The term “aircraft dispatcher” may commonly be interchanged with “flight follower”, but this is not necessarily correct, considering there are fundamental differences between the two roles. The job responsibilities of the aircraft dispatcher and the flight follower are almost exact, but there is one big difference-legality.
FAR 121.395, FAR 121.533 are laws that state that domestic air carriers shall provide “qualified” aircraft dispatchers and that for domestic air carriers, the pilot in command and the aircraft dispatcher are jointly responsible for the preflight planning, delay, and the dispatch release, respectively.
FAR 121.125 and FAR 121.537 respectively state that supplemental air carriers must have a “flight following system” including flight followers. For supplemental air carriers, the pilot in command and the director of operations are jointly responsible for the initiation, continuation, diversion, and termination of a flight.
Simply stated, there are aircraft dispatchers and then there are flight followers. Both of these jobs entail flight planning, flight plan filing, weather analysis, and flight monitoring. Since major airlines and commuter airlines are domestic carriers, they require certified aircraft dispatchers who are jointly responsible, along with the pilot, for the safety of the flight.
Most of the ad-hoc cargo carriers are supplemental carriers and will employ flight followers who, even though they carry out the same duties as aircraft dispatchers, are not legally required to be certified and do not jointly share responsibility of the safety of the plane with the pilot.
Sheffield School of Aeronautics offers FAA Aircraft Dispatcher License course and has trained thousands of people worldwide for careers in aircraft dispatching. Sheffield recommends that if you are looking to become a flight follower that you consider earning your FAA Aircraft Dispatcher License, so that you have more options and opportunities when it comes time to find a job.
This entry was posted in Aviation. Bookmark the
permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.
The Difference between an Aircraft Dispatcher and Flight Follower
The term “aircraft dispatcher” may commonly be interchanged with “flight follower”, but this is not necessarily correct, considering there are fundamental differences between the two roles. The job responsibilities of the aircraft dispatcher and the flight follower are almost exact, but there is one big difference-legality.
FAR 121.395, FAR 121.533 are laws that state that domestic air carriers shall provide “qualified” aircraft dispatchers and that for domestic air carriers, the pilot in command and the aircraft dispatcher are jointly responsible for the preflight planning, delay, and the dispatch release, respectively.
FAR 121.125 and FAR 121.537 respectively state that supplemental air carriers must have a “flight following system” including flight followers. For supplemental air carriers, the pilot in command and the director of operations are jointly responsible for the initiation, continuation, diversion, and termination of a flight.
Simply stated, there are aircraft dispatchers and then there are flight followers. Both of these jobs entail flight planning, flight plan filing, weather analysis, and flight monitoring. Since major airlines and commuter airlines are domestic carriers, they require certified aircraft dispatchers who are jointly responsible, along with the pilot, for the safety of the flight.
Most of the ad-hoc cargo carriers are supplemental carriers and will employ flight followers who, even though they carry out the same duties as aircraft dispatchers, are not legally required to be certified and do not jointly share responsibility of the safety of the plane with the pilot.
Sheffield School of Aeronautics offers FAA Aircraft Dispatcher License course and has trained thousands of people worldwide for careers in aircraft dispatching. Sheffield recommends that if you are looking to become a flight follower that you consider earning your FAA Aircraft Dispatcher License, so that you have more options and opportunities when it comes time to find a job.