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!