"Flight Following" is usually a position within a Part 125, Part 135, or Business Aviation operator. Although some of the duties can be similar to what Part 121 dispatchers are doing, for the most part it's a completely different job. SOME non-121 companies have their Flight Followers doing all of the same exact duties as 121 dispatchers, but they don't have any legal responsibility or (rarely) joint decision making authority.
Part 121 operators are required by law to have a certificated dispatcher, and the dispatcher is jointly responsible (along with the pilot in command) for the safety of the flight. For example, the dispatcher has full legal authority (and the responsibility that goes along with that) to not allow a flight to leave if s/he feels it is not safe. All operators have a two-person legal requirement to release a flight, but in non-121s that responsibility is with the pilot and the director of operations. But even still, some of them will only hire people with dispatcher tickets and might even delegate the authority to "act on behalf of" the DO. However, even though the DO might delegate the authority, they may not delegate the legal responsibility.
The actual "flight following" part of a Flight Follower's daily job duties is keeping an eye on the flight while it is in progress to ensure that nothing abnormal occurs and, if something
does occur, upchannels this information to higher management. They may stay in communication with the crew to relay information like changing weather at the destination, a change of plans for the next flight leg, etc. However, the majority of Flight Followers are also doing a lot of various "duties as assigned" within the company: greeting passengers, booking flights, slinging bags, fueling the aircraft, cleaning and re-stocking the aircraft between flights, cleaning the waiting lobby, etc.
Many 121 Dispatchers will look down in disdain at Flight Followers as a "dispatcher wanna-be". But I know a lot of people who would much rather be a Flight Follower than a Dispatcher.
Here are some advantages:
- You're in the aviation business! And who doesn't love that?
- You get to be involved with the entire operation of a flight from start to finish (except fly it).
- You're frequently more involved with the company, as a whole, because there are usually a lot less people to dedicate to all of the jobs that need done.
- You get to frequently be around, and work in and around, the aircraft.
- There are many more "Flight Follower" job positions than there are Dispatcher positions. (A figure for which I have zero data to back up, other than knowing the ratio of 121s to non-121s from the
FAA Database of Operators)
- There are many more locations to chose from as a Flight Follower than as a Dispatcher. (again, no data other than there are more non-121s in the world)
However, there are also some disadvantages:
- Not a lot of upward mobility within the company.
- Pay will almost never be on par with a 121 dispatcher's pay (at least long term... I know a lot of 135s that pay their starting flight followers more than many starting 121 dispatchers get)
- Much fewer jump-seat or other flight benefits.
Does anybody know of any opportunities like this?
There are opportunities all over the place! Many of them are even posted here in the jobs section. But all of the standard online job boards will have these positions posted as well.