Work Week / Scheduling

[TaxiBack]

I am curious about the work week or the monthly hours for a dispatcher. I have searched this forum and have found a few references to hours worked here and there. What is the typical schedule for a new guy (greenhorn) and then for a 3-5 yr veteran? Do some places have bidding? What does a good schedule look like?? And what do the FAR's say about work hours and do the companies tow the line on that???
Thanks for any and all replies.

 

[PHL_Approach]

Regionals and Majors have two very different schedules. Most Regionals do 4 on/3 off 10 hour days. Majors I've heard can do anything from 5 on, 2 off, 5 on, 3 off - 8 hour days or 6 on, 3 off, 6 on, 3 off, 6 on, 6 off 8 hour days. So Majors really embrace the rotating shift schedule. Midnight shifts can also vary. 5 on 5 off, 6 on 6 off etc.

As far as a good schedule, really depends on who you ask. One person may love being able to wake up at 12pm and work all night or some may be ok with going to bed at 7pm, waking up at 2:45am for a 4am shift. However, they have the whole afternoon off to do things around the house or run errands. My favorite shift is bankers hours. I love being able to go to bed at 12am and waking up at 7am. Currently I have a 0800-1800 shift Fri/ Sat/ Sun off. That was probably because for over four years when I worked on the Ramp I had to work nights and it just got really old feeling like I missed out of a lot of things.

 

[jose1337]

When I interviewed with ATI, they had a 4 on 4 off 10hr shift schedule, so it probably also changes with cargo and Part 135 operators as well

 

[womanpilot73]

I work at a 121 Supplemental and work 10 hrs with 4 on, 3 off from 1500-0100. Our shifts vary from 0600-1600, 0900-1900, 1500-0100, 1900-0500 and 2200-0800. Depends on what you prefer. The worst to me is 0900-1900 but only because I have a one hour commute each way and the entire day is shot. No chance to run any kind of errand on workdays.

 

[manniax]

It really depends upon the airline - as people have stated, there are a lot of different schedules out there. Some supplemental carriers work 12 hour shifts - I think that's a bit too long myself. Generally regional airlines don't have as much written in their contracts about how many days a year you can work. At my last (regional) airline it was stated everyone would work 10 hour shifts, have off 3 days each week, and training days were included in that - but that's about it. Where I am at now we are limited to a max number of days per year by contract (243) that we are in negotiations to try and reduce. It varies by airline how many days people work each year but it seems like most majors have 8 hour shifts due to the number of 24 hour desks - at least in my experience. As far as I know, there is very little written in the regs about time limits other than you can't be scheduled to work more than 10 hours, you are required to have 8 hours off between shifts, and you need one day per week or the equivalent thereof off per month. However, if you are working at a 121 supplemental carrier, I don't think those limits apply.

 

[TaxiBack]

Thanks to all of you for the great feedback. Things are as I suspected. And that's a good thing.

 

[titansox]

Our dispatchers use to work 4 on 3 off 10 hour shifts. They just changed it now so one week they work 3, 12 hour shifts and the next week they'll work 3, 12 hour shifts and 1, 8 hour shift. Its a bit strange but I guess they get better coverage that way.

 

[PlaneFan82]

Our dispatchers work 4 on 4 off 12 hour shifts. It is a long day, but the rotating schedule and the 4 days off are pretty nice.

 

[TaxiBack]

PlaneFan, wow that does sound good to me. I have a small wine label and I want to be able to keep making my wines or at least have some time to travel and sale to new restaurants and bars.
This could work out well. Thanks for all the good beta.

 

[Mach82]

I work 4 on 4 off 10hr shifts