Dispatch Job in UK

[ExRAFRadar]

I am fully prepared to be shot down in flames here but do be gentle.:)

I have always had a great interest in aviation matters and feel I would like to try my hand in the game. Living 4 miles from EGLL has only increased my interest levels.

As a 41 year old IT specialist do I have any realistic chance in the Ops/Flight Dispatch side of things ?

What qualifications would I need to get ? What's the market like ?

I appreciate I can search the forums and I intend to. I was just hoping someone would be bored enough to save me some time.

Tin hat on, donning flakjacket.

Cheers

[merlinxx]

Try Jeppesen UK (check www.jeppesen.com (http://www.jeppesen.com) for UK ctcs @ LGW) Many ex RAF radar, some ex eastern radar now hold management posts in UK & Germany with Jepp.

[no sig]

Radar

If you haven't already, do evaluate your earning power in airline ops versus IT, I suspect you might get a shock, on the otherhand, if you don't then do search on this forum and you'll dozens of posts on the matter of operations and flight dispatcher training. If, as your handle suggests, you have an ex RAF background then that will hold you in good stead. Best of luck.

[evertonmad]

Apart from training and getting yourself qualified, without the work experience level required I doubt a career change to aircraft operations will be one you can make. Entry level Ops staff are paid peanuts. 15 to 20K if you're lucky, experienced staff who run shifts get about 25K.

If money/salary isn't an immediate problem then you'll find lots of opportunities.