Where to go to Dispatcher school?

manniax said:
I have heard of people being hired over 50 but usually had experience dispatching. However your airline experience should help - but I wouldn't expect to get hired on at a major unless you're friends with a hiring manager at one. The airline you retired from may be a good place to apply, if you know the management there.
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So are you saying the major airlines dont hire new trainees near/over the age of 50, I had all the major schools tell me just the oppposite but I'm sure they were just telling me what I want to hear
 
Retiredstocktrader said:
So are you saying the major airlines dont hire new trainees near/over the age of 50, I had all the major schools tell me just the oppposite but I'm sure they were just telling me what I want to hear
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I have seen it happen - but it is fairly rare and usually the dispatchers over 50 had quite a bit of experience. Every airline does things a bit differently and I've only worked at one major so please don't take my word as gospel. In general though, I think majors like to hire people that they think will be around for 20 years or more when they hire dispatchers - and people in their 50's will only work 10-15 years before retirement, generally speaking.
 
Retiredstocktrader said:
So are you saying the major airlines dont hire new trainees near/over the age of 50, I had all the major schools tell me just the oppposite but I'm sure they were just telling me what I want to hear
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I think if you are over 50 and are new to dispatching, a major will not put you at the top of the "To Be Hired" list most likely because of your age. I have worked at a few different carriers, and I am now at a major, and most individuals that are applying for a dispatch position have already worked for the company for 10+ years and are internal candidates. Starting as a brand spankin' new dispatcher over 50 and trying to get on with a major will be an uphill battle to say the least. You would lose out to more qualified younger candidates.
 
Legomyeggo said:
Is anyone currently at Sheffield? I heard a rumor someone failed outta class last week... any truth to this?
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People fail out of Sheffield every course. Most of the time its because they underestimated the amount of work involved and did their studying at Fat Tuesday's.
 
MT said:
People fail out of Sheffield every course. Most of the time its because they underestimated the amount of work involved and did their studying at Fat Tuesday's.
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I graduated just a few weeks ago and a lot of people from the one and two week classes didn't pass. Not sure about the five week class since I was gone before they wrapped up.
 
kgolden said:
Thank you all so much! These suggestions are all super helpful! I do have a bit of aviation background, but much of my knowledge needs to be refreshed. I took some aviation courses through UND about 6 years ago, and received my private pilot's license about 4 years ago, but because of finances and college, I really haven't been able to fly or think much about it. I'm sure I am capable of distance learning, but I know I do better in a classroom setting. And the idea of forming friendships and connections makes a lot of sense.
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AGS was a great school. If you pay attention and take the distance learning seriously it will set you up very well for the on-site portion. The instructors at AGS are top notch and will make sure they do all they can to get you to pass. The failure rate is low and the instructors truly care about your well-being, including post-class. You should check out the AGS review already on here- it is spot on.
I actually decided AGS over Sheffield due to the many stories of the Sheffield owner's attitude and general treatment of those who were performing poorly- seems to me they only want your money and want to project this superior image- AGS is the complete opposite. Also I was working full time and wanted to save some money- 2 weeks of hotel with 2500 tuition is dirt cheap compared to the 5 week courses.
From my observations specific school and dispatch experience don't play as large of a role into the quality of dispatcher as many people may proclaim.
To each his own, making sure AGS gets some love on here too. PM if you want some details of the course.
 
I just finished up at Jeppesen on Friday and we had 2 people fail out during the course. 1 didn't understand English as well as they claimed and the second worked his butt off but failed the navigation test and will be coming back at a later date.

If you have any specific questions regarding Jeppesen, PM me.
 
Reek said:
AGS was a great school. If you pay attention and take the distance learning seriously it will set you up very well for the on-site portion. The instructors at AGS are top notch and will make sure they do all they can to get you to pass. The failure rate is low and the instructors truly care about your well-being, including post-class. You should check out the AGS review already on here- it is spot on.
I actually decided AGS over Sheffield due to the many stories of the Sheffield owner's attitude and general treatment of those who were performing poorly- seems to me they only want your money and want to project this superior image- AGS is the complete opposite. Also I was working full time and wanted to save some money- 2 weeks of hotel with 2500 tuition is dirt cheap compared to the 5 week courses.
From my observations specific school and dispatch experience don't play as large of a role into the quality of dispatcher as many people may proclaim.
To each his own, making sure AGS gets some love on here too. PM if you want some details of the course.
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You've really gone and done it now.... how dare you say anything negative about the almighty Sheffield. Don't you know that those who went to Sheffield are better dispatchers??? If you didn't go to Sheffield you will NEVER get a mainline job, in fact, you might not even get hired at a regional. Sheffield is like so hard and challenging and definitely prepares you for that dispatch career you have longed for. Because we all know the stuff you learned getting your license is so relevant to the job itself.
 
We had a few people that struggled at IFOD, but no one failed. Several of us would help those who needed more help. They also opened the doors on some Saturdays when people struggled during the week. At the end when most of us were testing out, those who struggled got some one-on-one time with instructors. It said a lot to me that they would alter their training methods according to what was best for the student.
 
womanpilot73 said:
I applaud them on their perseverance.
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This is the single most important part of the dispatch career. You will have challenges at every step in your career. You have to be stubborn and have a never say die attitude. There will be days where you ask yourself why the fock did I get myself into this business? The working hours, workload, the pay and the inherent instability of the airline industry are enough to make you question the decision to make dispatching a career.

