Recurrent (refresher) Training

Aircraft Dispatcher Course (200 hours/5 weeks)

• Do all schools teach the same material?

  No. All FAR Part 65 schools must adhere to their basic curriculum guidelines; however, Sheffield decided long ago to provide extra airline-related material to ease our graduates transition into airline initial training. We do not believe in telling our students “Don’t worry about that – your airline will teach you that.” Granted, there are some topics that we cannot teach since it is not only the responsibility of the airline, but each airline may have a different FAA approval for how they apply certain procedures. But there are MANY topics, scenarios, etc. that our students are exposed to that have impressed many airline hiring managers. Just check our testimonials!

• How soon into the program is the first test?

  Friday of the first week is a test on Weather Theory. It is a Sheffield-produced test. Much (but not all) of the material comes from Chapters 1-13 of the link below (AC 00-6B Aviation Weather). We will spend the first week refining what we would like you to understand. Aviation Weather Advisory Circular. (password-protected PDF file. Password available after applying to school.)

• What are the class hours?

  Classes will normally be held from 8:00am until 5:00pm, weekdays. There will be short breaks throughout the day and a one-hour break for lunch.

• When is the 1st test in the 5-week class and what topics are covered?

  Friday of the first week on Weather Theory.

• Some schools claim to have a near 100% pass rate. Is this correct?

  Some schools will pass anyone to hang on to the almighty dollar. We would rather cut a refund check periodically to someone who didn’t put forth the effort than to have our 70+ year reputation tarnished by becoming a license mill. Be wary of schools claiming “come have fun – our class is a breeze.” During an interview, you are unlikely to hear this question “So did you have a lot of fun?”

  Our students enjoy the class, they typically state that it exceeded their expectations, and that they never learned so much in their lives. Typically, our graduates are hired while they are still in class or within a few weeks of graduation. Another important fact is this – most graduates are seeking employment. Many come to us once they do their homework and learn directly from an airline that a student’s “hiring-quotient” will escalate if they choose a highly reputable school. Many airlines interview first (or exclusively) at our school because they know every graduate has been thoroughly prepared, and there won’t be any surprises when they begin training on the job.

  Passing anybody and everybody after numerous repeated attempts, or due to lack of any testing, only dilutes this industry with unqualified “dispatchers” and is a blight on the profession. Statements of guarantees are an abomination and should be stripped from all advertising by those who have the ability and wherewithal to do so. These mills should be publicly condemned.

  Can you imagine taking a taxi ride to an airport from a guy who can’t drive (we know this happens), then board an airplane that has been signed off by maintenance personnel who are inept or who haven’t been checked properly by their governing authority (we’ve read the news in 2008 and thereafter), only to be flown by a captain who has had numerous failures during his or her flight training (it happens), who has had his flight planned by a dispatcher who failed his course with a 30%, then bought his certificate at a diploma mill within 2-3 days (YES- it has happened). Hopefully, this won’t scare you into an anxiety attack. If so, you could visit your doctor who received his diploma…,well, you get the point.

  You will EARN your certificate at Sheffield. Why should others be handed the same honor?! It only increases YOUR workload – ask any competent dispatcher.

  [in past years one new startup school in our area claims “once you pass the course you get a license.” Aside from being misleading and inaccurate, it is illegal. Passing a Part 65 FAA-approved course enables the applicant to take the FAA practical exam. Once THAT is passed, the applicant becomes certificated. So be wary of the unscrupulous operators out there. The same course operator tried to list one of Sheffield’s graduates as an instructor to appeal to the FAA. The problem was my graduate did not give the course operator permission to do so.]

• What can I study prior to attending your school?

  Do not purchase regulations books and the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) to read through and study (as I’ve seen recommended on the internet). Without proper guidance, you may waste valuable time or misinterpret something. A good portion of subject matter discussed and applied in class is not found in commercially-available books.

  To help prepare for the course, study the FAA knowledge material on our web site. That is not really what our course is about – self study – but it will give you a head start in preparing for the FAA ADX test. Other than that, you can visit our “aviation bookstore” online and check out the weather books since we apply a lot of weather in the course.

  We don’t really supply FAA books in the course since you can get them for free on the Internet. We write our own manuals and sections to study. For some free books, go to “dispatcher resources” on our site and you can link to Regulations, Weather circulars (Aviation Weather Services) from the FAA, and the Aeronautical Information Manual. All are helpful information to browse through or print out to give you an idea of the type of material involved in the course.

  If you want to pursue regulations ahead of time, the main sections are FAR Part 121 – Subparts T & U. These subparts contains the majority of dispatch rules and procedures that you will apply in the course and on the job.

• How many students usually enroll in the course?

  Between 12 and 25. The average is probably 18. If you check our class pictures, you’ll notice that the enrollment numbers are usually consistent. It is comforting to see that many people do their research and make the correct choice. We admire these students who crave a quality education. On graduation day, their faces say it all – that they have just earned something very special in this industry:  A diploma from Sheffield School of Aeronautics!

• How long is the program and what does it cost?

  The Aircraft Dispatcher Certification Course is 5 weeks long and covers at least 200 hours of classroom instruction (as required by Federal Aviation Regulations). The total 2023 tuition cost is $5,500, without any discounts applied. This includes textbooks, the computer ADX examination fee (normally $175.00 if taken privately) and the Practical Exam ($500), web site passwords, job assistance and airline lists, and computer use.

• Are textbooks/notebooks included? What books will be used?

  Sheffield has produced it’s own textbook binder which relies on FAA sources as well as Airline material. All books are included in the tuition fee. If a prospective student is interested in jump-starting their weather studies prior to attending our course the following textbook is highly recommended since meteorology (weather) with reports/forecast reading and application comprises over 35% of the total academic subjects: Aviation Weather Advisory Circular 

• What are the main subjects that are covered in the program?

  Meteorology (weather), Navigation, Air Traffic Control, Jeppesen Approach charts and enroute charts, Aeronautical Information Manual, Aircraft Systems, Performance and Weight and Balance, Federal Aviation Regulations, Communications, and Practical Flight planning applications are included subjects in our Aircraft Dispatcher Course.