What do dispatchers do exactly?

Elessar

Can someone enlighten me as to their exact roles? I understand it's something to do with planning a flight, load sheets, flight planning(?) and such. Correct me if I'm wrong. I would like to get into this area in the near future but all I can find about the role is vague descriptions.

WexCan

There's two types of dispatchers - the guy on the ramp who's job is to co-ordinate all ramp and passenger handling activities (for most airlines, very little load control involved here), and the guy in head office who's responsible for flight planning etc.

Will have a chat with one and see what he says

Foggy43

WexCan! Not asking for an upgrade :eek:

WexCan

Ah I'm a low cost guy, love people getting on and asking where first class is.

"Downstairs"

Amazing how many people fall for it.

cp251

In America, a dispatcher is licensed and actually takes some responsibility for the flight. There is a six week course involved to get an FAA licence.

Here's a link which explains: [URL="httphttp://www.airlinerdispatch.com/crucial-role-of-dispatcher.htm"]httphttp://www.airlinerdispatch.com/crucial-role-of-dispatcher.htm[/URL]

On this side of the pond, it's not so formal and it's usually called 'Operations Officer' and no licence is involved. You can do a course in DIT Bolton street but you usually already have to be working as an Operations Officer or at least a trainee. In the past many pilots worked in OPs it, while waiting for a flying job. I did it for a while, years ago. Very interesting. Some people start off getting a job in the Operations department of an airline. More or less clerical work and eventually gravitate into the dispatchers job after doing the Bolton street course.

It's tough to get a dispatchers job in this country, as often as not it's inside info and persistence. Doing the FAA course does help though even though it's not a requirement.

Elessar

Bump

So let me get this straight - a dispatcher here does not handle flight planning, but "passenger handling" activities - what does this mean? Telling people to board a flight? Sounds just like a regular customer service rep? :eek:

What ramp activities do they actually do? I'm trying to get a feel for what they do as I was thinking of applying but if it's customer focused I wouldn't bother.

Did you have that chat Wex?

FlutterinBantam

Basically a dispatcher here would be a flt co-ordinator who would liase with the various departments needed to dispatch a flight at the scheduled time.

He/she would ensure a/c loaded in accordance with published load plan.
and sign/get signed the relevant documentation.

Would ensure a/c cleaned/fuelled/is set up in the correct configuration according to published plan.

Would liase with cabin crew/cockpit crew re passenger boarding, and make neccessary provision in the event of remote parking.

Would ensure boarding staff kept informed of any delays/difficulties and the ground ops dept advised of any possible delays.

Would be responsible for "closing out" the flight for check in/dealing with any last minute hitches/security problems.
Would be responsible for ensuring weight and balance docs accurately reflect the actual loading status and making adjustments if not.

Thats a general overview,there can be a lot more in the event of delays/disruptions,but i hope that gives you an overall picture.

pclancy

The "airline" and "airport" programs that always seem to be on sky digital somewhere often feature dispatchers

If you can stand the bad acting....

cp251

Elessar wrote: »

Bump

So let me get this straight - a dispatcher here does not handle flight planning, but "passenger handling" activities - what does this mean? Telling people to board a flight? Sounds just like a regular customer service rep? :eek:

What ramp activities do they actually do? I'm trying to get a feel for what they do as I was thinking of applying but if it's customer focused I wouldn't bother.

Did you have that chat Wex?

Slight confusion, methinks. Flutterinbantam is correct, essentially these are 'ground hostesses' sometimes called 'Redcaps'. Known as despatchers. They are passenger focussed. These are quite different to the FAA certified Despatchers I mentioned.

Despatchers here are usually called Operations Officers or similar. Jobs include crew rostering, flight planning etc. They have no contact with or interest in passengers. When I did the job, I could find myself ferrying crew out to the aircraft or the the train station, organising Taxis, phoning them in the hotel with their report times, keeping their wives from finding about their girlfriends, , filing flight plans, begging fuel tanker drivers to fuel us next etc etc. I never did the weight and balance or PLOG. That was someone else's job. But I would have graduated onto that eventually.

Aer Arann had a job advertised recently, it's gone now. In the ad, it said it would suit a trainee pilot looking to gain experience in the airline business. That is very true, plus you make very excellent contacts.

WexCan

cp251 wrote: »

Slight confusion, methinks. Flutterinbantam is correct, essentially these are 'ground hostesses' sometimes called 'Redcaps'. Known as despatchers. They are passenger focussed. These are quite different to the FAA certified Despatchers I mentioned.

Often called turnaround coordinators these days. They don't neccesarily have all that much passenger contact, they mainly supervise ramp/baggage staff and the passenger service agents at the gate.

On a typical turnaround, they'll make sure the stand area is clear and ready, guidace system is on (or marshaller in place). They'll get the airbridge/steps in place, liaise with cabin crew to see if assistance is needed for wheelchair passengers, check if the water/waste tanks need to be serviced, catering arrangements etc.

They'll make sure bags get taken off quickly, and cargo/bags are then loaded per airline regulations. They'll make sure fuel is arranged and cleaners board on time. One the cabin is ready, they'll liaise with cabin/flight crew and call the gate to start boarding. They often help out with bags as well.

Depending on airline, they'll fill out a load certificate or print a loadsheet and manifest, and fill out all the neccesary paperwork.

Once all the passengers are on they'll take the airbridge/steps away and depending on airline may supervise the pushback. This generally involves doing a walkaround of the aircraft to ensure all doors and access panels are closed, then using the headset to communicate with flight crew during the pushback.

All of this really does depend on airline, but generally speaking dispatchers (in the European sense) supervise the turnaround process and spend most of their time on the ramp.

cp251

Excellent, that updates me. In EI it's usually the Engineers on the headset and checking the doors etc.

FlutterinBantam

Correct cp251.... in EI ALWAYS engineers who perform pushback /pdi function.

One word to the OP,rarely in airlines is there a specific job as Flight despatcher/redcap/flt co-ordinator.

A person would work in the Grnd Ops dept and would work in various other sections or areas as well,so if customer service is not your leaning,then this is not for you.

WexCan

Flutter, just realised you posted almost the exact same thing a few posts back. Silly me eh.

FlutterinBantam

No worries Wex...shows we both know what we are talking about dunnit!!!