Mavmb
Well-Known Member
I have been working dispatch full time at a regional airline since beginning of December. Like any job, some days; I like it! Some days; I don't! I work 4 10 hour shifts a week, and then have 3 days off. Occasionally, I get assigned an over time shift. One thing I have learned, dispatchers will make less than pilots in the long run. However, I do make more than new pilots starting out.
My job consists of using the computer to calculate the flight release. All airline flights need a flight release to depart. The easy part is I just tell the computer what temperature and altimeter setting to go with and then it calculates the takeoff and landing performance. I also check any notams that would effect the flight and the minimum equipment list to see if any equipment is broken on the airplane that would effect performance. Occasionally I pick the runway too, but usually the computer does that. I also have to check the weather to determine if the flight will require an alternate airport. Any ceiling lower than 2000ft or visibility less than 3 miles means I have to add an alternate airport to the release. Sometimes I have to enter reroutes into the computer to avoid thunderstorms. I also determine what the fuel load will be for the flight, and sometimes I have to add more fuel for weather and airport and Air Route Traffic Control Delays. If the weather is bad, I am checking this page frequently! http://www.fly.faa.gov/ois
I plan about 60 releases in a ten hour shift. The phone rings frequently. It is always stations or pilots wondering what aircraft they should they take or why an airplane is delayed, when it will get there, etc. Pilots also have to call dispatch to add Minimum Equipment Lists to the release, update their release if it is older than two hours, and get their flight plan filed if it falls out of the ATC system.
I don't talk to the aircraft very much while it is enroute. But sometimes I will call the aircraft over the phone to update them of weather. The pilots will also call me if they have a passenger emergency, questions about the weather, or some kind of maintenance emergency.
I hope this answers any questions anyone has about dispatching. Sometimes I don't like answering the phone (it always rings) and sitting in front of a computer for ten hours, but I do get to go home every night so I do enjoy that aspect of it. A good reference for anyone wanting information about dispatching is http://www.dispatch.org
I also got my dispatch license at http://www.agschools.com and enjoyed the classes and would recommend the school. http://www.sheffield.com is also a school that has a very good website that will help anyone prepare for ATP written exam.
My job consists of using the computer to calculate the flight release. All airline flights need a flight release to depart. The easy part is I just tell the computer what temperature and altimeter setting to go with and then it calculates the takeoff and landing performance. I also check any notams that would effect the flight and the minimum equipment list to see if any equipment is broken on the airplane that would effect performance. Occasionally I pick the runway too, but usually the computer does that. I also have to check the weather to determine if the flight will require an alternate airport. Any ceiling lower than 2000ft or visibility less than 3 miles means I have to add an alternate airport to the release. Sometimes I have to enter reroutes into the computer to avoid thunderstorms. I also determine what the fuel load will be for the flight, and sometimes I have to add more fuel for weather and airport and Air Route Traffic Control Delays. If the weather is bad, I am checking this page frequently! http://www.fly.faa.gov/ois
I plan about 60 releases in a ten hour shift. The phone rings frequently. It is always stations or pilots wondering what aircraft they should they take or why an airplane is delayed, when it will get there, etc. Pilots also have to call dispatch to add Minimum Equipment Lists to the release, update their release if it is older than two hours, and get their flight plan filed if it falls out of the ATC system.
I don't talk to the aircraft very much while it is enroute. But sometimes I will call the aircraft over the phone to update them of weather. The pilots will also call me if they have a passenger emergency, questions about the weather, or some kind of maintenance emergency.
I hope this answers any questions anyone has about dispatching. Sometimes I don't like answering the phone (it always rings) and sitting in front of a computer for ten hours, but I do get to go home every night so I do enjoy that aspect of it. A good reference for anyone wanting information about dispatching is http://www.dispatch.org
I also got my dispatch license at http://www.agschools.com and enjoyed the classes and would recommend the school. http://www.sheffield.com is also a school that has a very good website that will help anyone prepare for ATP written exam.