r/FlightDispatch

Anybody know of any accredited ground schools or dispatch programs I also have va benefits but it seems near impossible to utilize either of these benefits

As the title says!!! I just finished the exam and scored a 95!!! Anyone using Sheppard Air
The questions are exactly the same if not some just contained a little bit more words to the answer but the answer remains the same provided by Sheppard!!
Good luck to anyone taking it

Also any good schooling where I can take the course to become an Aircraft Dispatcher please let me know! Preferably one that is majority of online and some in person. For context I live on the east

Ok. So I’m doing it. I’m going for my cert with either AoF or GATA in NYC starting September ( if anyone has had experience with either I greatly appreciate it). I’m a career changer at 48yo from a Chiropractor. My reasons are many ie, physically, marriage crumbling , lost the passion I once had and I always wanted to be a pilot as a kid. My kids are full grown going into college so relocation isn’t an issue. I’ll probably want to commute for the first few years at a regional hopefully. But eventually would like to land a 121 and spend the rest of my days doing something purposely. I understand the perks are great at 121 and willing to grind to get there. Am I washed ? Is this crazy for an old guy? Are prospects of actually getting a job a pipe dream? Don’t hold back on advice. I’m from jersey and have a thick skin. It’s either I keep doing what I hate now or taking a leap and hoping there is a bigger plan for me. My time is running out and I know nothing is guaranteed in life but I can’t keep on this path anymore. Please and advice is appreciated. Ty

Hey everyone,

I have made it to the in person interview portion and I would greatly appreciate some tips and things to be ready for on the interview. I have 0 dispatching experience. Any help would be a big for me as i’ve been studying a lot these past couple weeks without direction.

Thank you all

For those who have gone from a regional to a legacy carrier, how long did you typically wait before applying? I’m primarily interested in United or American. I know the hiring process involves assessments, interviews, etc., but I’m mainly curious about the experience requirement. How many months/years of dispatch experience did you have when you successfully applied to a legacy?

I am trying to build my resume. I was hoping I could see a couple of you dispatchers resume’s for reference on what I should include and not include. Thanks in advance!

Hello All- I am starting with an airline at the end of the month, it is in a location that I will be commuting from, so I just need a "cold bed" to stay in while I am there for the 4 days I am on each week. I have been going through the online sites without much luck. Do the airlines have internal networks or emails that list rooms for rent? I am hoping once I get up there I might be able to find someone at the airline that is looking for a roommate or looking to rent a room. Thanks.

Hey guys!

I’ve been studying Sheppard air for the past few weeks and I finally completed step 3 today. Out of 932 questions I guess or wasn’t sure about 80 question so I feel good! Now I know I still have to complete step 5 but my question is should I start scheduling my exam or wait to see how I do on the practice test? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Edit: was the adx exam verbatim to what Sheppard air provides? Anyone knows?

Long story short, I’m 34 and have been a flight attendant for 8 years. I’m over it and want something more and where I’m not constantly traveling. I have a school in mind and am ready to apply. I’m just wondering how not having a college degree is going to my chance of getting hired by anyone. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

As the title states I’m almost done with the Sheppard Air study strategy but I’m really stuck in trying to fully understand how to use the charts! And majority of the questions have charts in them. Anyone know a good strategy to try and remember them or even understand it!

Hey, how's it going everybody? I'm an Operations agent that's been cross trained to do ramp here at TUL. I can tow,l can push,l can crew chief anything on the ramp that gets done I'm signed off and able to do. I was wondering if I could transfer somewhere to make more money because as of right now I'm making 13.25$ and to also grow in this industry wether that's a ramp agent or operations or even a flight dispatcher. Ig what I'm trying to ask is what can I do with my skill set to grow career wise and is there other paths that have nothing to do with my skill set that I make a career out of in the aviation industry?

I completely understand that everyone wants to keep the interview process to themselves to have an advantage if they have to go through it again. But if anyone has recently interviewed with American, accepted a position with AA, and is willing to share some insight, I’d really appreciate it! Private messages are welcome as well. 😊
For those who have gone through the in-person portion, what was it actually like? Were the questions mostly basic practical/fundamental questions, or were there any that genuinely caught you off guard?
I’m mainly trying to get a better idea of how difficult the interview really is. I’ve seen a few people mention going straight from getting their certificate to a mainline airline, so I’m assuming the interview questions wouldn’t go too far beyond what you’re expected to know for the practical exam. I guess I’m just trying to understand how scenario-based questions are handled when someone has little or no dispatch experience. Would those scenarios still be based primarily on the fundamentals we’re expected to know, rather than situations that would require actual experience in the position?
I’ve also seen people say they “didn’t study,” which makes me wonder if there’s additional material we should be familiar with outside of the practical exam content. It’s just a little confusing because there doesn’t seem to be a specific study guide or set of material provided beyond knowing the basic fundamentals thoroughly.
Any insight from anyone who has recently gone through the process would be greatly appreciated!

