F9DXER
Well-Known Member
Oh I have had more than my share and have heard of others that one would consider impossible.
The one thing I was always told is to come up with a plan. Make a decision. Even if it turns out not to be a good one.
It is just as much your responsibility as it is the captains. The company and feds may question your thinking logic but one can only base a solution on the information available at that time. At times it is going to be hard to concentrate as the company is going to be on your back. Don't be afraid to tell them to back off.
At my first airline, received an acars from another company flight that said TZxxx is diverting to LNK. Contacted atc to confirm and was told a crew medical issue. Well the company kept asking me to find out all sorts of stuff and I told them NO!! That the remaining crew member didn't need me to be sending info requests when his/her hands were full. Company was not to thrilled with me but oh well.
The only thing I sent was the handler and freq, then called the station to ensure medical would meet the flight.
Capt had a grand mal seizure.
Another flight at said airline (TZ), called up and said they landed with xxxx amount and Im thinking why do they have so much fuel than it donned on my that I put that amount in the extra fuel section instead of the FOD section. DOH!!!
Had an L1011 lose both center pumps at roughly 15w headed west. Had dogs on board as it was a military charter, company wanted to divert to the UK but they didn't realize that if the cargo door was open, for those dogs it was an automatic 6 month quarantine. I think they had to go really far up the diplomatic chain to get a waiver.
My last airline, when I came into work the guy I was relieving had a medical diversion into Jackson Hole, and he was trying to get the next leg to work. Original flight was a DEN-ANC. I told him that they are going to have to defuel. He asked how I know - simple, when your airport field elevation is higher than your runway length, one isn't going to go to far.
A recent flight at a major diverted that involved a medical issue that lasted longer than 4 hours.
I have diverted flights early to avoid a bigger hassle down the road and the captains were furious and kept asking this and that.
I finally told them - I don't have time for this BS and proceed to new destination. Dispatch out.
This career will test your ability to process information quickly, being able to make a safe decision and standby it, having the guts to tell management (even the FAA) to stay firmly out of the way when needed yet ask for help at the same time. The walk quietly but carry a big stick does have some validity to it.
The days when you get your a$$ handed to you are the ones you will learn the most, don't be afraid to share it.
We are the middle man between what the company wants to do and what the Capt wants to do. It is our job to make both sides happy while maintaining legality. Remember the company can only get fined/sued in the fallout, the dispatcher and pilot may not be so lucky
The one thing I was always told is to come up with a plan. Make a decision. Even if it turns out not to be a good one.
It is just as much your responsibility as it is the captains. The company and feds may question your thinking logic but one can only base a solution on the information available at that time. At times it is going to be hard to concentrate as the company is going to be on your back. Don't be afraid to tell them to back off.
At my first airline, received an acars from another company flight that said TZxxx is diverting to LNK. Contacted atc to confirm and was told a crew medical issue. Well the company kept asking me to find out all sorts of stuff and I told them NO!! That the remaining crew member didn't need me to be sending info requests when his/her hands were full. Company was not to thrilled with me but oh well.
The only thing I sent was the handler and freq, then called the station to ensure medical would meet the flight.
Capt had a grand mal seizure.
Another flight at said airline (TZ), called up and said they landed with xxxx amount and Im thinking why do they have so much fuel than it donned on my that I put that amount in the extra fuel section instead of the FOD section. DOH!!!
Had an L1011 lose both center pumps at roughly 15w headed west. Had dogs on board as it was a military charter, company wanted to divert to the UK but they didn't realize that if the cargo door was open, for those dogs it was an automatic 6 month quarantine. I think they had to go really far up the diplomatic chain to get a waiver.
My last airline, when I came into work the guy I was relieving had a medical diversion into Jackson Hole, and he was trying to get the next leg to work. Original flight was a DEN-ANC. I told him that they are going to have to defuel. He asked how I know - simple, when your airport field elevation is higher than your runway length, one isn't going to go to far.
A recent flight at a major diverted that involved a medical issue that lasted longer than 4 hours.
I have diverted flights early to avoid a bigger hassle down the road and the captains were furious and kept asking this and that.
I finally told them - I don't have time for this BS and proceed to new destination. Dispatch out.
This career will test your ability to process information quickly, being able to make a safe decision and standby it, having the guts to tell management (even the FAA) to stay firmly out of the way when needed yet ask for help at the same time. The walk quietly but carry a big stick does have some validity to it.
The days when you get your a$$ handed to you are the ones you will learn the most, don't be afraid to share it.
We are the middle man between what the company wants to do and what the Capt wants to do. It is our job to make both sides happy while maintaining legality. Remember the company can only get fined/sued in the fallout, the dispatcher and pilot may not be so lucky
