ACADEMICSOFFLIGHT
THEAIRCRAFTDISPATCHER
HIDSTORY
THE PROFESSION OF FLIGHT DISPATCHER HAS EVOLOVED WITH THE MANY CHANGES THATTHEAVIATION INDUSTRY HASUNDERGONE. INTHEEARLY YEARS OFAVIATION, ITWASSTANDARD PRACTICE FOR PILOTS OF COMMERICAL AIRLINES TO LOAD MAIL PASSENGER,ANDCARGO INTO THEIR COMMERCIAL AIRLINES AND CARGO INTO THEIR AIRPLANESAND FLY FROM POINT ATOPOINT B. THEY HAD NO PREPLANNEDFLIGHT PLAN,LITTLEIFANYWEATHER INFORMATIONORANYFIRMPLANSOFACTION INCASE CONDITIONSCHANGED ENROUTE. THEPILOTS,INTHOSEDAYSWOULD TAKEOFFAND HEADINTHE GENERAL DIRECTION OFTHEIR PLANNED DESTINATION,WITH NOMORE THAN A COMPASS AND KNOWN LANDMARKS TO HELP THEM ALONG THE WAY. IF WEATHER,MOUNTAINS, TREES,OREVENPOWERLINESDIDN'TGETINTHEIRWAYTHEY WEREABLETO FINDTHEIR DESTINATION. INTHEEARLY DAYS, AIRCRAFT HAD VERY LITTLENAVIGATION EQUIPMENT,NO USABLE COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT,NOR DID THEAIRLINESHAVEANYRELIABLEMETHODOFTRACKINGFLIGHTPROGRESSFROMTHE GROUND. AFTER YEARS OF INCREASING ACCIDENTS WHICH WERE GROWING MORE COSTLY IN TERMS OF EQUIPMENT AND LOST LIVES, THE STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SOUGHT TO PUT THE INDUSTRY ON SAFER GROUND THROUGH REGULATION.
IN1938,THECONGRESS OFTHEUNITEDSTATES PASSEDTHE CIVIL AERONAUTICSACT. THISLEGISLATION LAID DOWN STRICT REGULATIONS TO ENSURE THAT ALL AIR CARRIERSOPERATED INASSAFEAMANNER ASPOSSIBLE. THEESTABLISHING OFTHIS ACTCREATEDANOPERATIONAL CONTROLSTRUCTURECONSISTINGOFASYSTEMOF CHECKS AND BALANCES WHICH, WHENCOMPLIED WITH, PRODUCED THE HIGHEST LEVELOFSAFETYPOSSIBLE FORCOMMERICAL AIRPLANEOPERATIONS. ONERESULTOF THISREGULATORYACTION WASTHECREATIONOFANEWAIRMANCERTIFICATION,THE AIRCRAFTDISPATCHERWASCREATED.
THEAIRCRAFTDISPATCHERISAGROUNDBASED,CERTIFIEDINDIVIDUAL WHO, ACCORDINGTOTHEREGULATIONS,SHARESRESPONSIBILITY WITHTHE PILOTFORTHE SAFECONDUCTOFEACH FLIGHT. THEREGULATIONS HAVEBEENMODIFIED,AMENDED, CONSOLIDATED, CLARIFIED, AND RE-CODED, BUT THE CONCEPT OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN THEPILOTANDTHEDISPATCHERFORSAFETY HASALWAYS EXISTED.THISCONCEPT INREGULATION HASBECOME THE MODEL FOR MANY OTHER COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE ADOPTED SIMILAR REGULATIONS FOR REGULATINGAIR COMMERCE IN THEIR JURISDICTION. THE CONCEPT OF OPERATIONAL CONTROLHAS BEEN FOUND TO BE A SOUND ENHANCEMENT TO AIR SAFETY. THE AIRCRAFT DIPATCHER ISKNOWN BY MANY NAMES. AT SOME CARRIERS, THEY ARE KNOWN AS FLIGHTCONTROLLERS (NOT TO BECONFUSED WITHAIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS). NO MATTERWHATTHENAME,THEFUNCTIONISTHESAME;ENSURECOMPLIANCEWITHALL APPLICABLEREGULATIONSANDTHEPURSUITOFTHEHIGHESTPOSSIBLE LEVELOFAIR SAFETY.
