Become a Flight Dispatcher

When it comes to aircraft safety, a flight dispatcher plays a vital role. In fact, a pilot and a flight dispatcher work hand in hand, one from the air and one from the ground, on a number of shared responsibilities. These responsibilities include coordinating flight plans, calculating the necessary amount of fuel for a trip, taking weather and wind into account, and ensuring the safe passage of an aircraft and its passengers in compliance with FAA regulations. If you understand how to become a flight dispatcher, only a few steps stand between you and certification for a job that is vital to the safe and efficient operation of an aircraft.

Steps

1. Understand the duties of a flight dispatcher before you decide to pursue this career. A flight dispatcher is responsible for ensuring that safety guidelines are followed during a flight, knowing what weather patterns to expect and how to work around them, determining how much fuel will be needed for a flight, and many other things. This is an important position and comes with a great deal of responsibility, so do some research and educate yourself on what being a flight dispatcher entails.
2. Locate an FAA-approved flight dispatcher training school. A comprehensive list can be found at the FAA's website.
   • Although no more than a high school diploma is necessary to enroll in an FAA-approved flight dispatcher certification course, a college background in air transportation or meteorology is beneficial to prospective students.
3. Apply to the program of your choice and enroll in courses where you'll learn about flight planning, navigation systems, fuel requirements, plotting charts, and other necessary skills required for the job.
   • Be aware that training programs are rigorous and intense. They generally last 5 to 6 weeks and comprise 200 hours of training. Some programs are residential while others can be taken part-time. Night classes are generally not an option, so be aware of this if you plan to stay at your present job while training.
   • a. Be aware that course tuition at training schools can often be costly, often ranging from $4000 USD to $5000 USD. Financial aid is available at some institutions. Exams can cost several hundred dollars, but most schools include the price of exams in their overall tuition. The exams are administered by your school at the end of the 5 to 6 week training program.
4. Prepare strenuously for the FAA required aircraft dispatcher certification exam by studying and taking advantage of any practice exams administered by the school in which you are enrolled.
5. Pass the FAA Aircraft Dispatcher (ADX) certification exam to qualify for employment as a flight dispatcher.
   • The test is comprised of 80 questions which you must complete in 3 hours.
   • The test includes assessment in 6 basic areas in the oral/practical portion: flight planning, pre-flight and takeoff procedures, in-flight procedures, landing procedures, post-flight procedures, and emergency procedures.
6. Apply for jobs as flight dispatcher with various airlines.

Tips

• Take into account the cost of tuition and research which schools offer financial aid.
• If you do not pass the test the first time, you will need to wait 30 days to take the test again. An exception to the waiting period is allowed if you provide a written note from a certified aircraft dispatcher verifying that he or she has given you additional training in the areas you did not pass and that he or she believes you are ready to take the test again.

Warnings

• As a flight dispatcher you must annually log 5 hours in the cockpit of an aircraft in flight.
• Be aware that course tuition at training schools can often be costly, but financial aid is available at some institutions.
• You must be at least 21 years old to take the ADX exam.
• As a flight dispatcher the FAA requires that you successfully complete continuing education courses annually. Topics include meteorology, aircraft systems, company operations policy and more.

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Sources and Citations

• http://www.faa.gov/
• http://www.avjobs.com/index.asp
• http://www.aviationschoolsonline.com/flight-dispatcher-training.php
• http://www.dispatcher.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=82

See also

• Become an Aircraft Dispatcher
• Become an FAA Safety Inspector
• Become an Aircraft Mechanic
• Become a Licensed Parachute Rigger
• Become a Helicopter Mechanic
• Become a Certificated Flight Instructor
• Study for and Take Your Private Pilot Exams
• Become Ground Crew at an Airport
• Become a Pilot in Australia
• Fly a Cessna 310

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What links here

• Be an Air Traffic Controller
• Become an Aviation Safety Consultant