When people say that” after certification you will probably grind it out at regionals” , what does that exactly mean? Regional airport? Or smaller airlines that fly out of main airports ?( lga,jfk, ewr,etc). I live in tri state area. I guess what I’m asking is if I will have to somewhere else? Or I will I be able to work in nyc after certification ( and job offer) ? Sorry for such a basic question but wanted to clear up my expectations. Thank you in advance.

Hey everyone! One thing I’ve noticed about this thread is the constant search from people trying to get into this industry and how to go about it. I was talking with a friend of mine who flies 121 about all of the interview prep services for pilots going to the airlines. I’m not sure if this exists for dispatch but was contemplating doing it as a side business. I was thinking of using my contacts at all of the legacy airlines, and some regionals, to gather intel on the layout of interviews and then offering prep services for interviews, write people’s resumes curated to the airline they are trying to get to, and offer career coaching for people trying to get to a legacy/progress in their career. I’m using this post as a gauge for if people would be interested in a service like this. If you were just getting started, would you pay a small fee for advice, coaching, resume prep, and a guide on how to navigate getting started? 🛫

Hello friends.

I, ??F would like to become a dispatcher. I have a friend waiting by with a recommendation to UA for Dispatcher however I have no dispatch schools near me (I live in NoVA and have no car lol) and the tuition is out of range for me.

What do I do? Is there anything I can do is there online classes?

Edit: I have coordinator airline experience but that’s only OTG and controlling agents, not aircrafts.

Hey there everyone. I'm looking to get into this. Background on me. At one point or another my whole family has been involved in aviation. I took an interest in it as well. While in highschool I started flight lessons but stopped for multiple reasons. Mainly because I know I was going to enlist in the military. (I refused to go to college and new the cost of that was not flying in the military). I don't really regret that decision. The path I chose was to be an intermediate level mechanic on the engines of the F-18 legacies. It was awesome for a couple years. I started A/P school and it took me about one class to realize that wasn't my path. However during my time in the military I got this (what my current coworkers consider strange 🤣) appreciation for logistics and planning. For some reason I never really acted on it or considered further options. The F-18s went away and I wasn't a fan of the other occupations the Marine corps was offering. (I asked for ATC and they wouldn't budge). It was time for me to get out. I still felt like I owed something to the world so I became a Firefighter and later got my paramedic license. The job can be rewarding at times. But due to issues with our department and issues with the local government I (maybe selfishly) feel like I've reached a point where I've given too much of myself and want to start a life for me. Please believe me when I say the service to others wasn't the issue. But the world has changed a lot. I did the math recently and realized I have to work for about 30 more years before I can retire from there and I've already done 4. That math didn't sit well with me for a 50 percent pension. I've applied to ATC and only got qualified on the exam. Then my family member sent me a link to an article about flight dispatch. I was like no way. This combines a lot of what I love. I'm in a weather forecasting class now at Penn State. While I was in the military my dad who works at FedEx ramp tower gave me a tour of the ramp, mx, GOCC, maintenance control. And I remember I lit up when we went into GOCC. I remember I saw a bunch of people on computers taking in info and executing on it. I just didn't fully comprehend what it was at the time.

I'm working towards finding the right dispatch school now that I can work into my vacation that I bid for next year. But is there anyone who is a dispatcher in Memphis that I may be able to shadow for a couple of hours or something. Just to like watch it happen in real time. Now that I actually have a faint idea of what's going on? It may not be possible but it would be cool if that would be a thing. I don't want to walk away from a secure job and be like no, this ain't it.

With the current job market, is now a good time to take the leap into dispatch training, or should I wait? I know the hiring comes in fits and starts at regionals, but it sounds like it may be a bit rough out there right now. Is it worth pulling the trigger now even if it may take many months to see any real promise of a job on the horizon? I'm just trying to decide if now's the time to make the investment in school and myself. Or is it one of those situations where it's better to just leap now, get certificated, and then be prepared for the next upturn in hiring?

I'm so ready for a change from my current 2-10 non-aviation job; not necessarily the shift, but the job itself. Dispatching is something I've kicked around the idea of training for for several years now, but the timing's never been right to commit to a 5-week in-person course; yes, I know I could partially do it online, but after doing online education for other things, I've realized I'm going to learn best in person. I've even narrowed it down to two possible schools.

I know this has been asked in some form here, but I didn't want to hijack someone else's thread.