Where to go to Dispatcher school?

jinxtacy said:
Hi. New Here, but I live in Flower Mound, TX just north of DFW and was looking to go to school after several years of my neighbor encouraging me to try it out. he told me he went to a school about 18 years ago in Bedford, TX and to use his name when I went to visit. The school is called ATP Flight School and when I went to take a tour they said they had bought out the previous school, Higher Power Aviation, which I think might have bought out the school as well. I was wondering if I should still adhere to his recommendation. I already have all the paperwork lined up and was prepared to enroll in night classes M-R 5-9 PM for 4 months and quit my previous job to go into this and so the school has me in a situation of allowing my lender to provide $1700 for living expenses for 4 months which I don't quite see as a plausible option for me. The admissions person didn't really seem to understand my concern and since this "technically" isn't the school my neighbor recommended to me I started to explore options and wound up at this forum.

1. Is there any feedback on the ATP Flight School out of Bedford, TX?

2. The next school I looked at from the recommendations here was Sheffield which only offers a 5 week course for a long term options. I'd rather have something longer set up to really be able to study learn and just think about the actual questions that I have as I'm kind of particular about preparation and learning your craft as best as you can and as a newcomer to aviation I'd note have minded a bit of an extended course to ensure maximum absorption, but beggars can't be choosers I suppose. I noticed the school was a bit cheaper that what seems to be an untalked about school (searched for it) on the forum. I'd be forced to graduate more quickly, which wouldn't be bad, from what I assume is a better school for about $2000 more?

3. Continuing on in reading this thread I noticed talk about a "Big 3" and saw that IFOD was located in Irving, TX literally on the next highway exit from ATP and also seems to be about $1000 cheaper and a mile closer. It seems to be well talked about by all except for one member on this thread, but notice using the search function on the forum that it seemed to have a lot flack giving to it from what I've seen. Then again this thread is old and time changes things.

4. It seems like "Airline Flight Dispatcher Training Center" operates out of American Airlines Training & Conference Center, but I'm guess no affiliation. The website was pretty antiquated, but then again IFOD wasn't anything spectacular either.

ATP is almost too polished and gives me that money churning tech school vibe of a UTI when Lincoln Tech was effectively as good, but seems very focused on pilot training as well. I just don't see the merits and if I can't cover living expenses through the student loan then I assume I'll be forced to do a 5 week program anyway. Any advice on this particular crossroad? Before I found out about IFOD from this thread I thought Sheffield made sense, but perhaps ATP is a better school than I expect and I should remain on that direction. It was neat to see a cockpit simulator, but have very little idea as to how beneficial it would actually be. One of the instructors was awesome to talk to on the phone (ex-military helicopter pilot) and sounded quite enthusiastic about his job, but I really don't know how big a difference any of that makes. It's a bit odd to have two schools within 16 miles of me. Any advice or recommendation on the state of dispatch schools in 2016?
Click to expand...

I don't know much about ATP's dispatcher training, but I do know that ATP does not have the best reputation for pilot training in general. Take that for what you will, it's just some more information for you. From my own research it seems both Jeppeson and Sheffield are the top two contenders for training, but I certainly understand not being able to attend their schools and taking online doesn't work for everyone. I don't know anything about IFOD but based on what I have heard about ATP in general, the fact that its close and is cheaper, I would suggest looking into them more and seeing what you can dig up.
 
I know a couple of ATP and flight safety dispatcher grads. After company training, they're all pretty much the same. The biggest decider on how knowledgable a dispatcher you will be, is you.
 
Allow me to satisfy the forum majority by saying "it doesn't matter where you go to dispatch school, they're all the same as long as you get your ticket, you learn everything you need to know at your airline...."

Oh please :rolleyes:

Dispatch school is not about teaching you how to be a dispatcher, it is about building a foundation of core aviation knowledge upon which you will build your career. Oh and you get a pretty and required white slip of paper to signifying the foundation has been laid.

The primary purpose of a dispatch school is to prepare you for the FAA Practical and Intial Airline Training.

Just like contractors that pour the foundation, some are better at this than others. Some lay a strong foundation, others give you one with minor defects, and some leave a cracked foundation poured on quicksand. You are smart by trying to figure out who you're going to hire.

Now, onto your questions.


1. I've never heard of an ATP Dispatch School so I can't give you any guidance there. I do know that ATPs flight training program is a ratings mill and not highly regarded as the previous poster said.

2. I understand your desire for a longer course, however dispatch schools don't really work that way. Each course is designed around a 200 hour curriculum to teach you everything that a captain needs to know sans fling the airplane. No matter where you go, the curriculums will be similar and fast paced, like drinking from a fire hose.

The difference between a 5 week course and a longer one is that the longer the course goes, the less time you meet per day. Sheffield is 5 days a week for 8 hours to get your 200 hours. A 10 program I taught was 5 days a week for 4 hours. Some programs might have additional hours built in, but not significantly over 200 hours, this is to allow for absences.

General thought in aviation training is that consistent and frequent training is key to learning, thus it may be more beneficial to go at it 8 hours every day for 5 weeks than two or three times a week in a longer class.

