Dispatcher/ Pilot ?
- Thread starter NEWBY101
- Start date
manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
Um, as a former Mesa employee, I would urge you to go ANYWHERE but Mesa. I have to admit it was good experience, because they were so understaffed, but they really treat their employees like crap in my opinion. It's an equal opportunity thing...pilots, F/A's, dispatchers, administative employees, etc. If you DO go there, start sending out resumes as soon as you start. The experience does look good when trying to get on with a better airline (I know one person who went from Mesa to Skywest to Continental.)
Mesa is also having several financial problems right now, and is at risk of losing one of their major codeshares with Delta, so keep that in mind also if you get an offer from them.
All the above comments are strictly my opinion but they've been echoed by pretty much every person I know who has worked for Mesa.
NEWBY101
New Member
I do appreciate the info. I know what people have been saying, but I do need the experience and I have worked for that type of company before so its a means to an end i guess. Thanks again for the info though. I trust most everyone's experience.
mission_aviation
Well-Known Member
You sound over qualified to work for PSA. Ops Chief is a supervisor for Aviation Operations Specialists right, not flying?
mission_aviation
Well-Known Member
121 entry ops can be for newly licensed dispatchers without experience. Didn't you do dispatching in your MOS? If so, wouldn't entry level121 ops make you overqualified with your 26 years experience?
69beers
Well-Known Member
This is exactly my point. Military "dispatching" isn't even close to part 121. The experience you gain in military base ops encompasses about a solid 20% of domestic dispatching. A newly licensed dispatcher, with or without 26 years military, is still a newly licensed dispatcher and is therefore entry level. It sucks, but it's reality. Having even a year at PSA with the military background will put him in a whole different category. You have to get that 121 block checked before bigger carriers will look at you.
None of us did. You can call it dispatching to fluff your resumee, but don't be surprised if it burns you in an interview. You can get it past some that don't know any better, but the ones hiring at the places you want to be have seen this before and know better.
mission_aviation
Well-Known Member
Well its a good thing I didn't chose Air Ops Specialist when I was active. Very true about getting the blocked checked in 121. So with 26 years experience what do you know about dispatching. You should at least know the basics, legalities etc. Do you know how to read TAFs and METARs, NOTAMs? How bout how to handle scenarios? Knowing those should at least get a second look. In the end, you will have to get the FAA license unless you want to flight follow for 135 only.
69beers
Well-Known Member
Like I said, The experience you gain in military base ops encompasses about a solid 20% of domestic dispatching. The military barely stays within FAR 91, let alone FAR121. Things tend to get a little more complicated when you're dispatching flag around the planet with seven different airframes. Anymore, you realistically need a license to even be competitive for 135.
Hopefully he can do more than read them. He/she had better be able to correctly interpret them, along with all available approved weather products and make sound operational and legal decisions. Combine this with aircraft performance, systems, OPSPECS & FAR 121. These subjects are not usually experienced in the military unless you are aircrew. And even then FAR 121 & OPSPECS are not covered.
My first operation seemed very close to the military air operations (I did also work base ops besides ATC). It was 4 turboprop planes with a very limited route structure. There was little to do, little oversight, and things just seemed to work themselves out. However, when I went to my next carrier that flew 40+ heavy jets around the globe things became far more complicated. Then I got hired at the major where I am now. Needless to say, now my military experience is a distant memory when it comes to dispatching.
I respect what you're trying to do for our fellow veterans as far as career advice. However, things aren't always the way they should be when you get out of the service. The last thing our brothers/sisters need is unrealistic career expectations when they are trying to get back on their feet.
irate:
onewithwings
New Member
Good luck getting your foot in the door nowadays! I work for a podunk regional...have for 8 years and we are furloughing at the end of the month. I've been dispatching over 10 years. It's a sad day in history!
manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
Good luck getting your foot in the door nowadays! I work for a podunk regional...have for 8 years and we are furloughing at the end of the month. I've been dispatching over 10 years. It's a sad day in history!
