The 6 Steps to Becoming an Aircraft Dispatcher

By Eric Morris | Published: September 27, 2015

Aircraft dispatchers play a vital role when it comes to the safety of an aircraft. Pilots and aircraft dispatchers actually work hand-in-hand, which is a fact that most people do not know. The pilot controls the plane from the air while the aircraft dispatcher controls the plane and flight plan from the ground, and they share a number of responsibilities. These responsibilities include the coordination of flight plans, calculating the amount of fuel the plane will need for the trip, analyzing the weather and the wind of the travel region, and they must ensure the safe passage of an aircraft and its passengers, all while complying with FAA regulations.

Sheffield School of Aeronautics wants you to realize that there are only a few steps between you and your aircraft dispatching career, and they are as follows:

  1. You must understand the duties of a flight dispatcher before you seek a career in this field. This is an important position and it comes with a great deal of responsibility.
  2. Locate an FAA approved flight dispatcher school such as Sheffield’s School of Aeronautics.
  3. Apply to Sheffield or the program of your choice and enroll in courses that teach about flight planning, navigation systems, fuel requirements, plotting charts, and other necessary skill sets for aircraft dispatchers.
  4. Study extensively for the FAA required aircraft dispatcher certification exam.
  5. Pass the Sheffield FAA Aircraft Dispatcher certification exam to qualify for flight dispatcher employment.
  6. Apply for aircraft dispatcher jobs at various airlines. Sheffield provides training and work with various airlines and is even contacted to be the sole trainer for some prestigious airlines.
This entry was posted in News & Regulations. Bookmark the permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.

  • Contact Us

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  • Testimonials

    “Going to Sheffield prepared me for the real world challenges of Aircraft Dispatching. I certainly believe that the method Sheffield used is one not only for success in a real world career, but also one that prepares students to correctly dispatch aircraft.” T.Z. Sidebar TZ
    “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
    “Your school has offered me an incredible advantage in the Dispatcher job market.” D.K. D. Kircher
    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
    “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 a month into my new job at a airline coming out of reorganization, and am helping the training department by referencing the excellent and up to date course book provided to all Sheffield grads.” RW RW
    ” I have received 4 (job) offers…many of the interviews I have gotten have been because of my “pedigree”…going to Sheffield. I am amazed at the respect your school has….I am honored to be a graduate. Thank you for all the work you ..!”  Testimonial – J. Ganci
    “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
    “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
    “Sheffield School of Aeronautics is known worldwide for its quality training and has been recommended to me by our national airline Swiss International Airlines. Whenever I mention the name ‘Sheffield’ it rings a bell in people’s ears.” IW IW
    “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 school came highly recommended by multiple past students and EVEN OTHERS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS. Reputation is fantastic from multiple companies that I have worked for.” A. – September 2020
    “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
    “If you want to be the best, first you need to be trained by the best!” P. Hill P.Hill – DHL
    “While touring my company’s dispatch department before I had my license our OCC manager pointed out that 7 of the 10 dispatchers on shift had come from Sheffield. The overall consensus was that Sheffield grads were able to hit the ground running as they were better prepared.” K.O. Sidebar K.O.
  • See More Testimonials »

  • Online Catalog

    Sheffield Flight Dispatch Training Catalog

  • View Our Online Catalog »

  • Connect