Switching careers to dispatch, the odds, and age

S

shootblue

New Member
I've spent the past 18 years in broadcasting. It's had it's good times, but things are changing, I'm burnt out, and I need a career that can pay the bills and allow me to retire someday. One of the things I've had in the back of my mind for years was dispatch.

There are a couple things that concern me about the switch. One is the starter jobs at the commuter carriers possibly drying up as flying goes more mainline. The other is my age. I'm barely 35, but someone on here brought up a good point as to their possibly being a bit of under the table age discrimination towards people who the big airlines don't think will last twenty years or until retirement. I would think that if I had the license by 36, I would be at the average I see on here of around 4 years to a major, by 40.

Another thing would be the odds of making it to a major...the other issue with being 35 is that I have very little room to make a mistake in terms of my next career and losing time in a career that may leave me in the minor leagues.

Trying to gather as much information and be honest with myself and am very interested to hear any thoughts on these topics as I plan my next steps in life.
 
I started less than a year ago and I am 40. I actually got interviewed ahead of some of the younger people from my graduation class. I think my experience in the business world and networking skills made this happen. I am at a regional but have already been promoted here. You will have to deal with things like overtime, people half your age having twice your seniority, an ever changing schedule and a horrible starting salary but if you are big picture like me and want a long term career with good salary potential and want to be able to retire with flight benefits it is a good choice.
 
shootblue said:
I've spent the past 18 years in broadcasting. It's had it's good times, but things are changing, I'm burnt out, and I need a career that can pay the bills and allow me to retire someday. One of the things I've had in the back of my mind for years was dispatch.

There are a couple things that concern me about the switch. One is the starter jobs at the commuter carriers possibly drying up as flying goes more mainline. The other is my age. I'm barely 35, but someone on here brought up a good point as to their possibly being a bit of under the table age discrimination towards people who the big airlines don't think will last twenty years or until retirement. I would think that if I had the license by 36, I would be at the average I see on here of around 4 years to a major, by 40.

Another thing would be the odds of making it to a major...the other issue with being 35 is that I have very little room to make a mistake in terms of my next career and losing time in a career that may leave me in the minor leagues.

Trying to gather as much information and be honest with myself and am very interested to hear any thoughts on these topics as I plan my next steps in life.
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Your age is not a problem. Finding an entry level position will not be a problem. Just be aware that when it comes to working for a major airline, there are a lot more people available than jobs. Not everyone will get to a major, but you have as much a chance at getting as the next person.
 
I just turned 36 and switched to dispatching. I got my license last summer going to evening classes while working during the day. I got hired by a regional in December and here I am. I would like to make it to the majors one day as well and think there will be some good opportunities to do so. Rincoln summed it up pretty well. I am focused on learning all I can to be a good dispatcher and hope opportunities will come with time.
 
You are not too old at age 35. However, as has been mentioned, the longer you wait to get started means the older you will be at a major. Seniority is everything at a major airline. It determines everything in your schedule including if you work holidays and when you can take your vacation to job security if the need to furlough arises. Eventually, the retirements and fleet growth will stop. You could easily be stuck 5-10 years on a midnight schedule (unless you like those hours) if you dont get your timing right.

The longer you wait, the less chance you have to be completely topped out at a major. Southwest tops out at 15 and AA at 20 years. UPS, Fedex, Delta and United are not much different. The ones like myself that were lucky enough to get hired by a major in their 20s and early 30s will have the chance to be topped out for as many as 25 years. Maybe more. Beyond the seniority, it is the time at top of scale before retirement that you lose out on the most with starting later in life. I know some people who started later in life and by the time they top out it will be about time to retire. For a small minority, they might not even make it to top out pay before retirement.
 
Everyone's situation is different. Only you can decide if the change in pay / lifestyle is worth the cost / reward.
Do you want to move to your new career or are you willing to commute? (Plan more than one move)
If you currently live in a tax free state (i.e. - no state income tax), depending on where you get hired you may end up paying that.
Are you willing to work overtime?
Are you counting on overtime to compensate for the initial change in salary?
Some airlines have very little overtime - where as others it is a daily occurrence.
Can you handle working 8-10 hours and then being told you will be back in 8 hours for another 8-10 hour shift? Especially on your Friday?