3. I'm probably the vocal dissent on IFOD you have read in your searches about the school. Everyone talks about the Big 3, Sheffield, Jeppesen, IFOD. My opinion from experience is that it is Big 2, Little 1. This isn't to say that people that go to IFOD are terrible dispatchers,(heck, you learn more in your first year on the floor than you do in school) it's just that their school failed them in preparation for interviewing for that first job and initial training at their first airline.

Sheffield and Jeppesen go beyond what is mandated by the FAA and introduce concepts that are considered Disptatch 101 by airlines. Things that you will run into on every basic knowledge test you will take at every interview you will have.

IFOD instead sticks to the script and does not teach beyond the part 65 requirements and thus leaves their students at a disadvantage in this area. I figured this out when I saw a correlation between common questions missed by IFOD applicants, so I asked one of their grads and got a confirmation that they were never taught that material.

4. I know one guy who went to this school and he had a positive experience. Don't have any more information though.
 
I attended IFOD, however my shop seems to prefer Jepp grads. Ultimately, they will all get you the same certificate. We have dispatchers and recent hires from all over the country who got their certificates from many different places, just most have come from Jepp recently.
 
MT said:
Allow me to satisfy the forum majority by saying "it doesn't matter where you go to dispatch school, they're all the same as long as you get your ticket, you learn everything you need to know at your airline...."

Oh please :rolleyes:

Dispatch school is not about teaching you how to be a dispatcher, it is about building a foundation of core aviation knowledge upon which you will build your career. Oh and you get a pretty and required white slip of paper to signifying the foundation has been laid.

The primary purpose of a dispatch school is to prepare you for the FAA Practical and Intial Airline Training.

Just like contractors that pour the foundation, some are better at this than others. Some lay a strong foundation, others give you one with minor defects, and some leave a cracked foundation poured on quicksand. You are smart by trying to figure out who you're going to hire.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the very honest assessment. I wish I had someone like you when I went to UTI for auto & diesel and it took a bit to realize that I was pretty much going to be changing oil at the end of it for awhile. I'm really big on foundational knowledge as it can be more problematic to backtrack and try to learn or you have a knowledge-base of patchwork. "Do it right or do it twice," comes to mind. I'm also looking for small edges where I can get them. I hate being unprepared so I'm definitely sort of a prep-freak.


MT said:
1. I've never heard of an ATP Dispatch School so I can't give you any guidance there. I do know that ATPs flight training program is a ratings mill and not highly regarded as the previous poster said.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the feedback, I was just told a dispatch school in Bedford, TX from 16 years ago by my neighbor and I went to check out his certificate and it was from "Airline Flight Dispatcher Training Center, Inc." with Richard Wateska as the president so I think it's what would eventually become IFOD so I might have been looking at the wrong school the entire time.


MT said:
2. I understand your desire for a longer course, however dispatch schools don't really work that way. Each course is designed around a 200 hour curriculum to teach you everything that a captain needs to know sans fling the airplane. No matter where you go, the curriculums will be similar and fast paced, like drinking from a fire hose.

The difference between a 5 week course and a longer one is that the longer the course goes, the less time you meet per day. Sheffield is 5 days a week for 8 hours to get your 200 hours. A 10 program I taught was 5 days a week for 4 hours. Some programs might have additional hours built in, but not significantly over 200 hours, this is to allow for absences.

General thought in aviation training is that consistent and frequent training is key to learning, thus it may be more beneficial to go at it 8 hours every day for 5 weeks than two or three times a week in a longer class.
Click to expand...

Well I noticed a 5-9PM course offered t ATP for 16 weeks. I figured that would give me sufficient time to study the 3-5 hours per day and really allow for the material to stick as well as have time to come up with appropriate questions. Like you mentioned earlier about a solid foundation being key, I thought it would be the best time to go slow seeing as how people who have worked in the field mention how brutal the 5 week programs can be. I suppose I can really just try to do as best I can in the school and revisit the material while looking for a position. I really prefer a school that gets the students to understand thought process rather than simple function for a greater understanding. Unfortunately many "tech" school seem to be very highly up to the individual to do this for themselves as you can get through them not fully understanding the subject matter. I was working for a small civil engineering firm as a tester and inspector and they consistently sent me out on things I wasn't entirely sure off. It was a lot of learning on the fly, which I wasn't really a fan of, but I learned, but it seems a bit backwards in my opinion.

MT said:
3. I'm probably the vocal dissent on IFOD you have read in your searches about the school. Everyone talks about the Big 3, Sheffield, Jeppesen, IFOD. My opinion from experience is that it is Big 2, Little 1. This isn't to say that people that go to IFOD are terrible dispatchers,(heck, you learn more in your first year on the floor than you do in school) it's just that their school failed them in preparation for interviewing for that first job and initial training at their first airline.

Sheffield and Jeppesen go beyond what is mandated by the FAA and introduce concepts that are considered Disptatch 101 by airlines. Things that you will run into on every basic knowledge test you will take at every interview you will have.

