Kool-aide world of dispatch

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dxbear

Well-Known Member
I've been reading the threads and post here and I am glad they are so positive and encouraging for you guys looking to get into dispatch.. but this web site makes it look like were back in the 90's and the economy is bustin... your not getting the real picture here.. look around, ask q's.

Having been in this business for some time, well connected through ot the airlines SOC's, experienced and a member on many other aviatioin web sites.. I have to tell you guys that your not talking to the right people about this business and its future hiring needs..

The legacy carriers have alot of older guys that would be looking to retire soon had the stock market not wiped out 40% of their 401K's so now they are looking to work another 7 to 10 years to try and recover.. in the mean time any hiring done by the regional carriers is being filled by guys that have been laid off or from defunct carriers.. with good experience levels.. the vacancy's are mostly people that have just had enough of the low wages and are moving on to something they have been working on for some time..

Sure they will a few of the greenies get a shot here and there.. but its's not enought to hire anywhere near the number of students coming out of the schools.. Many are here in school for their home country airline, Sheffield is famious for this now.. they would not be in business if it were not for them..

My suggestion before you go out there spending thousands for another license in your wallet, is to really examine this job, its pay future for your IF you get a job at a regional.. and how long it "WILL" be before you get any shot at working for the big iron carriers..

PS... look at who all the advertisers are here.. schools.. ??
 
Just a thought...if your experience isn't recent, is it possible carriers are hiring people who currently have a dispatch job OR have only recently been laid off? Or is it possible you're not presenting yourself well in interviews? This is a really low-hiring period in aviation...but I have seen job postings out there. One individual from this board recently got a position with no experience pretty quickly, and then got a job closer to his hometown not long after that. My old carrier went out of business post-9/11 in a VERY down time in the industry, but I did manage to get a job (with a pay cut, and a move) within a couple months. I'm not trying to rag on you or anything, but in my experience it IS possible to get a job in this field...it might not happen overnight, and you usually have to move somehwere...but it's definitely possible.
 
Agree with you manniax.

One also has to consider that some of those people going to dispatch school already have a job with an airline and are getting their license for future openings.

Alos, there are alot of part 91/135 operations that hire dispatchers.

As hard as it to believe, but not everyone who gets/has their dispatch license wants to work for an airline.

F9DXER
 
I'm going to make an assumption that the impetus behind this post was my recent post about attending IFOD, and the support that I got from double_d. So let me quell your fears a little.

dxbear said:
My suggestion before you go out there spending thousands for another license in your wallet, is to really examine this job,
Click to expand...

Trust me when I say, I've fretted about this for quite a while. I bought the ATP test book to look over, and spoken to my father-in-law, who was in DX back in the 90's and I'm confident that I can do this job, and do well in it.

dxbear said:
its pay future for your IF you get a job at a regional..
Click to expand...

I'll hand you the 'if' part of this statement. While I've spoken to a number of people on these boards that have found a job straight out of school, you're right, there's no way to be sure the same will happen to me.
However, let me drag out my 2009 tax return for a moment. In my current position, as a self-employed audio/visual contractor, I made.... $6,536 last year. A full time position with a regional, assuming that it makes only $25,000 annually, is still nearly a four times increase from my current salary. I think the risk might just be justified by the reward.

dxbear said:
and how long it "WILL" be before you get any shot at working for the big iron carriers..
Click to expand...

Frankly, I don't care. I know that might be hard to believe for some, and looking at the long-term, this might be a viable concern. BUT, in the short-term, with my current situation, this is not something I am going to concern myself with. If something bigger and better comes along, great. If I stay at the same regional my entire career, fine. If I get laid off and have to start all over, that's something I'll deal with when the situation presents itself.

This doesn't even take into consideration some of the personal reasons I have for wanting to move into this career track. So, all in all, thanks for your concern, but I'm a grown-up and I resent the insinuation that I have not done my due diligence in my decision making process.

--Chris
 
cmay632 said:
I'm going to make an assumption that the impetus behind this post was my recent post about attending IFOD, and the support that I got from double_d. So let me quell your fears a little.



Trust me when I say, I've fretted about this for quite a while. I bought the ATP test book to look over, and spoken to my father-in-law, who was in DX back in the 90's and I'm confident that I can do this job, and do well in it.



