How to become an Flight (Aircraft) Dispatcher overseas? | Want to become a Flight Dispatcher in India?
Responsibilities, Courses, fees and everything you must know before choosing the career!

Aircraft dispatchers work for airlines and other scheduled carriers to ensure the safety of flight. They share the overall responsibility for the safety of each flight with the captain. And, work to maintain safe, efficient operations for their airline/company.

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Responsibilities of an Aircraft Dispatcher

Aircraft dispatchers work with many different departments and personnel in an airline to manage a flight’s safe, on-time departure and arrival. While an airline pilot is in charge of one flight at a time, a dispatcher oversees many aircraft at once.

Some of the responsibilities include:

• Producing flight plans while considering every aspect of the flight. Such as :
  • Fuel
  • Winds
  • Weather
  • Maintenance issues
  • Weight
  • Balance
  • Airport delays

• Managing weather delays and routing or re-routing aircraft as necessary.
• Ensuring each aircraft is properly equipped, or that the flight planning is properly adjusted for maintenance issues.
• Monitoring flight progress and alerting the captain of changes in weather, airport delays, runway closures, etc.
• Canceling or delaying flights when necessary.
• Determining the best course of action during an emergency situation.

Prerequisites & Eligibility for Training

To apply for an FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Certification:
~ You must be at least 23 years old.
~ You must be able to read, speak and write English.

Dispatcher candidates must accrue 200 hours of training on specific topics.
Then, students must pass:

• A written knowledge test
• A practical flight planning test
• An oral exam.

You can take the FAA Aircraft Dispatcher knowledge test at the age of 21.

The FAA has mandated that all its dispatcher courses provide a minimum of 200 hours of training to aircraft dispatcher students.

Certification Programs

There are several dispatcher certification programs that are FAA-approved. Most of these offer either a five-week or six-week course that includes the 200 required hours.

NOTE: People, such as air traffic controllers and airline pilots, can get the dispatcher certificate with fewer hours of training since many of the training topics overlap.

Training for an FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Certificate will include:

• Meteorology
• Weather and Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) collection, interpretation, and usage
• Interpreting weather charts and forecasts
• National Weather Service products and services
• Wind shear and microburst awareness and avoidance
• Air navigation during IMC and the National Airspace System
• Air traffic control procedures
• Aircraft performance and weight and balance calculations
• Aerodynamics
• Human factors
• Aeronautical decision-making
• Crew Resource Management (CRM)

Written Exam and qualification criteria

• The FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Certification Knowledge test is an 80-question test.
• You’re given three hours to complete it and must pass with a score of 70 percent or higher.
• You must be at least 21 years old to take the exam, and a passing score is valid for 24 months.

Knowledge tests can be taken at any approved testing center. There are testing centers located at most large airports.

Practical and Oral Examinations

The practical exam for the Aircraft Dispatcher Certificate includes a detailed flight planning exercise.

With minimum details, you’ll plan a flight as a dispatcher would in real life, taking into account weather, air traffic control procedures, company requirements, aircraft maintenance issues, aircraft performance, weight and balance, fuel management, airport information and so on. You’ll be evaluated on the entire scope of the flight.

Standard knowledge acknowledgement

The examiner will ensure you have the knowledge associated with the tasks in the practical test standards, which are outlined by the FAA.

Any tasks or areas of importance that are not covered while reviewing your flight plan exercise will be covered during an oral exam. In the exam, an FAA-designated examiner will ask questions, and you’ll answer them.

After completion of a dispatcher certificate program, the FAA knowledge test, and the FAA practical and oral exams, you’ll be issued a temporary Aircraft Dispatcher Certificate, and you’ll be employable.Congratulations! Your training ends here, you can look for a job offers approaching now.

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Become a Flight Dispatcher in India

What is a flight dispatcher?

One of the most technically qualified staff in aviation is the Flight Dispatcher. The Airline Captain and Flight Dispatcher need to look upon the safety and security of each flight.

What does the job involve? What would you require to have knowledge about?

A) METEOROLOGY

A study of the science of weather is much more important to pilots as well as flight dispatchers to plan safe and efficient flights.

The Meteorological department also issues aeronautical meteorology special reports.
These reflect concerning meteorological conditions that may affect flights on the ground, airport facilities, airport services, and safe flight services on the runway.

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B) AIR NAVIGATION

Science and technology help the process of planning, recording, and controlling the movement of aircraft from one place to another. This is called AIR NAVIGATION.

The primary motive of air navigation is Safe piloting of an aircraft on the proper route to destination without endangering the safety of persons on board aircraft or on the ground

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C) AIR REGULATIONS

As aviation is an international business, the unification of the procedures of world aviation is the contribution of the Regulatory authorities of each contracting state.

Hence knowing the rules and regulations issued by the authority is much important for pilots and flight dispatchers. The business aspects of airlines and their regulation also fall under aviation law.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) provides general rules and mediates international concerns to an extent regarding aviation law.

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D) FLIGHT PLANNING

Flying is not as simple as driving a car, you need to be fully prepared and know the route that you are taking. It is vital that all flights are deemed to have a well-structured and organized flight plan, which will not only maximize the safety of those on board but also reduce costs where necessary.

The aim of flight planning is to create a recipe for the safest flight on a specific day and for a particular aircraft.

Flight Planning is essentially planning, mapping out and understanding all of the criteria, materials and routes of a flight that you are undertaking.

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E) AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

Air Traffic Control Units have been designed to give air traffic control services. They are also responsible for giving flight information and alerting services to pilots.

What do I study in a course in flight dispatching?

A course in Flight Dispatching can include the below subjects:

Introduction to Aviation – Any course will surely begin with a short introduction.

1. Airport Operations
2. Aviation Security
3. Dangerous Goods Regulation
4. Air Cargo
5. Weight and Balance

Who can do the diploma course?

The applicant or Candidate needs to have 10+2 from any board or graduate from a recognized university. The duration of the training course depends on the institute but is usually around 6 months.

What are the qualities required?

Some of the required skills are:

• Good communication
• Computer skills
• Ability to adapt to a constantly varying environment
• To work under intense pressure at certain times
• Organization
• Planning skills
• Decision-making ability and so on.

Where can you get employment?

Reputed airlines like Air India, Jet Airways, Blue Dart, SpiceJet, Vistara and so on recruit students.

Qualification	Age	Height	Information
12th Standard or Any graduate from a recognized university	18 years onwards	–	Flight Dispatcher: DGCA Required 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics. To get an FD license: Should require a minimum of 2 years experience with an Airline operator to recommend you to write the DGCA exams

Career as a flight dispatcher

Qualification	Diploma
Job	Devise a flight plan enabling the aircraft to arrive at the destination on time
Skills	Communication, computing, planning, decision making
Eligibility	10+2 or graduation from a recognized university
Career prospects	Good

Do you want to become a flight dispatcher? Explore institutes here.

We hope you’re satisfied with the results, you can contact us in the comments for more briefing.

BEST OF LUCK FOR YOUR CAREER!

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