New Dispatcher FAQ

elbowroom said:
Just received my jeppesen kit in the mail. Delivery man had to use his big push cart lol. Any recommendations on which material would be a good idea to start looking at and also maybe what to hold off on until class begins?
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I remember how big that delivery was! Honestly, focus on the Gleim software and just take those ADX practice tests over and over until you ace them. Showing up being ready to take that will help you tremendously.


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womanpilot73 said:
I remember how big that delivery was! Honestly, focus on the Gleim software and just take those ADX practice tests over and over until you ace them. Showing up being ready to take that will help you tremendously.


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Couldn't agree more. The software and practice tests are extremely helpful in preparation. If you want to take a break from that, I recommend weather/weather theory if you're not too familiar with the topic.
 
How influential really are the owners/teachers of these schools? In terms of their students getting jobs.
 
van12 said:
How influential really are the owners/teachers of these schools? In terms of their students getting jobs.
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This depends on the connections the school has with airlines. I know the school I operate I try to stay connected with airlines but some are not as welcoming as others. It's kind of a selective question.
 
What's the point of pre-studying for the adx when that's what the class is teaching you anyway?

How soon can you apply for your second/third adx job? Like is 2-3 months too soon to jump somewhere else?
 
van12 said:
What's the point of pre-studying for the adx when that's what the class is teaching you anyway?

How soon can you apply for your second/third adx job? Like is 2-3 months too soon to jump somewhere else?
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Studying for the ADX prior to class will save you a lot of stress. Ever heard the term “fed from the firehose”? Dispatch school is just that and there simply isn’t time to show up without ever having opened a book. I can’t imagine my workload had I not showed up ready to take and pass the ADX. I averaged 3-4 hours a night in study groups after a full day of class, in addition to studying on my own. Class doesn’t slow down...it only ramps up as the weeks go.


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van12 said:
Everyone agree with this? What if you chose an awful first place to work.
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I agree that you’d still be in training. I don’t agree that you’d need to stay at that first job for 2 years. I’d also add that you cannot go into this industry being picky about where you land that first gig. It’s the hardest to get. The first job is likely to be lacking in what you’d ultimately want in a place to stay put for long but that’s just the way it is. Ask any FO or dispatcher about their road to success. You pretty much need to be willing to take the job you’re offered, work really hard and learn as much as you possibly can, then use that to build on to move on to something more to your liking. If you’re considering dispatch as a career, you must go into it knowing that there will be some tough years ahead gaining experience and networking to hopefully get you to a career job.


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van12 said:
Everyone agree with this? What if you chose an awful first place to work.
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If your goal is to get to a major airline as a dispatcher, you want to build up a solid track record along the way - and your resume should indicate this. If you work at one place 3 months, another place 6 months, etc. the major airlines you apply to may wonder why you keep changing jobs so quickly - it can be a red flag that you don't get along with your co-workers or managers. Additionally, you want to make contacts while you are working - leaving after three months doesn't give you much time to get to know people. I agree that you should shoot for at least a year. I left my first employer after just over a year, due to them filing for Chapter 11. Had they not done that, I probably would have stayed there longer. I will say, having that year of experience made it much easier to find a second job.
 
van12 said:
Everyone agree with this? What if you chose an awful first place to work.
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You will have to "do your time" to go anywhere else. The pay isn't going to be great at your first gig, but do your absolute best. Get to know people, get a reputation for doing good work. Be likable/sociable. Be someone who is competent and enjoyable to be around. And then you are going to find that when all your coworkers start going to the big airlines or other well paying gigs you're going to have references. You're also going to get better at your job with time, which will be more appealing to major airlines who would rather just teach you their software and policies than have to re-teach dispatch 101 to you again.
 
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