These are just some of the questions that are involved with any career change/move - not just going into dispatch.
The return on investment for this career far exceeds almost anything out there.

Don't be afraid to ask questions.
 
I am a 38 yr old lawyer also considering a career change into dispatch. I have my ppl with prior airline customer service experience. Once the aviation/airline disease gets you its hard to shake. I have thought even at 40 yrs old you have another 25 years of working life so why not do something that really interests you instead of just collecting a paycheck. Yes-- money is nice but once you can pay your bills and have a little left over, it really doesn't matter much, at least to me.
 
shootblue said:
I've spent the past 18 years in broadcasting. It's had it's good times, but things are changing, I'm burnt out, and I need a career that can pay the bills and allow me to retire someday. One of the things I've had in the back of my mind for years was dispatch.

There are a couple things that concern me about the switch. One is the starter jobs at the commuter carriers possibly drying up as flying goes more mainline. The other is my age. I'm barely 35, but someone on here brought up a good point as to their possibly being a bit of under the table age discrimination towards people who the big airlines don't think will last twenty years or until retirement. I would think that if I had the license by 36, I would be at the average I see on here of around 4 years to a major, by 40.

Another thing would be the odds of making it to a major...the other issue with being 35 is that I have very little room to make a mistake in terms of my next career and losing time in a career that may leave me in the minor leagues.

Trying to gather as much information and be honest with myself and am very interested to hear any thoughts on these topics as I plan my next steps in life.
Click to expand...

I said in my earlier post that your age is not a factor, and that there will be a job for you. However, if you're looking at going into aviation because you think you can make money and live the high life, I'd advise you to reconsider. Yes, there are jobs out there like that, but they are scarce and becoming scarcer. As I said earlier, you have just as much chance to get a major airline job as the next person, but be aware that for every opening that exists, you are competing against literally hundreds of other people.
 
Flagship_dxer said:
You are not too old at age 35. However, as has been mentioned, the longer you wait to get started means the older you will be at a major. Seniority is everything at a major airline. It determines everything in your schedule including if you work holidays and when you can take your vacation to job security if the need to furlough arises. Eventually, the retirements and fleet growth will stop. You could easily be stuck 5-10 years on a midnight schedule (unless you like those hours) if you dont get your timing right.

The longer you wait, the less chance you have to be completely topped out at a major. Southwest tops out at 15 and AA at 20 years. UPS, Fedex, Delta and United are not much different. The ones like myself that were lucky enough to get hired by a major in their 20s and early 30s will have the chance to be topped out for as many as 25 years. Maybe more. Beyond the seniority, it is the time at top of scale before retirement that you lose out on the most with starting later in life. I know some people who started later in life and by the time they top out it will be about time to retire. For a small minority, they might not even make it to top out pay before retirement.
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I think both Delta and United top out after 10 years. Unsure about AA/FedEx/UPS. At any rate, I got hired by a major in 2006 in my late 30s and I'm now topped out. However, it did take me a while to get to a major for various reasons (9/11 being among them.) Major hiring seems to be a bit off its frenetic pace of 2014-15 but it's still going on and should continue for a while, I think. Had I not gotten hired by a major, I don't know if I'd still be in the industry as making ends meet on a regional dispatch salary (even if topped out) can be a challenge.
 
manniax said:
I think both Delta and United top out after 10 years. Unsure about AA/FedEx/UPS. At any rate, I got hired by a major in 2006 in my late 30s and I'm now topped out. However, it did take me a while to get to a major for various reasons (9/11 being among them.) Major hiring seems to be a bit off its frenetic pace of 2014-15 but it's still going on and should continue for a while, I think. Had I not gotten hired by a major, I don't know if I'd still be in the industry as making ends meet on a regional dispatch salary (even if topped out) can be a challenge.
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Top out at Fedex is 12 years.
 