Sorry your carrier is struggling right now (I know most are, currently) but remember to keep an eye out as to who is hiring and keep applying with the majors/large cargo carriers. True, times are tight right now, but I know that Southwest did do some hiring recently.
I had over ten years of regional experience before I got on with a major (other people had better timing and got hired where I work with much less, though.) Anyhow, good luck and don't forget to keep sending out resumes!
121 entry ops can be for newly licensed dispatchers without experience. Didn't you do dispatching in your MOS? If so, wouldn't entry level121 ops make you overqualified with your 26 years experience?
Hey Mission-aviation, I sent you a PM.....8sm
now back to normal programming..........
mission_aviation
Well-Known Member
Like I said, The experience you gain in military base ops encompasses about a solid 20% of domestic dispatching. The military barely stays within FAR 91, let alone FAR121. Things tend to get a little more complicated when you're dispatching flag around the planet with seven different airframes. Anymore, you realistically need a license to even be competitive for 135.
Hopefully he can do more than read them. He/she had better be able to correctly interpret them, along with all available approved weather products and make sound operational and legal decisions. Combine this with aircraft performance, systems, OPSPECS & FAR 121. These subjects are not usually experienced in the military unless you are aircrew. And even then FAR 121 & OPSPECS are not covered.
My first operation seemed very close to the military air operations (I did also work base ops besides ATC). It was 4 turboprop planes with a very limited route structure. There was little to do, little oversight, and things just seemed to work themselves out. However, when I went to my next carrier that flew 40+ heavy jets around the globe things became far more complicated. Then I got hired at the major where I am now. Needless to say, now my military experience is a distant memory when it comes to dispatching.
I respect what you're trying to do for our fellow veterans as far as career advice. However, things aren't always the way they should be when you get out of the service. The last thing our brothers/sisters need is unrealistic career expectations when they are trying to get back on their feet.
I respect your opinnion, but that is not true. The way the industry is right now is way it is tough to get a job for everyone. But a military background goes alot further. A few of us that have prior service have gotten jobs. Nobody should believe that just because they have prior service, means they are guaranteed a job in dispatching. Everyone is on an equal playing until they get an interview. Prior service should stand out while interviewing.
Much like higher academics, prior military service shows a long-term commitment to a program, training or job. Employers like that; it shows the candidate is trainable, which lessens the risks and likelihood of washing out. Training is expensive; most air carriers operate within tight and challenged budget margins in today’s environment.
Having said that, a similar candidate without military service; yet demonstrating long-term employment within a flight operations dept would have the same if not greater chance of success to the employer.
Rightly, so, and most Americans would agree, rewarding military service when looking at a candidate is the least we can. Lord knows, our government falls short when taking care of those who sacrifice the most for our freedom. But that’s a whole different subject for a different forum.
Peace….8sm
Having said that, a similar candidate without military service; yet demonstrating long-term employment within a flight operations dept would have the same if not greater chance of success to the employer.
Rightly, so, and most Americans would agree, rewarding military service when looking at a candidate is the least we can. Lord knows, our government falls short when taking care of those who sacrifice the most for our freedom. But that’s a whole different subject for a different forum.
Peace….8sm
mission_aviation
Well-Known Member
mission_aviation
Well-Known Member
:yeahthat:
I ran across a dispatch interviewer for a major today, which mirrored your exact statement.
Further adding, their airline last 2 classes hired quite a few dispatch applicants out of 121 regional /135 operations with great experience. Their exact words where go get the experience whereever you can.
Adding today,they are looking at those with atleast 3 years experience to get a class date, tommorrow or further down the road it maybe less.
thanks 69beers....got a JOB for me:nana2:
Further adding, their airline last 2 classes hired quite a few dispatch applicants out of 121 regional /135 operations with great experience. Their exact words where go get the experience whereever you can.
Adding today,they are looking at those with atleast 3 years experience to get a class date, tommorrow or further down the road it maybe less.
thanks 69beers....got a JOB for me:nana2: