Interested in Aeronautics? We’ve Got the Place for You!

Interested in Aeronautics? We’ve Got the Place for You!

Sheffield School of Aeronautics was founded by Wilbur A. Sheffield in 1948. Sheffield’s legacy and school operations are now continued by Ron Morris and his family in Broward County.

With Sheffield School of Aeronautics being one of the oldest aviation institutions in the United States, we have much to offer for our incoming/perspective students. Not only do our students choose us because we are close to the sandy beaches of Fort Lauderdale, FL, but also because of our accomplishments and accreditations.

Our main campus consists of over 3,300 square feet. Each classroom is designed to be a high-tech, fully computerized facility specialized for our students. Notably, our classrooms hold 25 students comfortably. We believe the student to teacher ratio should never exceed 25:1, ultimately optimizing our students’ educational experience.

 Sheffield has been operating for 66 years, and most of our graduates are now working for major domestic and foreign air carriers around the world, including Delta, American Airlines, and Etihad.

Here at Sheffield, we offer four different FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) certification courses to our students including ETOPS (Extended Operations), AFIP (Advanced International Flight Planning), Aircraft Dispatcher, and more. We also offer a full-time 5-week residency program, and 3 forms of blending learning courses (in person and online). Under the flexibility of these courses we feel our students perform best.

For students who are not local, we do accommodate housing for an additional fee. We offer different housing options depending on what our students would prefer. 

Becoming an Aircraft Dispatcher

The field of aviation is both highly competitive and highly technical, making it the perfect career choice for individuals who want to work hard and take on a lot of responsibility. Aircraft dispatchers work directly with pilots to get flights to their destinations on time and safely. Following multiple flights at the same time takes a lot of skill and multitasking that is learned through extensive training and licensing programs, all of which Sheffield School of Aeronautics can assist with.

Entry Level Jobs

Although experience with airplanes and flight planning is not required by the Federal Aviation Administration before training to become a dispatcher, entry level jobs in the aviation industry can be beneficial for experience. These jobs, although not required, include:

  • Assistant Dispatcher or flight follower
  • Meteorologist
  • Station manager
  • Ramp control

These positions can provide hands-on training and knowledge that benefits future dispatch training. A high school degree is often required and a college degree or further education may be helpful as well, if eventually pursuing a managerial position.

Complete a Dispatcher Training Program

Aircraft dispatcher training courses require 200 hours of training that can last anywhere from two to six weeks. Do plenty of research before selecting a school, as some have good reputations and others have poor reputations. All programs are supposed to include the following information:

  • Meteorology
  • Navigation and Air Traffic Control
  • Flight planning
  • Regulations
  • Communication protocol & Decision-making
  • Aircraft systems and limitations

Training to become a dispatcher is rigorous, and students need as much ground-based training as the pilots that fly the planes they will be monitoring.

Pass the FAA Practical Examination

The FAA, usually through the use of DADEs (Designated Aircraft Dispatcher Examiners) provides certification testing in locations around the country, but it must be taken within 90 days of the completion of a training course. The testing is intensive and consists of two parts. The first part is a flight planning exercise that should last 2-3 hours. The second part is an oral exam that should last around 2 hours. A person taking the test has to be able to demonstrate mastery of the following skills:

  • In-flight practices
  • Pre- and post-flight procedures
  • Flight planning
  • Landing regulations
  • Emergency protocol
  • Flight planning

While the training to become an aircraft dispatcher is not easy, it is a career path that is very beneficial for those who choose to follow it.

For more information, you can visit our website, or call our support team and they can assist you with the beginning steps of starting your educational aeronautics careers with Sheffield today!

 

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  • Testimonials

    “I entered my profession, with more knowledge and information than dispatchers who have been practicing their craft for more than ten years. Not only has Sheffield provided a top notch education, but they have also instilled in me the confidence to succeed.” A.Z. Sidebar AZ – Student Testimonial
    “I am so glad they are like this because it made me a better dispatcher and I really appreciate their high standards. I would highly recommend Sheffield to anyone who is willing to study hard and is serious about obtaining a Dispatcher Certificate.” MC MC
    “now that I’ve been in an indoctrination class with students from other schools, I know I made the right choice with Sheffield.”   Kindest regards,  A.R.  All schools are created equal?! yeah…sure ;)
    “As a graduate of the aircraft dispatcher program at the Sheffield School of Aeronautics…My training was intense and thorough and furnished me with the requisite skills for performing my current job as a Flight Dispatch Supervisor.” N.S. Sidebar NS
    “I wanted to tell you I got the job offer from Expressjet, and start next month! I think a couple others from class were hired as well. It just shows the Sheffield reputation when I see graduates from other schools complaining that they can’t get an interview – I wasn’t even back home to Minneapolis […] Dan Gustafson
    “Sheffield School of Aeronautics is a highly recognized and respected organization throughout the airline industry. They only produce the highest quality of graduate…” P.W. Sidebar PW
    “Being that half my new hire class dropped out over the course of training, I can confidently say that Sheffield helped to prepare me for the real world.” GT – abridged testimonial – school selection matters
    “This was an amazing class! Always interesting! It was like drinking from a fire hose, but I have never enjoyed a course more than this one. Thank you for a great 5 weeks & EWINS!” R.S. R.S. Testimonial – 5-weeks & EWINS
    “These men represented the highest caliber of professionalism and integrity. The education I received from these gentleman has afforded me to be gainfully employed while having the opportunity to use the education received, all over this country, and more than a few others.” WG sidebar wg
    “My experience at Sheffield and my exposure to other aircraft dispatchers that did not go to Sheffield has resulted in an awareness of the superior depth and quality of the training provided by the Sheffield instructors.” CD Sidebar CD
    Good afternoon Eric, I wanted to reach out to let you know that training at (airline) is in full swing and I couldn’t be happier that I chose Sheffield. My classmates, while very smart, definitely had subpar training and that has been very evident. I have waited to write a full scale review of the […] Attending Sheffield School benefits airline new hires in preparation for airline training
    “As a graduate of Sheffield School of Aeronautics I am a firm believer that I received the most thorough and well thought out aircraft dispatcher training available. I owe my position in the industry to Sheffield School of Aeronautics.” BF Sidebar BF
    “Eric Morris is one of the most if not the most knowledgeable and experienced authorities on Aircraft Dispatching in the United States. He strives constantly to make the industry better.” DH sidebar DH
    “Their reputation of excellence amongst the industry is second to none. Sheffield School of Aeronautics should be seen as the standard of how it can be done and how it should be done. I was hired at a major airline with no dispatch experience.” A.Z. Sidebar AZ
    “I am a graduate of the Sheffield’s Dispatcher Program. I have been a Captain-Part 121 Airline, Certified Flight/Grnd Instructor, and FAA Designated Check Airman and Sim Instructor (Part 121). From my experience I would rate Sheffield School as outstanding in their field.” PT PT
  • Online Catalog

    Sheffield Flight Dispatch Training Catalog

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