Flagship_dxer said:
You are not too old at age 35. However, as has been mentioned, the longer you wait to get started means the older you will be at a major. Seniority is everything at a major airline. It determines everything in your schedule including if you work holidays and when you can take your vacation to job security if the need to furlough arises. Eventually, the retirements and fleet growth will stop. You could easily be stuck 5-10 years on a midnight schedule (unless you like those hours) if you dont get your timing right.

The longer you wait, the less chance you have to be completely topped out at a major. Southwest tops out at 15 and AA at 20 years. UPS, Fedex, Delta and United are not much different. The ones like myself that were lucky enough to get hired by a major in their 20s and early 30s will have the chance to be topped out for as many as 25 years. Maybe more. Beyond the seniority, it is the time at top of scale before retirement that you lose out on the most with starting later in life. I know some people who started later in life and by the time they top out it will be about time to retire. For a small minority, they might not even make it to top out pay before retirement.
Click to expand...

Hi, I am a new member, but have been following the dispatcher/flight control forums for a while. You mentioned the top of the scale for some of the major airlines...I wanted a little clarification, when you mention time at the top do you mean time as the most senior dispatch post? And what would that be for most major (or regionals for that matter). I guess what I am trying to ask is the career progression for a dispatcher. What can I achieve at the ultimate level of success at an airline after starting as a dispatcher?
 
IADspotter said:
Hi, I am a new member, but have been following the dispatcher/flight control forums for a while. You mentioned the top of the scale for some of the major airlines...I wanted a little clarification, when you mention time at the top do you mean time as the most senior dispatch post? And what would that be for most major (or regionals for that matter). I guess what I am trying to ask is the career progression for a dispatcher. What can I achieve at the ultimate level of success at an airline after starting as a dispatcher?
Click to expand...

Dispatch work is a largely union work so it is seniority/longevity based and thus pay, schedules and vacation time are based on when you were hired relative to others. Basically, a lazy and incompetent dispatcher can have a better schedule, better pay, and more vacation than a dispatcher who does a good job. Even more job security too as furloughs are seniority based not performance.

Management jobs at airlines especially majors have less job security and less pay than regular dispatch jobs so at some majors, management jobs get hired externally as internals would rather be in dispatch than to take a risk and even a pay cut by going to management.

Inside dispatch, there are ATC, equipment, training, and other positions that carry a higher premium on pay. Some see this as being a high level of success. But really, the highest level of success of just being a dispatcher. Getting paid six figures and not having any performance reviews and only being required to get releases out is not bad. You dont even have to get your releases out on time or even be legal and still can keep your job. As long as you show up to work, dont fail a drug test, dont go to jail or steal from the company, it is really hard to get fired as a dispatcher at any airline.

Thus the ultimate level of success is hard to define and is largely based on what you want out of your career.
 
All union dispatch contracts have a pay scale as a part of the agreement that dictates what dispatchers are paid based on time in service and age of the contract. Most (but not all) contracts include yearly increases in pay at a certain percent, so for instance the pay will go up 2% per year if that is what the agreement was. Also as you gain years in service you move "up" the pay scale and your pay increases. Say for instance the scale goes up for 10 years. On your 10th year of service you are in the last step of the scale and thus are considered "topped out". You no longer move "up".
 
shootblue said:
I've spent the past 18 years in broadcasting. It's had it's good times, but things are changing, I'm burnt out, and I need a career that can pay the bills and allow me to retire someday. One of the things I've had in the back of my mind for years was dispatch.

There are a couple things that concern me about the switch. One is the starter jobs at the commuter carriers possibly drying up as flying goes more mainline. The other is my age. I'm barely 35, but someone on here brought up a good point as to their possibly being a bit of under the table age discrimination towards people who the big airlines don't think will last twenty years or until retirement. I would think that if I had the license by 36, I would be at the average I see on here of around 4 years to a major, by 40.

Another thing would be the odds of making it to a major...the other issue with being 35 is that I have very little room to make a mistake in terms of my next career and losing time in a career that may leave me in the minor leagues.

