Aircraft
Dispatcher Course
200
hours
-
-
1948
-2010
-
-
"Best
advice - attend Sheffield. Virtually every airline told me
that's the only place to go. They teach you not only what
to learn but HOW to learn. When I read a few online
posts that "your airline teaches you what you need to
know - trust me - no way. My
green binder has been plundered or looked over by instructors
and other dispatchers who did not attend Sheffield - guess
they wish they had!! One of my Sheffield classmates at another
airline had his notebook stolen, but Sheffield replaced it
quickly for him! It also appears that a lot of Sheffield people
rise up quickly through the ranks - many become trainers on
the side as well!"
R.W., Very proud Sheffield Graduate,
Feb 2009
May
12, 1996
Dear Ron
and Family,
-
Your
staff of instructors are topnotch and are well known in
the aviation industry. I had
over 12 interviews and job offers around the
country and every interview I went on I was told that
they called because they saw I was trained at Sheffield.
Eric made the course not only interesting but fun. His
experiences in the field added insight into what we as
dispatchers could expect. This is a very exciting career
and I am certainly glad I chose to enter this field when
I did.
J.M.,
Webster, TX
Sheffield Graduate
Click
here to see what other graduates say about Sheffield School.
Our
program is FAA approved for 200 hours. Classes are held from
8:00 am unti 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Computer labs
are usually scheduled after 5:00 pm. The duration of the course
is 5 weeks. The FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Knowledge Test
is usually administered during the first half of the course
and the FAA Practical Exam is administered following
successful completion of the course and after passing the
ADX Knowledge Test.
Aircraft Dispatcher
The
material covered includes the requirements of the Federal
Aviation Regulations, Part
65, Subpart C and covers the following subject
matter: ¬Ý
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of page
| Meteorology
(Basic & Advanced Aviation Weather Theory) |
Non-graphic
Weather |
| Graphic
Weather |
Aeronautical
Information Manual |
| Instrument
Approach Procedures |
Navigation |
| Communications |
Air
Traffic Control
|
| Federal
Aviation Regulations |
Jeppesen
Airway Manual |
| Practical
Dispatching--Jet Aircraft |
Aircraft
and Engine Performance (B727-200) |
| Systems
and Limitations (B727-200) |
Flight
Planning: Manual & Computerized |
As
a student at Sheffield School, you will receive hands-on computer
training, learning to request computer flight plans and weather
information, NOTAMS, etc. using the Jeppesen Access Software,
Navtech, and Universal Wx.
|
Ron
Morris with Mr. Jeppesen, 1992.
|
|
All
FAA-approved Dispatch schools must meet (follow) FAA minimum
requirements; however, contrary
to what many schools claim,
all schools DO NOT teach the identical curriculum.
Sheffield School incorporates additional reality-based material
which is not typically found in common textbooks. In fact,
we've written our own textbook because most aviation books
do not directly address much of the practical material taught
in the course; well, not in Sheffield's comprehensive
course. Time in class allotted to each subject varies greatly
depending on the examples given, the scenarios produced, and
the hands-on application. Many of our graduates have been
instrumental with respect to amendments to Company Dispatch
manuals. That is the approach we take to instruction; to produce
leaders and original thinkers, not followers. We are very
proud of each and every one of our graduates. They know they
have earned more than a slip of paper - they've earned the
right to continue the learning process in this very rewarding
career.
C-46A
If
you are not sure where to attend school, we recommend that
you: call every school, ask questions, verify claims, ask
for references; if still unsure, ask for more references.
Sheffield School will gladly provide student references and
answer your questions.
Sometimes
prospective students call (without assistance from us) airline
operations/dispatch offices around the country to talk to
managers, supervisors, and dispatchers. Some of our enrolled
students selected our school after talking to various operations
personnel. This extra "homework" may help determine
which school best meets your objectives; however, it is sometimes
difficult to find the appropriate telephone numbers. Sheffield
would like to help, but prefers to not give out dispatch telephone
numbers because too many calls from too many people may interfere
with daily operations. Also, it would be more objective for
the prospective student to not be guided to a certain airline
by a school.
2010
Aircraft Dispatcher Course Schedule
5-week course
Instructors:
Jordan Grauer, Brett Bories
Book
early to reserve a space.
Classes (and housing) occasionally fill quickly within 4-6+ weeks
of class start date.
| 2010
AD-FLL (200 hr)
5-WEEK Class
Starting/Graduation Dates |
| January
4 - February 5 |
| February
22 - March 26 |
| April
19 - May 21 |
| June
7 - July 9 |
| August
23 - September 24 |
| October
11 - November 12 |
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of page
Note:
We have not canceled or changed a full-time class date in over 40
years!
2010:
5-week course Application form
(also included in mailed catalog.)
2010
- Tuition, Deposits, And Fees
Registration Fee $500.00 (nonrefundable)
Tuition
Deposit $1000.00
Tuition
$4,200.00 (includes deposit)
Total
cost = $4,700.00* (subject
to change)
*International
Applicants only - add a processing Fee of $200.00
See our Cost/Value
Comparison
Print
a Credit Card authorization form
(requires Acrobat
Reader Download)
Tuition
includes: FAA
Computer Knowledge Test, FAA Practical Exam and all supplies
(including all textbooks and Sheffield School's Comprehensive
Aircraft Dispatcher Training Manual), any extra tutoring requested,
and use of your own individual computer workstation for flight
planning, weather briefing, internet browsing, e-mail accounts,
and résumé production and printing.
The
Aircraft Dispatcher:
Job Description
& Salary Information
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of page
The
FAA licensed Aircraft Dispatcher can be described as the "Captain
on the ground." The job of Aircraft Dispatcher is one of
the most responsible and best paying jobs at an airline. While
the Captain is responsible for his/her one particular flight,
the dispatcher is responsible for many flights in the air at
the same time. The age requirement, 23, is the same for the
dispatcher as it is for the applicant for the Airline Transport
Pilot Rating. The FAA Knowledge Tests are almost identical for
the dispatcher license and airline transport pilot rating. The
Aircraft Dispatcher is equally responsible for the flight with
the Captain, and both the Captain and the Dispatcher are required
to sign the Dispatch Release before the flight can legally operate.
Simply put, the Pilot-in-Command and Airline Dispatcher are
a well coordinated team under a "checks & balances" system
to ensure the highest level of safety for a flight. Training
requirements and additional information are available in Federal
Aviation Regulations,
Part 65 Subpart C.
The
dispatcher is responsible for planning the flight, taking into
consideration the weather, any maintenance problems on the aircraft,
navigational facilities at the appropriate airports, NOTAMS
(Notices to Airmen), alternate airports, etc. The dispatcher
maintains communication with his/her flights and is responsible
for notifying the Captain of any significant changes that would
affect the safety of the flight. It is the responsibility of
the dispatcher to delay, or cancel, a flight when necessary
and make any other operational decisions necessary to ensure
the safety of the flight.
Boeing
727-200
Most
airlines will have a centrally located dispatch office that
controls all the flights of that particular airline. As an example,
United Airlines' dispatch office is in Chicago, Delta
is located in Atlanta, US Airways is located in Pittsburgh,
American Airlines is in Dallas, Continental
is in Houston, Atlantic Southeast Airlines in Atlanta,
Comair in Cincinnati, Mesaba in Minneapolis, etc.
Boeing
777
Before
the airline industry was deregulated in 1978, there were approximately
33 airlines in the U.S.. Since 1978 the number of airlines more
than doubled, and currently this number has decreased somewhat.
Before deregulation the major airlines generally started the
dispatcher at a salary of approximately $1,700 - 1,800 per month
and the top of the pay scale at the majors was over $60,000.00
in most cases, and it generally took 7 to 8 years to reach the
top of the scale. Since deregulation the pay scale varied greatly
with salaries ranging from around $18,000.00 per year to start
up to over $70,000.00 per year at the majors after 7 or 8 years
seniority. We advise our students to think
in terms of $28,000 to $34,000 per year and that will cover
80-85% of the initial salaries, with some salaries lower
and some higher. The top pay at several larger airlines is currently
over $80,000.00 per year.
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