I'll hand you the 'if' part of this statement. While I've spoken to a number of people on these boards that have found a job straight out of school, you're right, there's no way to be sure the same will happen to me.
However, let me drag out my 2009 tax return for a moment. In my current position, as a self-employed audio/visual contractor, I made.... $6,536 last year. A full time position with a regional, assuming that it makes only $25,000 annually, is still nearly a four times increase from my current salary. I think the risk might just be justified by the reward.



Frankly, I don't care. I know that might be hard to believe for some, and looking at the long-term, this might be a viable concern. BUT, in the short-term, with my current situation, this is not something I am going to concern myself with. If something bigger and better comes along, great. If I stay at the same regional my entire career, fine. If I get laid off and have to start all over, that's something I'll deal with when the situation presents itself.

This doesn't even take into consideration some of the personal reasons I have for wanting to move into this career track. So, all in all, thanks for your concern, but I'm a grown-up and I resent the insinuation that I have not done my due diligence in my decision making process.

--Chris
Click to expand...

I started my dispatcher career a year ago. I worked for mesa for 6 months, had a horrible 2 month experience at Pinch a nickel, and have found a great home at Ameriflight in Dallas. I love my job now. I have a year of experience and I am very happy. I went to Sheffield. Great school for curriculum, but the management and ownership there sucks.
 
Reply to Sheffield owner hater

If anyone would like to know the complete details regarding Mr. Davis' experiences at Sheffield School, including everything that transpired in my office, in the classroom, in his housing, and after his departure from our school, feel free to contact me. I won't clutter this forum with a pissing contest, but more than a few details have been conveniently omitted. My recommendation to that person is to cease now. Trust me. I do not bluff.
Eric Morris
Sheffield School (est. 1948)
 
I guess generally speaking, dxbear might be right; however, I can only state my own facts. Within seconds of passing my oral and practical, my instructor walked in the hot, glassy conference room of the American Airlines Training Center to notify me to call my former employer. I called and was told that I had gotten the job. Within a week, I was up there training on the desk. I don't think you should single out dispatch jobs because of the economy being tough on airlines. The jobless rate nationally is hovering around 9.7 percent in all industries. Lots of folks are finding it hard to land jobs right now. I have also never heard of a dispatch at a major airline hiring entry level (Although I'm sure there is a possibility), nor any job for that matter without getting some experience first.

Entry-level jobs are always going to be low pay in any industry, including airline.
 
My impression is that since this is such a specialized profession and regional airlines (mostly) continue to grow, job opportunities should regularly be available (at least they have since I graduated just under a year ago).

It is a little difficult to rely on "calling your shot" at a preferred regional when you graduate rather than take the first opening available at a company with an open slot. I tried to stay away from companies with poor reputations (mostly in the manner in which they treat their dispatchers but also took company stability into consideration, of course) and cities I found undesireable for one reason or another.

That said, I got very lucky and was hired on right where I'd honed in. Before you go to school, think long and hard about where you'd be willing to end up, make a list, and go from there.

Also, while you're beginning your journey, I'd recommend shadowing a dispatcher for a shift at a major carrier if you can manage it through any connections at your planned school of attendance. I not only made a friend with a very successful dispatcher at UPS I'd met through the owner of my dispatch school (Sheffield, for the record), but thinking about the experience and possibility of one day working in such an environment fueled a resolve throughout school when I had to bust my ass and, now that I'm on the job, helps out ever so slightly when I have to get up at 3 in the morning. Most importantly, it can give you a truer sense of the job by seeing what actually goes on during a shift. However, it's true- not everybody makes it to the majors, but it never hurts to hope.

Also keep in mind that networking is fairly important and playing your cards wisely from a political standpoint is a good idea. The aforementioned dispatcher I shadowed surmises that there are only 2 degrees of separation between almost every dispatcher in the country. That said, keep your nose clean. I would highly recommend not disparaging other airlines, institutions, or even other dispatchers (though you'll find that in the office it will likely be regular practice). You never know who's listening, to whom they may be talking and if one day an ill-fitting reputation may precede you where you need it least. One thing hiring and dispatch managers love is a hard worker with a positive attitude. In this job, your reputation carries greater weight than most jobs because of the close community, so take great care to make your reputation count as positively as possible.

Anyway, I love my job and I hope that you do too when all is set in place.

Good luck!
 
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