Aircraft Dispatcher Job Description

The aviation industry is responsible for transporting people safety to and from their travel destination. While captains are obligated to provide the safest flight experience for those on board, the aircraft dispatcher, also known as flight dispatchers, share 50% of the responsibility with the airline captain for the safety of each flight.

What does an aircraft dispatcher do?

Typically, Aircraft Dispatchers coordinate with the captain and design the flight plan. The aircraft dispatcher takes many independent variables into account when structuring the flight plan; such as weather, furl requirements, traffic flow, altitudes, wind aloft, alternate destinations and more. The aircraft dispatcher works as the middle man between the captain and ground personnel. Aircraft dispatchers must be familiar with navigational facilities over the airlines flight route, as well as the take-off, flying, and landing characteristics of every aircraft operated by the airline.

Becoming an aircraft dispatcher requires certain personal characteristics. Flight dispatchers tent to work under pressure and in a fast-paced environment, especially when the flying weather is bad (snow, hail, tropical storms, etc.) An aircraft dispatcher must be able to multi-task and a strong sense of organization. Attention to detail is critical because there is no metric too small when creating a safe flight plan.

Aircraft dispatchers must be able to work ‘on their toes’ – dispatchers are required to make many rapid decisions concerning flight regulations, safety and the economy of operations. If you are recruited by a small airline company, the aircraft dispatcher could be accountable for the schedule coordinator and even meteorologist.

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