each panel or lecture. In between sessions, there are usually coffee / beverage breaks, and the vendors will have a chance to answer your questions about the school / academy / business they represent (vendors like Flightkeys, Garmin, IFOD, Jeppesen, and a bunch of other aviation businesses). Also, vendors typically sponsor the food and beverage available to the attendees.

Tuesday night - This year a lot of folks go out to dinner, find evening activities to do. A couple of years ago when we had it in Vegas, there were a million things you could do. This year in Orlando, we are still trying to figure out some evening activities.

Day 3 (Wednesday): Half-day of more lectures and panels. There are also a bunch of items up for raffle: Things like iPads, Garmin watches, model replicas, and other airline merch.

Again...if you are new to dispatch, have been trying to get on with the majors, or just want to meet dispatchers from other shops, the ADF summit is a great place to do it!
Click to expand...

1722111642847.gif


Sounds like a good time! I’m going to look into going.
 
Pepwave1 said:
It's mostly lecture style presentations.
I'd really like to see small workshops/breakouts... but it's really organized and sponsored by the Big 3 unions...there's not much in the way of career development.
Lovely people...but it's not going to do much to advance your career unless you're able to get 50% of your workgroup to pay the $30 annually to join.
I can't honestly name 3 reasons for a person to spend $30 to join...selling ADF isn't really something ADF is good at...they survive on the membership dues paid by the unions.

On the upside: it's REALLY inexpensive. The people are fellow aviation nerds. Everyone I have met at ADF is someone I could envision working with.

Last year I learned a lot from the ATC presentations and I thought the way they did questions at the end of panels was stellar.
Click to expand...

For $30, I’d say you get an organization that advocates for the profession and ensure that the folks on the hill don’t write you out of a job. Sounds like a bargain to me.
 
TXAce said:
So you went from SwiftAir to SWA? It’s possible to go from a supp to a major?
Click to expand...
Happens more often than you think. People at my shop (135) came from 121 regionals, supplementals, cargo ops, and majors alike. And the few that haven’t made this their final stop have gone to majors as well. If you look at the WN hiring post they usually post a roster of where everyone in a hiring group came from.
 
Hecklers2002 said:
For $30, I’d say you get an organization that advocates for the profession and ensure that the folks on the hill don’t write you out of a job. Sounds like a bargain to me.
Click to expand...
This is not a criticism...however...that's not what they actually do.

I see the value in ADF...I'm a paid member. but I'm no longer struggling to get by on a regional hourly in a world where renting a shoebox costs three weeks of wages for a regional dispatcher.

They mainly work with the FAA and represent 121 Dispatchers in "working groups" (think committees between like NTSB, NASA, and FAA)...and represent the issues for legacy carrier dispatchers before those committees. (They don't do much for regionals, supplemental or 135 carriers.)

Every executive board member of ADF I spoke with was completely surprised that the FAA Reauthorization bill included a section which requires all Air Carriers to have dispatch centers and dispatchers and which prohibits working from home for longer than 10 days without the administrator's approval. (Notice that does not say Domestic and Flag Carriers...Congress meant ALL air carriers.)

Their an arm of the Big 3 Unions (or Big 4, if you're counting AS). And that's ok. But I think it's hard to sell someone making $20 an hour on spending $30 annually plus the cost of hotels and meals on attending ADF for 3 days in October.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top