Dispatch license?

twotwowoo

New Member
What exactly are the requirements for getting a dispatch license? I'm interested in dispatch as a job/career, and I'd like to know what I need to get in.
 
What exactly are the requirements for getting a dispatch license? I'm interested in dispatch as a job/career, and I'd like to know what I need to get in.


First to attend a dispatch course you have to be at least 21.
But you won't be able to get your license until your 23
But you can work as an assistant dispatcher until you get your license.
Some schools can get you a license in 6 weeks (I took that route)
I recommand that you wait until your 23 (or will be 23 by the time of school completion) when you
go to a dispatch school.

Also Check this site it will give you some info


http://www.sheffield.com/catalog.html#philosophy

(Yes I went to that school in 2006)

As for pay, it depends on the airlines. REgional airline pay is bad especially if your an entry-level dispatcher, They get around 25K-29K a year :mad:. But at MAjor Airlines, their dispatchers get about 45K-110K a year. But they are not hiring.

PM me if you have any more questions.
 
First to attend a dispatch course you have to be at least 21.
But you won't be able to get your license until your 23
But you can work as an assistant dispatcher until you get your license.
Some schools can get you a license in 6 weeks (I took that route)
I recommand that you wait until your 23 (or will be 23 by the time of school completion) when you
go to a dispatch school.

Also Check this site it will give you some info


http://www.sheffield.com/catalog.html#philosophy

(Yes I went to that school in 2006)

As for pay, it depends on the airlines. REgional airline pay is bad especially if your an entry-level dispatcher, They get around 25K-29K a year :mad:. But at MAjor Airlines, their dispatchers get about 45K-110K a year. But they are not hiring.

PM me if you have any more questions.

Thanks! I'm 22 right now, so I still have another 10 months until I can get a license. I guess it's similar to an ATP, in that they make you wait until 23. 25-29K is better than 0, which is what I'm making now. By the way, are there any reputable schools in Michigan?
 
As for pay, it depends on the airlines. REgional airline pay is bad especially if your an entry-level dispatcher, They get around 25K-29K a year :mad:. But at MAjor Airlines, their dispatchers get about 45K-110K a year. But they are not hiring.

Continental is in fact hiring right now (see posts elsewhere in this forum for details.) Most majors hire on occasion, you just have to keep an eye out for when they do. Also, you need experience (at a regional or wherever) before you can get hired at a major. Some majors do prefer to promote from within when it comes to hiring dispatchers (Delta, Southwest) so keep that in mind also.
 
Thanks! I'm 22 right now, so I still have another 10 months until I can get a license. I guess it's similar to an ATP, in that they make you wait until 23. 25-29K is better than 0, which is what I'm making now. By the way, are there any reputable schools in Michigan?

The closest school I know of to your location is in Minneapolis. There may be one in Michigan I'm not aware of though. Anyway, the one in MSP is at a community college...I believe it's called Anoka-Hennepin community college or something similar (I may have the spelling wrong.) Anyhow, good luck getting your license!
 
Thanks for the info. I know the answer is probably no, but are regionals planning to hire any time soon? Also, how would you go about applying for a job as an assistant dispatcher? Do you need experience?
 
The closest school I know of to your location is in Minneapolis. There may be one in Michigan I'm not aware of though. Anyway, the one in MSP is at a community college...I believe it's called Anoka-Hennepin community college or something similar (I may have the spelling wrong.) Anyhow, good luck getting your license!

I found from googling that there's one in Belleville, the Michigan Institute of Aviation and Technology. Is this a reputable one? I'm not sure if airlines care what school you went to.
 
Thanks for the info. I know the answer is probably no, but are regionals planning to hire any time soon? Also, how would you go about applying for a job as an assistant dispatcher? Do you need experience?


Some airlines like Delta will hire you as an assistant dispatcher even if you have a certificate. You will work with fully certified dispatchers for 6 to 9 months before you get a compentancy test. When you pass it you are good to go.

(Note: Delta does on occasions hire people straight out of school. But like I said you will be an assistant dispatcher)

IMPORTANT NOTE: I never worked for Delta. But from what I heard that is what they do.
 
Thanks for the info. I know the answer is probably no, but are regionals planning to hire any time soon? Also, how would you go about applying for a job as an assistant dispatcher? Do you need experience?


The only airlines that are hiring right now is

Republic Airways Holdings Inc. in Indianapolis

Colgan Air in Memphis (NOTE: They currently have a dispatch office in Manassas VA. But they are moving out to Memphis in Spring 2009. Must be a Pinnacle thing.)

PSA (US Airways Express) in DAyton Ohio.

and like Maniax said Continental
 
I found from googling that there's one in Belleville, the Michigan Institute of Aviation and Technology. Is this a reputable one? I'm not sure if airlines care what school you went to.

Just make sure the course is FAA approved. If its not, you're waisting your time. Airlines don't care what school you go to. But some schools that have been in business for awhile usually are on a calling list from airlines, so when a particular airline is hiring, they will call the school they have had success in hiring good candidates with. My advice to you is to be very flexible on relocating. Airline SOCs are scattered all over the U.S. and if not willing to move, you're going to have a real difficult time finding work, especially with zero experience.

Good Luck on your endeavor. PM me if you have any other questions

mission
 
I found from googling that there's one in Belleville, the Michigan Institute of Aviation and Technology. Is this a reputable one? I'm not sure if airlines care what school you went to.

Call them. Go check it out. See who the instructors are and what their qualifications are. I took the FAA approved classes at a community college here in Dayton, OH and was very happy with the school and the instructors. You don't NEED a big (or widely known) school like Sheffield. Not saying there is anything wrong with them, but there are other alternatives out there.
 
I'd suggest you check the ADF http://dispatcher.org they have a link on there to the FAA's list of approved dispatch schools. There's some other good info too, and not necessarily requires you to join.

I'd expect some regional hiring in the coming year, provided the economy doesn't tank much more and we all go back to living in caves. Rumors say that SWA, FedEx, and ASA will be hiring. SWA and FedEx have to go through the internal recs first, but they seem to want experience.

While not necessarily good for fresh out of school dispatchers, it will open some regional jobs. The big "ifs" with the economy and possible consolidation of Delat/NWA regional flying maybe negate some.

There's always the shoice to go with a supplemental carrier. Some will hire with no experience. You don't usually have the volume of flights that a regional has, but you'll have to deal with a lot more varying things (catering, overfly rights, ground handling set ups). I found it good experience, plus you're more likely to get the coveted "int'l experience" there.

Also I'll echo mission, be prepared to move... and usually not for much money. I got lucky, i worked for 3 airlines (2 as a dispatcher) without leaving my home town. But the latest (and godwilling last) required relocation.
 
I found from googling that there's one in Belleville, the Michigan Institute of Aviation and Technology. Is this a reputable one? I'm not sure if airlines care what school you went to.

The Following is just my opinion

Big Fellor is basically right.

Most regional/corperate companies do not really care which school you go to. All they care about is that if you have your certified license (PS They will give you scenerios in your interview so be prepared to answer them well when you go to them)

But this is just my opinion

Best of luck to you
 
(Note: Delta does on occasions hire people straight out of school. But like I said you will be an assistant dispatcher)
IMPORTANT NOTE: I never worked for Delta. But from what I heard that is what they do.

Kazoo,

Might want to check on that bit of info.

I worked for Delta for 31 years and the only dispatchers I talked to about their prehire circumstances were people hired from within the company and from mid-level management, flt ops-related positions...ground training, MTC, etc. People who actually know the pointy end goes in the front.

Others came in via a merger and I don't know what their circumstances were except for the occasional pilot who had lost his medical.

You had to be a seriously good Widget Worshiper to get this job; it was the only non-pilot spot worth having for all reasons.

The merger with NWA may have changed all of this but I doubt it and I can't imagine they'll need dispatchers any time soon.

Good luck in your pursuit of a dispatch career. These people are worth their weight in gold.
 
Kazoo,

Might want to check on that bit of info.

I worked for Delta for 31 years and the only dispatchers I talked to about their prehire circumstances were people hired from within the company and from mid-level management, flt ops-related positions...ground training, MTC, etc. People who actually know the pointy end goes in the front.

Others came in via a merger and I don't know what their circumstances were except for the occasional pilot who had lost his medical.

You had to be a seriously good Widget Worshiper to get this job; it was the only non-pilot spot worth having for all reasons.

The merger with NWA may have changed all of this but I doubt it and I can't imagine they'll need dispatchers any time soon.

Good luck in your pursuit of a dispatch career. These people are worth their weight in gold.


Like he says :eek: :laff:
 
Kazoo,

Might want to check on that bit of info.

I worked for Delta for 31 years and the only dispatchers I talked to about their prehire circumstances were people hired from within the company and from mid-level management, flt ops-related positions...ground training, MTC, etc. People who actually know the pointy end goes in the front.

Others came in via a merger and I don't know what their circumstances were except for the occasional pilot who had lost his medical.

You had to be a seriously good Widget Worshiper to get this job; it was the only non-pilot spot worth having for all reasons.

The merger with NWA may have changed all of this but I doubt it and I can't imagine they'll need dispatchers any time soon.

I imagine there will be some NW dispatchers that choose to retire early or not make the move to ATL, so I'm sure they will be doing some hiring. But as you say, they usually do hire internally...I think they have hired externally only a couple of times in recent years and everyone hired externally had lots of experience (and went through a LONG interview process from what I heard.) Someone told me that there is a lot of politics involved in getting a dispatch job with DL...you have to have been with the company for a while and be noticed by the right people...but having never worked there I don't know how true that statement is.
 
Does having a commercial certificate or CFI ratings speed up getting a dispatcher certificate? or do you still need to take the six week class?
 
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