IN1944,AFTERWORLD WARIIHADALREADYDEMONSTRATED THEABILITIESOFTHE AIRPLANETO GETPEOPLEFROMPOINTTOPOINT,ANOTHERSTEPINESTABLISHINGA STANDARD FOR THIS NEW INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED. JCAOISANORGANZIATIONOFNATIONSWHOSEPURPOSE ISTOSTANDARDIZE INTERNATIONAL AVIATION JWGULATIONSAND TOPROPOSERECOMMENDATIONSAND NORMSFOR ITSMEMBERSTATES. '
Issued:August2012(1)
TODAY,BYREGULATIONALLUNITEDSTATESSCHEDULEAIRLINESOPERATINGLARGE AIRCRAFT(MORETHAN 12,500POUNDGROSSTAKEOFF WEIGHTANDGREATER)ARE REQUIREDTOMAINTAINANAPPROPRIATENUMBEROFDISPATCHCENTERSSTAFFEDBY FAALICENSED AIRCRAFTDISPATCHERS. THEDISPATCHERSINTHESECENTERS MAINTAIN OPERATIONALCONTROLOVERTHOUSANDSOFFLIGHTSEGMENTSADAY THROUGHOUTNOTONLYTHEUNITEDSTATESBUTAROUNDTHEWORLD. THISISMADE POSSIBLEBYTHEADVANCESMADEINRECENTYEARSINTELECOMMUNICATIONSAND COMPUTERTECHNOLOGY.THEDISPATCHERNOWHASTHECAPABILITY TODISCUSSTHE OPERATIONWITHTHEIRFLIGHTCREW. COMPAREDTOTHEEARLYDAYSWHENTHE BESTTHEPILOTCOULDDO,ONHISOWN,WASTOHEADINTHERIGHTDIRECTION,WE HAVECOMEALONGWAY. THEOVERALLSAFETYRECORDOFTHEINDUSTRYBEARS THISOUT.
SAFETYANDRESPONSIBILITY
THEFIRSTANDFOREMOSTCONSIDERATIONOFTHEAIRCRAFTDISPATCHERISSAFETY. THISISACCOMPLISHEDTHROUGHCOORDINATION WITHANDAGREEMENTOFTHE CAPTAINOFEACHFLIGHTUNDERHIS/HERCONTROL. NEXTONTHEDISPATCHER'SLIST OFRESPONSILIBILITIESISTHEEFFICIENCYOFTHEOPERATION,PASSENGERCOMFORT ANDCONVENIENCE,THEMAINTENANCE OFTHEAIRLINE'S SCHEDULE,AND ACCOMODATIONOFPAYLOAD. PREPLANNING OFTHEOPERATIONISTHEFIRSTSTEPIN THEPROCESSUSEDTOENSURETHESERESPONSIBILITIESAREMET. THEDISPATCHER MUSTBECONSTANTLYAWARE OFTHECHANGINGCONDITIONSWHICHEFFECTTHE OPERATION. HE/SHEMUSTBEPREPAREDTOREACTTOTHESECHANGINGCONDITIONS ANDMODIFYTHEPLANINANAPPROPRIATEWAYTOMAINTAIN SAFETY. ONCETHE PLANNED FLIGHTISUNDERWAY,THEDISPATCHERISREQUIREDTOMAINTAIN VIGILANCEOVERTHATOPERATIONTOBESUREITREMAINSSAFE,ANDWITHINTHE BOUNDSOFREGULATIONANCOMPANYPOLICY.
UNDERREGULATIONSIFTHEDISPATCHERFEELSTHATTHECONDITIONSWHICHARE HAVINGANIMPACTONTHEOPERATIONCANNOTBESAFETLYACCOMODATEDHE/SHE HAS THEAUTHORITYANDTHERESPONIBILITY TODELAYORCANCELAFLIGHTWHICH HASNOTDEPARTED. IFTHEFLIGHTISINTHEAIR,THISRESPONSIBILITYEXTENDSTO REROUTING, STOPPINGSHORTOFDESTINATION,ORDIVERTINGTHEFLIGHTTOA DIFFERENTDESTINATON.
RESPONSIBILITIESOFTHEAIRCRAFT DISPATCHER
THEFOLLOWINGISALISTINGOFTHERESPONSIBILITIESANDDUTIESOFTHEAIRCRAFT DISPATCHER:
AUTHORIZE, REGULATE,CONTROLANDMONITORCOMMERCIALAIRLINEFLIGHTS ACCORDINGTOGOVERNMENTREGULATIONS,COMPANYPOLICIESANDPROCEDURESTO ENSUREOPTIMUMSAFETYOFOPERATIONOF EACHFLIGHT.
Issued: August2012 (2)
I
ANALYZE AND EVALUATE METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION, BOTH AT THE SURFACE ANDALOFT. DETERMINETHEPOTENTIAL EFFECTOFANYSTORMSYSTEMS WHICHMAY BEPRESENT INHIS/HER AREAOF RESPONSIBILITY. COLLECT AND EVALUATE ANY REPORTSOFFORECASTS OFTURBULENCEANDORWINDSHEARBOTHATTHESURFACE ANDALOFTWHICHMAYPOSEAPOTENTIALHAZARDTOSAFETYOFANYFLIGHTSINTHE AREA.
PROMOTE SAFETY, EFFICIENCY,ANDSERVICE THROUGHT THE EXERCISEOFINITIATIVE ANDSOUNDJUDGEMENT INALLAREASOFFLIGHTOPERATIONS.
COMPUTEREQUIRED FUEL LOAD CONSISTNENT WITH REGULATIONS, AND REQUIREMENTS ACCORDING TO AIRCRAFT AND TYPE OF OPERATION WEATHERAND FIELDCONDITIONREPORTS.
