How many active dispatchers are there in the US?

Figby

Figby

The Bitterest Dx'er
I have a question for the dispatch hivemind here. I was looking at FAA airman statistics, and the FAA says there's 17,325 of us floating around in the US with dispatch ticket as of the end of 2012, with 21,862 certified dispatchers total in the FAA database.

Now considering that, I am virtually certain the number of people who actually work in the field as dispatchers is considerably smaller than that....but just how small? One of the folks here posted once that there's two degrees of separation from you and everyone else in the industry, and that seems to be borne out by my experience working as a dispatcher over the last few years.

So, any thoughts from all you fine folks as to a guesstimate for the number of working dispatchers in the United States?
 
I put my WAG at no more then 3000 certificated dispatchers currently exercising their airmen privileges. This guess does not include licensed dispatchers engaged in vocations within an airline they do not require an ADX, or working at 135 or 91 operations where the company is not required to utilize licensed dispatchers.

Come to think of it, I'm thinking that might be a generous estimate...
 
I was told at dispatch school that it was approximately 3000... Whether that's accurate or not, I don't know.

I do know that we are a small group because it doesn't matter who I talk to or where in the country they work - they either know, or know of, someone that I have met along the way.
 
Figby said:
One of the folks here posted once that there's two degrees of separation from you and everyone else in the industry, and that seems to be borne out by my experience working as a dispatcher over the last few years.
Click to expand...

I can also agree with this. When us CO folks moved north up to UA there were folks who had worked together 20+ years ago at all sorts of carriers. Also not counting the people who had all gone to dispatch school together.

So UA has around 300+ working here. So with American, Delta, Alaska, US Airways, FedEx, UPS and the connection carriers I would assume 3000 sounds pretty good.
 
Put me in the column of being licensed but not actively exercising those privileges as I'm gainfully employed outside of aviation.
Although I'd rather be employed in aviation...
 
I am certificated with active release authority however I have not exercised my authority since October 8.


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