IFOD instead sticks to the script and does not teach beyond the part 65 requirements and thus leaves their students at a disadvantage in this area. I figured this out when I saw a correlation between common questions missed by IFOD applicants, so I asked one of their grads and got a confirmation that they were never taught that material.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I'd never heard of a Big 3 before this thread and I was googling each of them and discovered IFOD was one exit away from the school I was about to sign onto. Then I saw you had a different viewpoint on IFOD from most of the posters in this thread. I noticed Sheffield has a special discount for students from Texas and Illinois so I'm sending them an e-mail. I was pretty surprised it was $900 cheaper than ATP without a discount. $1800 for housing costs makes that only a $900 difference plus whatever discount Texas residents receive. That seems reasonable to go to a more reputable school. IFOD being the same price and local (about a 22 minute drive from me) though makes that seem a bit less likely assuming the discount isn't substantial. I was planning to contact both this week.

Thank you for providing a different perspective. In your opinion is the knowledge missing from the IFOD curriculum worth a $2200 difference to relocate or is it attainable with some recommended reference material?

crow said:
I attended IFOD, however my shop seems to prefer Jepp grads. Ultimately, they will all get you the same certificate. We have dispatchers and recent hires from all over the country who got their certificates from many different places, just most have come from Jepp recently.
Click to expand...

1. Upon my last check on Jepp, I see they have a training facility in Honolulu if I'm correct. I moved back to Dallas from Kauai and have a cousin that works at UH Manoa so that's probably cheaper for me than attending Sheffield as well since I can eat his food and stay at his place as well as hop back to Kauai for a long overdue family visit. Is there any feedback on the Honolulu curriculum in comparison with the Denver one? I had marked Jepp off the list simply for being in Denver, but HNL sounds practical.


And thank you to everyone who took the time to reply. I'm sure these questions are quite redundant on the forum, but it's very helpful as I'm unfamiliar with the field, so again thank you all!

Also, as I have a bit more than a month to burn before starting dates, is there anything that I should be looking to purchase before hand to attempt to get a head start? I saw a mention of a book as well as an app that were helpful pre-school.
 
Last edited:
jinxtacy said:
Upon my last check on Jepp, I see they have a training facility in Honolulu if I'm correct. I moved back to Dallas from Kauai and have a cousin that works at UH Manoa so that's probably cheaper for me than attending Sheffield as well since I can eat his food and stay at his place as well as hop back to Kauai for a long overdue family visit. Is there any feedback on the Honolulu curriculum in comparison with the Denver one? I had marked Jepp off the list simply for being in Denver, but HNL sounds practical.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, you were misinformed. They do not currently have a dispatch school in HNL. I did find out that they are looking to gain more interest from locals, and if there is enough, they might try holding a class there next year. But that is the extent of it at this point.
 
Let's just say I've have two applicants to chose between. One went to a school that used Jeppesen charts and taught the concepts of C055 for alternate minimums, the other learned with NOS charts and determined alternate minimums by reading numbers found on the 10-9. As a Jeppesen and C055 shop, who am I more interested in? Just one example of why some shops have school preferences.
 
womanpilot73 said:
Unfortunately, you were misinformed. They do not currently have a dispatch school in HNL. I did find out that they are looking to gain more interest from locals, and if there is enough, they might try holding a class there next year. But that is the extent of it at this point.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much. I no longer have to wait for that e-mail now.

'Cap' Wilson said:
Let's just say I've have two applicants to chose between. One went to a school that used Jeppesen charts and taught the concepts of C055 for alternate minimums, the other learned with NOS charts and determined alternate minimums by reading numbers found on the 10-9. As a Jeppesen and C055 shop, who am I more interested in? Just one example of why some shops have school preferences.
Click to expand...

I'm unaware of what the majority of that means, but I have the gist of it. Do you happen to know which would be most beneficial towards Southwest or United? It's a lot of Greek that I'm delving into, but perhaps you're talking about different systems that each "shop" utilizes.

I'm already planning to go sit in for a few shifts at Southwest to get a better feel for the actual job. Thanks again!
 
I went to higher power aviation and I thought it was a good experience, mostly due to class size (mine was 5, myself included) so there was plenty of one on one instruction.
 
I am finishing my first week at Ifod now. I could have gone to any of the top3 and happy I selected Ifod. Imo, I do not think it makes sense when you have a top school down the road to pay for housing etc to go somewhere else

The playing field between Sheffield and jepp or Ifod can be leveled by having a bachelors degree or higher, private or comm pilots license and very importantly who you know. Good luck.
 
I went to IFOD, I had a great experience there. I picked IFOD because I lived 10 minutes away in Euless at the time. If I was living in DEN I probably would have gone to Jepp. I've said it plenty of time, go to the school that works best for you. The alone control what you take out of class, and how much you study while waiting for that first job. You are the master of your own destiny.
 
My current shop has a lot of MTSU and Sheffield grads. I went to Jepp and enjoyed my time out there. The main reason I went to Jepp was it worked best for my schedule at the time.

Choose a school that will best work for you and your financial situation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top