Dispatch Career/Schooling for someone with no experience.

[Thruve]

TLDR; read bottom.

I’ve currently enrolled in a dispatch school down here near FTL with NO aviation related experience once so ever. I do, however, seem to have a passion for it as I find studying for the ADX exam to be very fascinating. After I studied weather theory for example, I find myself looking up at the clouds all time, finding storms and popping open weather charts on my phone to confirm my theories. I also find the job description to be interesting and have done independent research (YouTube god) to understand concepts, learn more about the industry, and to get a feel for what exactly is fully expected of me. I am due to begin in January leaving me about a month more of study time to prepare for the ADX. I have been using an APP (provided by the school) as a frame of reference for what I need to be studying for the ADX other than to memorize questions/answers from the app and so far nothing has proven to be challenging although the amount of material is a bit overwhelming.

I do intend on extending my class date back to a month or two to continue studying for my ADX and to begin studying material I find online that I assume my school will be teaching me, such as Alt Minimums, etc. In this way I’m hoping I’ll have an easier time learning the material in class without being flustered or feeling ‘set back’ due to the potential ‘snowballing’ effect of needing to fully grasp or understand something before fully understanding another. That’s what I fear.
I am not funded. I will be putting the tuition on my credit card. If I fail or ultimately decide the class is far to difficult, or don’t get a sign off from my instructor, I’ll be broke and in debt. I am, however, willing to take the risk because this does seem like something I’d have a passion for and be good at! I get giddy looking at charts lol.

My question is this: is there anyone here who is a dispatcher who got into the field via schooling/received their certificate without having had any experience in the aviation field at all? Were you like me, studying everything for the first time with high hopes although with some doubts that they’d succeed? Is it realistic that I could pass the ADX with only some odd months of studying, and better yet pass the course with no experience in aviation?

It’s not too late for me to get a refund of a deposit, so I’m getting closer to making the ultimate decision if I should Pursue either something else, or go to a different school where I can learn everything from the ground up, or (insert here). I do want to do this, I’m just afraid I may lose out on hard earned money. I do enjoy what I’ve been studying so far. I have bookmarks saved on my phone screen to CFR, FAR, Awos, AWC, different pdf diles from the FAA website on particular subjects, converters, v speed charts, etc. You name it I’ve got it saved for access.

I need a realistic approach to my situation. I’d be very grateful.

 

[DispatcherSam]

I was like you. No experience at all. If you put the work in during class and don’t blow it off, you’ll do just fine. I recommend learning metars and tafs and some local notams while you wait for class to start. Those will help you the most in the whole process. Good luck, you’ll likely do just fine. You don’t have to get everything right on the exams to get the certificate.

 

[LastMinuteAirline]

Same story for me. I didn't even do too much studying before hand (I wish I did). If you put your all into it you will be fine. It takes multiple hours of studying every night after class but is definitely doable. I recommend using Sheppard Air to study for ADX and follow their strategies. Much of the ADX written is outdated and useless. Just a hurdle you have to jump to get a license. The real stuff comes in class and even more so in initial training at your first gig.

 

[Thruve]

I’m currently studying off the Sheffield App- I’ve been memorizing the questions/answers, using YouTube/wiki/other sources to understand the concepts, and popping over to PDF files (some 500 pages long) provided off the FAA website and other sites to attempt to learn concepts from the ground up. Thanks to you and the the poster above you for your responses!

 

[Thruve]

Same story for me. I didn't even do too much studying before hand (I wish I did). If you put your all into it you will be fine. It takes multiple hours of studying every night after class but is definitely doable. I recommend using Sheppard Air to study for ADX and follow their strategies. Much of the ADX written is outdated and useless. Just a hurdle you have to jump to get a license. The real stuff comes in class and even more so in initial training at your first gig.

May I also ask what concepts/strategies or subjects you learned in class you feel I could go ahead and research and start studying before hand? Maybe things you found to be the most difficult or required more independent study?

 

[LastMinuteAirline]

Like Sam mentioned, I would get really comfortable w/ METARS and TAFS. Weather in general is a great topic for self study. Also just basic aerodynamics. For the most part you don't need much physics or anything but just a general understanding of the principles of flight and how aircraft work will help. The most difficult thing for me was navigation stuff. Learning approach plates etc. That stuff could be tough to teach yourself though. If you have any pilot friends they can help. If you really care and work hard, you will do fine no matter how much you prepare pre class.

 

[autosave36]

TLDR; read bottom.

I’ve currently enrolled in a dispatch school down here near FTL with NO aviation related experience once so ever....

Your scenario is essentially my scenario. I had nothing but an interest in aviation to go on. I totally understand the apprehension.
My friend referred me to dispatch. When I expressed my "well what if i fail" fear, he gave me the best advice that I've ever gotten.."Don't fail then."
So simply, don't fail. I don't think you will if you're working this hard at it.

