Newbie Questions

MT said:
5 years 6 months of regional hell to get to a major. The interviews all came rapid fire at about the 4.5 year mark. Life at the major really was worth ever second of pain.

As far as pay goes, it's all relative. regional dispatchers are amongst the highest paid employees in the regional industry. They come nowhere near major pay levels but it's is hardly an unlivable wage.
Click to expand...
What's "regional hell" like? :) Any tips on how to make it livable?
 
McCrosky said:
I guess it took me about 5 to get to a "major". Keep in mind, I got my license in June of 2001. And we know what happened in September. That put a lot of career paths in hold, not to mention a flurry of national carriers going under.

So, there's a chance that with the current hiring trends that come with a profitable industry, and impending retirement trends (boomers punching out), that getting to a major could take less time.

But, as @manniax said, life in this industry is rarely dull. Another war and oil spike or economic fallout could reverse all the hiring trends and next you know there are furlough letters going out.
Click to expand...
Current hiring trends make it opportune to go for a dispatcher career? That's good news! I also just learned that dispatchers do not have a mandatory retirement age, how many of you work with a 65+ year old dispatcher/manager?
 
Badis said:
What's "regional hell" like? :) Any tips on how to make it livable?
Click to expand...
Regional hell is 50+ releases to cut in a shift, while taking 15+ flights in a pass-down.
Regional hell is poor pay with a decent schedule, and lots of opportunity for OT...at poor pay.
Regional hell is heavy reliance on the dispatcher for tasks that belong to other groups within NOC/SOC/OCC at other airlines, for example ATC Coordinators, tail-routing, weight and balance, etc. You wont likely be calling in to command center for the telecon, but you'll wish there was someone there who did. You wont likely be routing tails, but you'll wish there was more than just the guy that comes in on Tuesdays and Fridays to route for the next 7 days.

Realistically, many of us "cut our teeth" at regionals, and while there is griping about it, it's great experience and a hell of a lot of fun. If you can handle a few years at a less-than-optimal salary, do it!
 
Badis said:
Current hiring trends make it opportune to go for a dispatcher career? That's good news! I also just learned that dispatchers do not have a mandatory retirement age, how many of you work with a 65+ year old dispatcher/manager?
Click to expand...
There are plenty of 65+ dispatchers out there, many of whom were in management and are now back dispatching because there's no take home work and it's something to do in "retirement". You also have the guys that have a very comfortable life on top-of-scale pay and would actually be taking a pay cut to go into a management position, so they stay in the dispatch groups.
 
Badis said:
What's "regional hell" like? :) Any tips on how to make it livable?
Click to expand...

Dispatching at a regional is like any entry level position: What you get out of it depends on what you put into it

I was overjoyed, when I was offered my first gig! I made the most of it, by learning everything possible about dispatch and the operation. Also, I traveled, enjoyed life and paid off my student loans ($37k in 2years).

"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey matters in the end"
If you think of the regionals as hell, then it will be hell for you. If you have clear, defined goals then the regionals can become a great experience!

My $0.02
 
If you call it regional hell, that is what it will be. Myself personally, if I got paid a little more ($2/hr), I wouldn't mind staying at my current regional a while.
 
I'll pile onto the bandwagon here. I agree with the idea that if you go into something thinking it will suck, it will. It's all a matter of perspective. When I was starting out I thought my gig at Air Midwest pushing 1900's around the east coast in the winter was the best thing in the world! I was pushing tin, breathing jet exhaust and living it up. From where I sit now my vision of it is certainly different then it was then, but it was an experience that made me a better dispatcher, a better employee and makes me appreciate how I have it now.

Savor your rookie years in the minor leagues! They will be a part of your life for the rest of your life.
 
Some airlines have unions for dispatcher and some do not. If by "annual leave" you mean vacation, the answer is yes. You will also have the flexibility to trade days with your coworkers so that you can get more time off. I worked 10 days in July.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top