Trying to gather as much information and be honest with myself and am very interested to hear any thoughts on these topics as I plan my next steps in life.
Click to expand...
I just recently graduated from one of the dispatch schools; I'm 43 years old. I was VERY VERY VERY LUCKY to get hired on into a dispatcher position with a main line carrier weeks after graduating. I've been working here for five years as a Crew Scheduler so I was very well-known within the OCC. I also have great working relationships with the front line teammates, as well as all levels of management (all the way up to the VP of Flight Ops) due to my involvement with several high level projects I volunteered for.
I have also been in the industry since my days in the Marine Corps as a helicopter mechanic & crew chief since 2002. I have a wide base of knowledge to pull from and offer ideas to my team and managers.
At 43, I notice the age gap and maturity differences between me and the younger dispatchers.
I've also noticed some resistance from some who feel I did not pay my dues by coming up through a regional. And while I'm sensitive to their perspective on the matter, they didn't come up the hard road I chose either. So that's their drama to deal with.
I come to work each day to earn my spot on the roster, learning as much as I can with the time I have on the desk so I can contribute more as time goes on.

Your age isn't so much a factor as your work ethic and big picture perspective on where you want your career to go.

Best of luck to you!
 
Flagship_dxer said:
Dispatch work is a largely union work so it is seniority/longevity based and thus pay, schedules and vacation time are based on when you were hired relative to others. Basically, a lazy and incompetent dispatcher can have a better schedule, better pay, and more vacation than a dispatcher who does a good job. Even more job security too as furloughs are seniority based not performance.

Management jobs at airlines especially majors have less job security and less pay than regular dispatch jobs so at some majors, management jobs get hired externally as internals would rather be in dispatch than to take a risk and even a pay cut by going to management.

Inside dispatch, there are ATC, equipment, training, and other positions that carry a higher premium on pay. Some see this as being a high level of success. But really, the highest level of success of just being a dispatcher. Getting paid six figures and not having any performance reviews and only being required to get releases out is not bad. You dont even have to get your releases out on time or even be legal and still can keep your job. As long as you show up to work, dont fail a drug test, dont go to jail or steal from the company, it is really hard to get fired as a dispatcher at any airline.

Thus the ultimate level of success is hard to define and is largely based on what you want out of your career.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that information, when you say don't even have to be legal, what do you mean by that? Is it abnormal to find people at the top management level of an airline (regional or major) that started out as dispatchers. I know a lot of top directors and CEOs today are often brought in from other industries, and I also realize that running or administering a large airline may have little to do with knowledge of airman-ship. But was just curious if there are any examples in the industry today of dispatchers going on to top tier positions?

Are furloughs common in this line of work? I know airlines seem to be doing well generally and lots of expansion forecast. And while this may have been covered before in a different forum, but what are the typical shifts for dispatchers at most regionals, I have seen mentioned here that a lot of them apparently have 10 hour (or more) shifts with 3 days off in a week. Thank you
 
Furloughs in aviation are a possibility.

While they are doing ok right now, the price of oil (and therefore fuel) will not stay this low forever).

I can't speak for all of them, as I have only worked for the regional I'm at now, but we have 10 hour shifts. There is an early am shift (starts at 04:00), along with 1 desk that starts at 05:45, 1 desk that starts at 08:30. And then a pm shift ( starts at 13:45) along with 1 15:45 desk and 1 overnight desk. Schedule is 4 on 3 off.

I may be wrong here, but I think most regionals have a similar general set up. A handful of early am desks, a handful of pm desks, and then there may be the occasional mid-day shift or overnight shift.
 
Rincoln said:
I started less than a year ago and I am 40. I actually got interviewed ahead of some of the younger people from my graduation class. I think my experience in the business world and networking skills made this happen. I am at a regional but have already been promoted here. You will have to deal with things like overtime, people half your age having twice your seniority, an ever changing schedule and a horrible starting salary but if you are big picture like me and want a long term career with good salary potential and want to be able to retire with flight benefits it is a good choice.
Click to expand...
...None of this if you avoid PSA.
 
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