Learn the ADX stuff for the test then you get to forget most of it. This is going to seem like an echo of the others in this thread but you really want to get a good understanding on Weather. Weather is a yuuuuge part of our job. METARS/TAFS. Learn how to read approach plates. I would recommend being familiar with the default govt charts and jeppesen charts as well. Navigation. How an ILS works, what is an RNAV approach, Types of airways, class 1 vs class 2 navigation. NOTAMS!!!! And of course the regs. Get a good base on that. It'll take a ton of work but if you put the work in, you can do this no problem. If you need help send me a PM. I check this forum every day.

I don't think you should give up on this. Put the work in and you'll get good things out of it.

 

[Thruve]

Your scenario is essentially my scenario. I had nothing but an interest in aviation to go on. I totally understand the apprehension.
My friend referred me to dispatch. When I expressed my "well what if i fail" fear, he gave me the best advice that I've ever gotten.."Don't fail then."
So simply, don't fail. I don't think you will if you're working this hard at it.

Learn the ADX stuff for the test then you get to forget most of it. This is going to seem like an echo of the others in this thread but you really want to get a good understanding on Weather. Weather is a yuuuuge part of our job. METARS/TAFS. Learn how to read approach plates. I would recommend being familiar with the default govt charts and jeppesen charts as well. Navigation. How an ILS works, what is an RNAV approach, Types of airways, class 1 vs class 2 navigation. NOTAMS!!!! And of course the regs. Get a good base on that. It'll take a ton of work but if you put the work in, you can do this no problem. If you need help send me a PM. I check this forum every day.

I don't think you should give up on this. Put the work in and you'll get good things out of it.

Thank you so.. so very much for the above recommended topics of study. I do believe I’m going to take an extra month or two and focus on weather, weather charts, weather reports and navigation beyond what I’ve already studied. All of you have recommended doing so so I will focus on those subjects after I grip the ADX material. I like the philosophy of ‘failing isn’t an option’ because for me, financially, it isn’t an option to fail if I pursue this. Thanks for giving me the green light to message you with any questions I have. I am most greatful -Josh

 

[Victor's_Vector]

If you’re motivated to learn & apply yourself fully, then you’ll pass ADX training. Be ready to work & study hard and expect that there will be folks in your class with some-to-significant aviation knowledge (identify them & learn from them when possible), but don’t let the absence of an aviation background alone intimidate you into not attending training. On some level, every initial training course is designed for folks with no experience.

I would strongly encourage you to do your research about working as a Dispatcher before commiting to training; make sure the initial compensation fits ok for you, explore whether there’s job opportunities near where you live in combination with your ability to relocate or commute, learn the typical quality of life, make sure nothing in your background would preclude you from actually getting a job as a Dispatcher, and everything else you can from those with meaningful experience.

Good luck to you!

 

[Thruve]

If you’re motivated to learn & apply yourself fully, then you’ll pass ADX training. Be ready to work & study hard and expect that there will be folks in your class with some-to-significant aviation knowledge (identify them & learn from them when possible), but don’t let the absence of an aviation background alone intimidate you into not attending training. On some level, every initial training course is designed for folks with no experience.

I would strongly encourage you to do your research about working as a Dispatcher before commiting to training; make sure the initial compensation fits ok for you, explore whether there’s job opportunities near where you live in combination with your ability to relocate or commute, learn the typical quality of life, make sure nothing in your background would preclude you from actually getting a job as a Dispatcher, and everything else you can from those with meaningful experience.

Good luck to you!

Thank you!

 

[A-9er]

T,

I attended Sheffield April-May of 2017, and I even got a gig afterwards. Other than my pilot's license, I had no experience-certainly not in dispatch. If you're willing to work hard and do so, you'll be fine. Try to get the ADX out of the way BEFORE you get to Sheffield. If you can't do that, then at least be ready to take it when you get there; this way, you can just do a little ADX review every day, allowing you to concentrate on your class related studies every day. What I did was go through all the pdf files they give you access to when you sign up. When I got to Sheffield, I spent about 45-60 minutes a day reviewing ADX material until I took my test at the beginning of week 3.

Now, I'm going to take a somewhat different position vis a vis others who tell you that the ADX is totally useless, and to just memorize the answers. I took a different approach and tried to learn and understand what I could. Now, are there ADX questions that have NOTHING at all to do with the job? Yes, there are; one set of questions that come to mind are the ones asking you if you have enough runway to stop upon losing an engine or some such BS. You'll NEVER, ever, ever do that on the desk-never! That said, learning the WX, the flight planning, the charts, the performance graphs and tables, etc. were a great help once class started. Why? Because I'd already seen the material, and it wasn't foreign to me; it made those parts of class go easier for me. For example, when we got to the performance graphs, charts, and tables, I'd already seen them; they were similar to what I'd seen in Sheffield's ADX prep materials; I already had an idea what to expect, so that made things easier for me. It helped prepare me for class.

