SkyWest system controller

[stickks]

What is this position about?

 

[Puckgoalie]

Basically, you are the go between of SkyWest and our partners on delays and equipment issues. You also do tail swaps, coordinate with the stations on delays, GSE equipment availability, coordinate with MX control on MX delays and then relay that to the dispatchers. They also coordinate with the dispatcher when we say there is going to be weather delays and when certain MEL's will become a problem downline.

 

[stickks]

Thanks

 

[Puckgoalie]

The biggest thing they do is ensure that aircraft get to the proper MX base when it is due for service. One of them calls it a game of chess trying to figure it all out.

 

[Pepwave1]

I raised an issue recently to our equivalent of a System Controller at my current airline and she said, “I’m getting off of shift and no longer have operational control of that flight. You’ll need to talk to ______ about it as he has Operational Control now.”

And I thought to myself, “How do you have a dispatch certificate and don’t know the definition of Operational Control or who has it at an airline…and more specifically of a flight I have dispatched?”

 

[bbmikej]

One of the most annoying things I had was a pilot ask me why we were delaying a flight. I asked who said that and they said the gate agent. Gate agent said it was the airline ops at the airport. Airline ops said it was dispatch. I called my coordinator and they were like "oh yeah, it needed to be delayed for xyz." Made me so made. First, that is an operational control function which is the dispatchers decision (I would have just said OK anyways). 2nd, that instead of telling me before they put the delay in, I had to spend 5 to 10 minutes playing literal telephone to find out about a decision that was made 20 feet from where I was sitting.

 

[azmedic]

So it’s basically a fancy name for aircraft router?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Bustedcropdusta]

System Contollers, Ops Managers, Coordinators, every airline has em. They’re responsible for keeping the line of flying on a tail together when sh-t breaks. Communicating with DX, MX, and Crew Scheduling all at once. If you’ve worked this week, you’ve probably seen a lot of sh-t break. Buy your local (insert whatever the heck your shop calls them) a drink because this week has been rough lol.

 

[J022598]

One of the most annoying things I had was a pilot ask me why we were delaying a flight. I asked who said that and they said the gate agent. Gate agent said it was the airline ops at the airport. Airline ops said it was dispatch. I called my coordinator and they were like "oh yeah, it needed to be delayed for xyz." Made me so made. First, that is an operational control function which is the dispatchers decision (I would have just said OK anyways). 2nd, that instead of telling me before they put the delay in, I had to spend 5 to 10 minutes playing literal telephone to find out about a decision that was made 20 feet from where I was sitting.

Yeah the dispatcher has operational control but so does every party in your ops center... Maintenance Control is responsible for airworthiness. Crew scheduling is responsible for legality of crews. Dispatch is responsible for the flight. System control is responsible for coordinating between all of these entities. Don't think dispatch is the only holder of operational control. That is an inexperienced take. Operational control can also be delegated beyond dispatch by the DO...

 

[bbmikej]

Yeah the dispatcher has operational control but so does every party in your ops center... Maintenance Control is responsible for airworthiness. Crew scheduling is responsible for legality of crews. Dispatch is responsible for the flight. System control is responsible for coordinating between all of these entities. Don't think dispatch is the only holder of operational control. That is an inexperienced take. Operational control can also be delegated beyond dispatch by the DO...

I think you picked out the wrong part of my post to comment about. I know operationally delays happen for things like crew connections and gate space. The annoying thing was that I had to call through a line of 4 or 5 people up even find out about it. The dispatcher shouldn't be the last person to find out about a delay.

 

[J022598]

I think you picked out the wrong part of my post to comment about. I know operationally delays happen for things like crew connections and gate space. The annoying thing was that I had to call through a line of 4 or 5 people up even find out about it. The dispatcher shouldn't be the last person to find out about a delay.

sounds like a process issue over there and a documentation issue. Every airline software has the ability to notate delay reasons. Most delays are rotational type delays from prior flights.

 

[Pepwave1]

sounds like a process issue over there and a documentation issue. Every airline software has the ability to notate delay reasons. Most delays are rotational type delays from prior flights.

I think you have a confused definition of operational control.
It's the authority to initiate, conduct, and terminate a flight.
And only a dispatcher shares that responsibility with the Pilot in Command.
That's a non-negotiable for the FAA, the FAR's and the company OpSpecs at most 121 air carriers.
Yes...everyone else has a say in some part of the flight...but my assigned flights with my name on that dispatch release do not leave the ground without my initiation

 

[757Geek]

Technically, Operational Control is giving to the Certificate Holder and that Certificate Holder typically should have a document that shows how Operational Control is passed down the rankings to dispatch and the PIC.

 

[andertone]

Sorry to steal the post, but what about the Flight Administration Assistant?
It’s under DX but it doesn’t require a DX license. Currently in school so I’m trying to see if it’s worth trying for that position.

 

[MIADX]

I think you have a confused definition of operational control.
It's the authority to initiate, conduct, and terminate a flight.
And only a dispatcher shares that responsibility with the Pilot in Command.
That's a non-negotiable for the FAA, the FAR's and the company OpSpecs at most 121 air carriers.
Yes...everyone else has a say in some part of the flight...but my assigned flights with my name on that dispatch release do not leave the ground without my initiation

I don't disagree with you entirely, but you're not telling the flight when to leave, you're authorizing them to leave within a certain time window. At my shop, that's ETD -10 minutes/+2 hours for domestic flights. Part of operational control is flight following. So whether the delay is due to crew connection or a broken tug, your software should provide a way to stay up to date on the status of each of your flights independently.

 

[gopherdx]

I don't disagree with you entirely, but you're not telling the flight when to leave, you're authorizing them to leave within a certain time window. At my shop, that's ETD -10 minutes/+2 hours for domestic flights. Part of operational control is flight following. So whether the delay is due to crew connection or a broken tug, your software should provide a way to stay up to date on the status of each of your flights independently.

All true, when you file the strip with ATC. I feel like many newer dispatchers forget the power of “pulling the strip” which effectively grounds them until you re-file. So yeah, if you file the strip when you don’t deem it’s safe to go for whatever reason (OOS, WX, etc) you’re essentially leaving it up to the crew to decide.

 

[manniax]

All true, when you file the strip with ATC. I feel like many newer dispatchers forget the power of “pulling the strip” which effectively grounds them until you re-file. So yeah, if you file the strip when you don’t deem it’s safe to go for whatever reason (OOS, WX, etc) you’re essentially leaving it up to the crew to decide.

I have also been known to ask the load planner not to send final weights

 

[GroundPilot]

Many ways to stop them and you have every right to do so.