Operations/Dispatch Software (or your Christmas Wish List!)

OhioStatePilot

OhioStatePilot

Well-Known Member
Well, the question popped into my head and started digging, but I haven't seen this discussion topic pop up in more than the past year...

What kind of operations and dispatch software do you use in your shop? Do you like it or hate it? What do you think it does really well and what do you wish it did better?

The pilot groups often have a love (or hate) affair with their assigned equipment, but as dispatchers, the operations software is our equipment type. In so many ways, the software and systems we're given dictate the process we use to dispatch the flights and our level of efficiency. Ultimately, there aren't too many choices out there, but the way systems can be combined really increase the options.

We use the full Sabre suite in my shop. From a dispatch perspective, it's extremely user friendly and intuitive for generating a basic release. It's a really simple point and click interface that walks you logically through all the steps, but as with any system, it lives and dies by the setup. I do have a few problems with it... It's very finicky with which characters are allowed (/ - and . only). It can also be picky with how the system allows new routes to be built and it's very easy to break the system if you're not careful. I also wish it handled alerts and workload management in a more user-friendly manner.

What's your wish list?
 
At school I used honeywell, which I liked a lot and was very flexible, but it also took quite a while to compute.

We use Sabre at work too and is fairly good at kickin' those releases out in short order... just wish it was a bit more flexable with routing assignments, such as choosing the best route among a list and letting me put in a min flight level without actually changing the min FL on the route that's built (I get around it by building temp routes - yeah I know it's just as easy to change the min fl on the company route, then put it back to it's original min fl, but I don't like touching company routes). Yeah, I agree the route building can be very annoying at times too. I also wish I had more flexibility with the loads other than just inserting the payload or telling it how many passengers I have, such as there will be X passengers, X half-weights, X bags, etc... and based on that you'll need to leave X pax behind. But I generally don't run into that much and when I do, use an excel spreadsheet to estimate the info. But overall I'd say I'm happy with Sabre 98% of the time...
 
I thought NWA's Worldflight/DUI system was pretty bulletproff and user friendly. I got to test a beta version of LIDO when the carrier I was working for was looking to change and thought it was awesome! I also heard that Jepp is coming out with a new one which is supposed to be the new "best thing sinced sliced bread" flight planning system. Sabre's dispatch monitor gets the job done, but it's a little tedious in my opinion compared to others.
 
We use Navtech Pro, and are switching to the new NFP program after the first of the year. NavTech is ok in my opinion. NFP is entirely web based and to me seems slower. It is pretty neat though since you can stream worldwide SIGMETS and other wx products onto the map display which helps when planning international flights, since there is generally a lack of single site wx radar overseas. NFP also has an IFPS Route checker to make sure that your route is compliant within the confines of EuroControl. I prefer SABRE, and like the simplicity of using Dispatch Monitor.
 
I've always been curious about the Navtech Pro system. I was under the impression that Navtech was also a web based system. That's always made me wonder about the performance and reliability without having a standalone desktop client.

I'm not familiar at all with NFP. Is the route checker integrated with your ASD or is it a part of the planning tool?
 
It is part of the planning tool. Navtech Pro is not IE based. It is comprised of ALL seperate windows. It was really annoying at first, but now I am really used to it. The thing with NavTech Pro was basically developed to cater to each individual airlines particular needs which was individually serviced by NavTech. NFP is a universal product that is available to a wide range of user preferances, but from what NavTech says, is easier to maintain and service it's clients' needs. I have only played around with it, but when I start with my new carrier in January, I will be using it all the time.
 
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