When you start class, you WILL study every day-a lot! Sheffield recommends studying a minimum of four hours a day during the week, and six hours a day on the weekends. This, I did; it got me through. However, I never worked so hard for a B in my life! It's an intense five weeks, but it's only five weeks; just remind yourself of this. School will fly by quickly, and five weeks will feel like five days.

During your weekends, you won't have class during the day, so you can break up your studying. You can do three hours in the morning, go out to lunch some place, then do three hours in the afternoon. I liked going to Las Cholitas, a Peruvian restaurant, on weekends. There's also a good Mexican place on Broward Blvd. near the school; there are a few nice eateries down there. After school got going, I looked forward to my Saturday and Sunday lunches; they got me out of the house! That was about the only break from the routine of go to class, study, eat, and sleep. Again though, it's only five weeks...

I hope this helps. Do all the preparation you can beforehand; the more you do now, the easier class will be. If time permits, try to learn and understand at least some of the ADX material; it'll prepare you for class, especially if you use Sheffield's materials. That's a big reason why I chose Sheffield; their excellent ADX prep materials. They not only prepare you for the test; they prepare you for the class too. Finally, come in with the mindset that you will work hard every day; be willing to do this; embrace it. Like most other things in life, success is built on preparation, and that holds true for Sheffield. It's only five weeks though, and it'll go by fast. Enjoy, and good luck to you!

 

[A-9er]

If you’re motivated to learn & apply yourself fully, then you’ll pass ADX training. Be ready to work & study hard and expect that there will be folks in your class with some-to-significant aviation knowledge (identify them & learn from them when possible), but don’t let the absence of an aviation background alone intimidate you into not attending training. On some level, every initial training course is designed for folks with no experience.

I would strongly encourage you to do your research about working as a Dispatcher before commiting to training; make sure the initial compensation fits ok for you, explore whether there’s job opportunities near where you live in combination with your ability to relocate or commute, learn the typical quality of life, make sure nothing in your background would preclude you from actually getting a job as a Dispatcher, and everything else you can from those with meaningful experience.

Good luck to you!

V,

I'd also include the ability to work and multitask under pressure. People think about the aviation aspect of DX, but few think about the PRESSURE that's part of the job. Can T make good decisions quickly, especially under pressure? How will he do when the phone is ringing off the hook, a bunch of reroutes to do, while the screen is turning red? My second shift after signoff featured a medical emergency. My third shift on my own was a bad IROP day; we had a nasty frontal system extending from Canada to the midwest with tops to 350-400-in October, no less! Need I say more? It was like, "welcome to DX, son!" Though I enjoyed school and learned a lot; though it was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I ever did; the job was not a good fit for me. Had my regional not let me go, I was going to quit for that reason.

I also missed home. When I used my flight bennies, I always came home; I never went anywhere like CA, FL, etc. I missed my house, so I often flew home on my days off. How will T like moving? Though I did it a lot when I was in the Navy as a young man, I found that I don't enjoy moving anymore. I like where I am and wish to stay there.

Those are just a couple of other things to think about...

 

[Victor's_Vector]

V,

I'd also include the ability to work and multitask under pressure. People think about the aviation aspect of DX, but few think about the PRESSURE that's part of the job. Can T make good decisions quickly, especially under pressure? How will he do when the phone is ringing off the hook, a bunch of reroutes to do, while the screen is turning red? My second shift after signoff featured a medical emergency. My third shift on my own was a bad IROP day; we had a nasty frontal system extending from Canada to the midwest with tops to 350-400-in October, no less! Need I say more? It was like, "welcome to DX, son!" Though I enjoyed school and learned a lot; though it was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I ever did; the job was not a good fit for me. Had my regional not let me go, I was going to quit for that reason.

I also missed home. When I used my flight bennies, I always came home; I never went anywhere like CA, FL, etc. I missed my house, so I often flew home on my days off. How will T like moving? Though I did it a lot when I was in the Navy as a young man, I found that I don't enjoy moving anymore. I like where I am and wish to stay there.

Those are just a couple of other things to think about...

Great point, A-9er; the intangible aspects are probably more critical than anything else.

 

[A-9er]

Great point, A-9er; the intangible aspects are probably more critical than anything else.

It reminds me of something Mike Rowe said: just because one has a passion for something does not necessarily mean that it's a good line of work for that person. That's a paraphrase, but it's close enough.

 

[Victor's_Vector]

It reminds me of something Mike Rowe said: just because one has a passion for something does not necessarily mean that it's a good line of work for that person. That's a paraphrase, but it's close enough.

True - leveraging the strengths we enjoy using is the sweet spot professionally