I would say that more people are not able to handle the dispatch lifestyle than the dispatch aptitude but the two are so interconnected that in a certain sense those that fail out of dispatch school are the ones that were weeded out early who could not live the dispatch lifestyle. Indeed, you can say that it takes someone with a personality geared toward toward the career to have an aptitude for it. If you do not have a particular passion, attitude and personality for dispatching then this will be manifested in your performance in dispatch school.

While we all learn at different speeds, the dispatch material is not so challenging that it takes someone with a special mind to learn it. But it is a fast paced job and the dispatch schools all try to get you used to that fact by throwing all the material at you in a short period of time. If you can't learn a large amount of material in a short period of time you will not be able to make it as a dispatcher. Even if you get through the training, once the training wheels come off you are on your own in a sink or swim environment. The earlier you figure it out is better so you don't put a lot of time into a wasted effort.
 
Hi all, long time lurker first time poster.

Flagship_dxer said:
This is the single most important part of the dispatch career. You will have challenges at every step in your career. You have to be stubborn and have a never say die attitude. There will be days where you ask yourself why the fock did I get myself into this business? The working hours, workload, the pay and the inherent instability of the airline industry are enough to make you question the decision to make dispatching a career.

I would say that more people are not able to handle the dispatch lifestyle than the dispatch aptitude but the two are so interconnected that in a certain sense those that fail out of dispatch school are the ones that were weeded out early who could not live the dispatch lifestyle. Indeed, you can say that it takes someone with a personality geared toward toward the career to have an aptitude for it. If you do not have a particular passion, attitude and personality for dispatching then this will be manifested in your performance in dispatch school.

While we all learn at different speeds, the dispatch material is not so challenging that it takes someone with a special mind to learn it. But it is a fast paced job and the dispatch schools all try to get you used to that fact by throwing all the material at you in a short period of time. If you can't learn a large amount of material in a short period of time you will not be able to make it as a dispatcher. Even if you get through the training, once the training wheels come off you are on your own in a sink or swim environment. The earlier you figure it out is better so you don't put a lot of time into a wasted effort.
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First, well said Flagship_dxer!

I just wrapped up class at Falcon Aviation Academy, just south of Atlanta, Ga. It was 3 months of evening classes while I was working full time during the day. It was a lot, but overall very rewarding. Especially when the DADE signed-off on my flight plan and congratulated me. We had some people struggle in the class, but 90% of it is attitude; staying positive is key. That and passing the written as soon as possible.

CB
 
Hello I have been reading the forums for awhile and figured I'd finally start making a few posts and ask about school. I am not new to aviation, but I have been away from it since 2012. I worked for SkyWest as a cross utilized agent working the Delta side also working the "ops" portion at the gate on the DL flights. I also got about half way through my private pilot certificate. I decide to get back into aviation on the dispatching side and will be going to IFOD next month (Nov 9). I'm a little rusty with METARS, PIREPS, and city codes but can still muddle through most of it and remember a little bit of flight planning. I'm hoping that knowing the little bit I do know can at least help out a little in class. I am planning on brushing up a little on this before I go. I saw that a lot of you had suggested in other posts to get the software or the book to study for the ATP test. I was wondering if anyone else had some other tips before I went. thanks
 
IFOD will supply you with the ASA ATP book on your first day, so buying one now isn't a necessity. From personal experience, I benefitted greatly from the purchase of the ASA ATP Test Prep app for $10 before attending IFOD. It's basically all of the questions in the book in a multiple choice, flash card format. It will get you ready for the written test and only for $10.
 
It does make me ask this question though.. for those of you so hard on a certain private school what do you think about those who went to a community college or embry riddle? Personally I can't see a pattern which is why this whole argument is Hasthtag #Silly in my #IMO
 
Reek said:
It does make me ask this question though.. for those of you so hard on a certain private school what do you think about those who went to a community college or embry riddle? Personally I can't see a pattern which is why this whole argument is Hasthtag #Silly in my #IMO
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It really doesn't matter where you get your license. We each chose our own route to earn it based on our needs at that time. By earning the license you have met the standards that the FAA requires.

Yes in theory it could reflect bad on where you earned your license but that would be based on how well you do your job. If I am following a dispatcher with little experience I am way more forgiving of things. Just as people were of me. If I am following a person with 20+ years experience and has been working the same sector for years, I may not be as forgiving. Yet if you are still doing the same mistakes with a few years under your belt then there might be a problem.

Yes, we will all miss things doing this job but it is the attitude you portray when you discover it or it is pointed out that I am looking for.
 
CRJInTheHeartOfTexas said:
Can someone pls explan the ifod progrwam, im curious what pre recs u need to be succceesful.
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You need money, time, and the self-driven attitude to study your butt off to be successful. Nothing else.

A great dispatcher knows when to ask for help and does so after exhausting all other methods of trying to find the answer for himself. You can not be a good dispatcher and expect to be spoon fed everything. You MUST put in the effort to find some of the more basic answers yourself.
 
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