PREPARE AFLIGHT PLANCONTAINING INFORMATION SUCH ASMAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TAKE OFF WEIGHT, ROUTE OF FLIGHT, ALLOWABLE LANDING WEIGHT, ALTERNATE AIRPORT(IFREQUIRED),APPOPRIATE WEATHERANDFIELDCONDITION REPORTS.
PREPARE ANDSIGNTHE DISPATCH RELEASE BASEDONTHEINFORMATION DEVELOPED INTHEFLIGHT PLAN. THISRELEASE ISTHEDISPATCHER'SAUTHORIZATION FORTHE FLIGHTPLAN. THISRELEASEISTHEDISPATCHER'SAUTHORIZATIONFORTHEFLIGHTTO BECONDUCTED.
DELAYORCANCELFLIGHTSIFCONDITIONSDEVELOPTHATWARRANTSUCHACTION. MONITOR WEATHER AND FLIGHT PROGRESS AND ADVISE CREW OF SIGNIFICANT
CHANGESTOTHEPLAN.
RECOMMEND ALTERNATIONSTO THE FLIGHT PLAN SUCH AS ROUTE CHANGES, ALTITUDECHANGES,REDISPATCHING TOADIFFERENTDESTINATIONORANY OTHER ENROUTEAMENDMENTS ASREQUIREDBYCHANGINGCONDITIONS.
CORRDINATEBETWEENTHEFLIGHTCREWAND OTHERCOMPANYDEPARTMENTSAND GOVERNMENTAGENCIESTOEFFECTCHANGESTO THEPLANWHENNECESSARYFOR OPERATIONALORSAFETYREASONS.
ORIGINATE,DISSEMINATE,ANDMAINTAINCURRENTFLIGHTINFORMATIONFORUSE BY STATIONSANDRESERVATIONS,OR OTHERDEPARMENTSWITHINTHEAIRLINEFORTHE MAINTENANCEOFTHEAIRLINE'SSCHEDULE.
QUALIFICAITONSANDTRAINING
THEMINIMUM AGE,KNOWLEDGE ANDEXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTSFOROBTAINING AN FAAAIRCRAFT DISPATCHER CERTIFICATE ARE DEFINED INFEDERAL AIR REGULATION PART65. ACANDIDATE FORTHISCERTIFICATEMUSTBEATLEAST23YEARSOFAGEAND MUSTCOMPLETE FAAAPPROVEDTRAINING COURSEOFHAVESPENTSEVERAL YEARSIN ANAIRLINEOPERATIONSRELATEDCAPACITY. QUALIFICATIONFORTHISCERTIFICATEIS DETERMINED BYBOTHAWRITTENANDPRACTICALEXAMINATION. THISWRITTENEXAM CLOSELY RESEMBLES THE AIRLINETRANSPORT PILOT'S EXAM WHICH ISTHEMOST DIFFCULTOFPILOTRATINGS. THEPRACTICALEXAMIS USEDTOEVALUATETHE CANDIDATE'SWORKING KNOWLEDGE OFTHEOPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONS SUCHAS THE MINIMUM EQUIPMENTLIST. ONCETHECERFTIFICATEISISSUED, ITISVALIDFOR LIFEUNLESSREVOKEDORSUSPENDED.
OBTAININGTHEAIRCRAFTDISPATCHER'S CERTIFICATEONLYSTARTSTHELEARNING PROCESSFORTHEDISPATCHER.BEFORE,HE/SHEEVERAUTHORIZESANOPERATION,THE NEWDISPATCHERMUSTFIRSTPASSINITIALTRAININGGIVEN BYHIS/HERAIRLINE.THIS TRAINING INCLUDESALLTHEAIRCRAFTSYSTEMSFORWHICHTHEYWILLBE RESPONSIBLE,COMPLETEFAMILIARITYWITHALLFAAREGULATIONSANDCOMPANY POLICIESANDPROCEDURES. THENORMALTRAININGALSOINCLUDESEXTENSIVEON THEJOBTRAININGWITHANEXPERIENCEDDISPATCHER.
INADDITIONTOTHEINITIALTRAINING,EVERYDISPATCHERISREQUIREDTOUNDERGO ANNUALRECURRENTTRAININGONEACHAIRCRAFTTYPETHEYDISPATCH.ALSOEVERY YEAR,THEDISPATCHERISREQUIREDTOOBSERVEOPERATIONSFROMTHECOCKPIT. WHENEVERNEWAIRCRAFTAREENTERINGSERVICE,THEDISPATCHERMUSTATTEND TRANSITIONTRAININGONTHATAIRCRAFT.
WITHTHEADVENTOFMORETWOMANCOCKPIT AIRCRAFT;THEROLEOFTHE DISPATCHERISGAININGINIMPORTANCE. THEDISPATCHERISACTUALLYBECOMING THE"THIRDMAN"INTHECOCKPITFROMARESOURCESTANDPOINT. THISROLEWILL CONTINUETOGROWINTHE FUTURE.