Career as Ops Officer/Flight Dispatcher

[tug3]

Quick question some of you might be kind enough to answer - A friend was interested in career as an Air Traffic Controller but unfortunately was knocked back on medical grounds. (Nothing serious however). He remains interested in a career in aviation and I suggested he might try Operations Officer/Flight Dispatcher.

Any pointers as to how to start the ball rolling in terms of training courses and possible recruitment opportunities?

Thanks in advance.

Rgds
T3

[Quincy M.E.]

Hi

I was just about to post a similar topic so I will add a few other things if that’s ok.

I am trying to get work in ops/despatch and am trying to get together information to help me on my way. I have searched the forum etc but need to tie up a few loose ends:

- Am I correct in thinking that generally airlines do not handle their own flights but employ people like Servisair and Aviance to do it for them?
- Do any airlines employ their own despatchers? I have looked at a few airline websites but the only vacancies are ever ticketing, check-in or pilots.
- I am registered with aviationjosearch but all the vacancies they send me require previous experience in ops (which I don’t have). How can I get in?!
- I have read that Servisair etc provide training, so I assume it is best to apply to them directly. Are there any other handling companies other than those I have mentioned; particularly at Heathrow or Gatwick?

I do have a basic knowledge about what goes on at airports and have nearly finished my PPL but nothing in the way of work experience.

Any help would be very gratefully received.

Q

[waco]

....Only pilots have careers in civil aviation.....

the rest of have jobs....

advice ? stay well clear...work hard.....and get a position in the "professions".

[mr.777]

Tug 3
funnily enough I have gone the other way,from being a dispatcher for 7yrs at Heathrow with AF and then VS to now training as a controller.
Whilst I love my new job,dispatching is a brilliant career although not well paid unless you work for BA. I did 18months on check in for AF before getting job in AF ops where we handled 15 airlines at our peak of all nationalities shapes and sizes.
I gather now you can go straight into dispatch witj some companies. My advice to your mate is to contact Servisair or Aviance or any other handling company and see what they say...probably getting a job on check in or as a ramp agent is a good way to start.
No disrespect to those working at regionals,but nothing beats working at Heathrow...the place has a buzz about it...so if your mate wants variety try Heathrow Gatwick or Manchester...pay better there as well.
Good luck!!

777

[tug3]

777

I'll pass that on...

http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/grinser/grinning-smiley-003.gif

Rgds
T3

[vipero]

http://www.ifalda.org
http://www.eufalda.org

[tug3]

vipero

Molte grazie!

Rgds
T3

[ROSCO328]

Hello all,

I was a dispatcher for 7 years at Edinburgh working for Servisair whist i trained for my atpl. The job for me was great, got to meet alot of great people and work in the airport which to me was like no other place id ever worked. At the time i joined directly into dispatch but I believe now you have to complete 6 months checkin before being considered.BA and BMI are the only airlines which employ thier own staff (At edinburgh anyway) and they are much better paid but require time served before being considered. Try Servisair or Menzies aviation for fast track.

Hope this helps:ok:

[El_Kapitano]

Hey,

Can you clarify what u mean by dispatcher?? If you're talkin about the guy who works for the handling agents, someone like Circusair, out in all weathers for damn all money and no appreciation from the people you work for or are you talking about the guys who work for the airline doing flight watch, weather watch, flight planning and navigation and all the other stuff that many of these newbie pilots know screw all about?? Cos if you're talkin about the former then it's just a job that pays the bills...just about. The latter is a potential career and a great way to meet the people who hire the people who fly the people. I've done the first two and now I'm flying. My advice to you is to skip the crap at the handling agents. If you can get a start as an ops assistant with a small company then you're on your way to an interesting and eventually rewarding career if you stick with it. To get a headstart on most of the wannabe's go get yourself either an FAA flight dispatcher licence from USA or else go do the very good ops officer course from Avtech2000 here in UK. It's worth its weight in gold and it's affordable and will put you ahead of the very large pack. There are alot of companies hiring, you just gotta look and be willing to move possibly. Another angle into ops is through crew control. Crew controllers always wanted... just stay away from the rubies in
Liverpool..or is that emeralds..I can never remember ;)