Aircraft Dispatcher and Pilot Role Infographic

Avgirl

Avgirl

Well-Known Member
Thought this was cool. It was posted by Sheffield...of course it doesn't include everything, but who doesn't like pictures? ;)
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Actually, not a very accurate description/comparison of job duties. Example, yes the dispatcher is responsible for the fuel computation, the pilot is responsible for actual fuel over/under burn and the first to determine whether a divert for fuel is necessary. Direct communication is an entirely different and additional thing.
 
I'm going to go ahead and say that's a heavily simplified representation of roles.

Sidenote on the "one flight" thing. That's hilarious because when you're hub flying and there is weather, I'm thinking about my outbound leg on the inbound leg. One dispatcher may have created a good flight plan with fuel forecasting for circumnavigating weather and the very next one may have just given you a canned flight plan and you're going to have to have that awkward chat about how you were just through the area and how it's not going to work.
 
Derg said:
I'm going to go ahead and say that's a heavily simplified representation of roles.

Sidenote on the "one flight" thing. That's hilarious because when you're hub flying and there is weather, I'm thinking about my outbound leg on the inbound leg. One dispatcher may have created a good flight plan with fuel forecasting for circumnavigating weather and the very next one may have just given you a canned flight plan and you're going to have to have that awkward chat about how you were just through the area and how it's not going to work.
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"Just poke your way through the holes."
please don't hurt me
OR EVEN WORSE
"It's what the computer came up with."
yeah I'll go ahead and throw myself into traffic now

PHL_Approach said:
Sheffield is tight with DL. They go way back.
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You might they say they have connections there...?

Squirrel said:
Also why do they have a atc tower behind the dispatcher?
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Because dispatch is "just like Air Traffic Control," according to all those friends on Facebook... RIGHT? ;)
 
"The last flight went through there!"

Then I ask "What's his flight number?"

Then I say, "Yeah, that was about five hours ago" :)
 
CS0290 said:
I challenge you to get a dispatch job first before dogging someone else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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And she should get a dispatch job first before coming on here and offering her "input" and giving everyone "advice."

I see your ego must have recovered.
 
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Derg said:
"The last flight went through there!"

Then I ask "What's his flight number?"

Then I say, "Yeah, that was about five hours ago" :)
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I find its more effective if you change the gender of the pronoun when talking to male captains.


I would have replied "Her flight number was 123 and She reported no issues". Surprising how well that works.
 
Derg said:
Sidenote on the "one flight" thing. That's hilarious because when you're hub flying and there is weather, I'm thinking about my outbound leg on the inbound leg. One dispatcher may have created a good flight plan with fuel forecasting for circumnavigating weather and the very next one may have just given you a canned flight plan and you're going to have to have that awkward chat about how you were just through the area and how it's not going to work.
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Do you know why some dispatchers just go with the canned routings? It is because there are many pilots who complain when you route them around the weather because the flight is over blocking to make that routing work. You can explain to them why taking the shorter, quicker route sucks and the rides are terrible but most will take the first chance they can to take the direct routing right through the area of weather to avoid flying your longer route. Then they will send numerous ACARS messages to complain about the rides and weather on that direct routing that they took. All that extra work you do to build the route to avoid weather, sometimes begging ATC for permission to use that routing and all it can often end up with is giving you an added workload on top of an already high workload. It can be easier to just plan the canned route as only maybe 1% of pilots will actually call and ask for a different routing.

Its just like planned extra fuel. When you put on a ton of extra gas, almost no pilots will call you. But there is always going to be that 1% that will ask for fuel no matter how high you plan the fuel. I can plan a 777-200 with a 40,000 lb arrival fuel and there will still be that one guy that wants it to be 45,000 lbs.
 
Thanks.

However, at the end of the day, both sides have to realize "is a longer, smoother ride away from the weather and forecast/reported turbulence better for the passengers or worse for the passengers?"

At the end of the day, create a flight plan that you're willing to go to war for. I'll review it and give you a call if what I'm willing to go to war far doesn't at least somewhat match your flight plan. We'll have a professional discussion and move from there. I love my dispatchers and I'm going to engage them at every opportunity when I have questions or need someone in a comfortable chair and co- (keeping in mind that my passengers, my crew and I hold ultimate) -responsibility for the flight to chime in.
 
Derg said:
Thanks.

However, at the end of the day, both sides have to realize "is a longer, smoother ride away from the weather and forecast/reported turbulence better for the passengers or worse for the passengers?"

At the end of the day, create a flight plan that you're willing to go to war for. I'll review it and give you a call if what I'm willing to go to war far doesn't at least somewhat match your flight plan. We'll have a professional discussion and move from there. I love my dispatchers and I'm going to engage them at every opportunity when I have questions or need someone in a comfortable chair and co- (keeping in mind that my passengers, my crew and I hold ultimate) -responsibility for the flight to chime in.
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The over-arching issue is high workload. If your flight was the only flight then it would be easier for dispatchers to be more adventurous in the planning process. When you are explaining to a dozen or a few dozen pilots why you are taking them on a scenic de-tour, you are not able to simultaneously send out weather updates, respond to ACARS messages and answer radio/SATCOM/ARINC calls for the dozen or several dozen planes already in the air. The flight who is now in a hold pattern or having a medical or mechanic emergency cant get in touch with you because you are on your tenth call trying to convince a captain to take your scenic route. Airborne flights are more important than the guys on the ground. I dont mind telling a captain he will be late because I am too busy briefing crews who are about to divert and I dont have the time right now to properly plan his flight.

A pilot with only one flight to worry about can go to war over a flight plan. It is easier for a dispatcher to plan the basic route and have the captain tell him which way he wants to go. Its far quicker and easier than spending a lot of time you dont have defending your long detour.
 
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