Questions for the ADX folks

PilotMedic405

Well-Known Member
I have a few questions. I am currently working on my Bachelor’s of science in Aeronautics degree through Embry-Riddle Worldwide. I am also a private pilot, about to finish my instrument and commercial pilots license. I have been tossing around the idea of working as a dispatcher while I finish out my degree and work on my flight hours to eventually become an airline pilot. I am a member of the Air Force Reserve (KC-135 maintainer) as well. I was seeing if I could get some information about what the QOL, schedule and pay is like for a dispatcher. I live in Atlanta with my wife, but we are open to moving. I feel like this would help me get a better understanding of the aerospace world, and make me a safer pilot. Thank you all in advance for anything advice, tips and suggestions you can offer me.
 
You can find pay information here. QOL and schedule will very depending on where you work, which will likely be a regional airline or 121 supplemental. For the most part you can expect to work 4 10's and depending on where you're at you'll either bid a line and work early morning or afternoons, or you will be a reserve. My employer has programs setup for current employees to work on becoming pilots for them, feel free to PM me if you'd like to know more about that.
 
The entry-level position is typically a Part 121 regional carrier. Expect $16-$17 per hour starting wage. A typical work schedule is 4 10-hour days, with shifts starting early morning (4AM-ish) or early afternoon (2PM). Some regional carriers have a graveyard shift, some do not. Work schedules are bid for in seniority order, so expect to work a lot of weekends and holidays when first starting out. Overtime shifts (typically at time and a half pay) are offered in seniority order. If there aren't volunteers, they are assigned in reverse seniority, and are mandatory.

New hire training depends on the carrier, but expect to spend anywhere from 2-5 weeks in ground school, and a similar amount of time in on-the-job training. The capstone of training is a competency check, which usually is a several hour event consisting of oral and practical components. Somewhere in there you will do familiarization flights, observing from the flight deck jumpseat.

That is the typical regional airline dispatcher job in a nutshell. If you decide to make Dispatch a career, you should expect to put inat least 2-3 years before having a chance to move up to a larger carrier.
 
Let me add to this.

A regional airline may or may not become a lifetime career for you, depending upon your own personal goals. Like @QXDX said above, expect to put in 2-3 years before moving (again) and heading for a mainliner. That initial pay may look a little on the low side at first glance, but this industry's got folks who work at a place forever after "falling in love." From personal experience, money is loud - but wealth whispers. QOL couldn't be more valuable. Don't let one particular path become "the" path, either. I met someone at a Starbucks the other day from Midway. Yes, the RDU one. They had it all at that company, but they just weren't happy. So, they bailed on that and decided to come back to the airlines a few years later up in New England and love what they're doing now - almost 20 years later. The pay isn't important. It's the flying, without the flying.

Good luck!
- Burrito
 
Also, as you start out as a regional dispatcher, in most shops you'll be making more than if you started out as a regional first officer.

So, be ready for that pay cut someday.
 
Also, as you start out as a regional dispatcher, in most shops you'll be making more than if you started out as a regional first officer.

So, be ready for that pay cut someday.
in terms of making more money that a regional FO do you mean starting out or top out pay? or just in general in terms of how we always work a consistant 40 hour paycheck?
 
"as you start out as a regional dispatcher..." "if you started out as a regional first officer."

Savvy?
 
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