courses in flight operaions

[neilmac]

Presently in the RAF as an ATC. Looking ahead when leaving service what courses in ops and especially aviation/ops managment. I know London Met do a course but thats full time, which HM wont allow me. I have a varied aviation background from 12 year PPL to FISO at aerodromes. Did a Flight Ops/Despatch City and Guild a few years ago , is that worth anything these days?

[wannabe-aviator]

Hello Neil

I am under the impression that AVTECH2000 Offer a ICAO Syllabus in Airline and Airport Operation and Dispatch, I think he course is about 1800 Pounds Maybe more with regards to travel to exams and other such costs, they offer the course on a do it on your own basis and Its very nice, I am applying to it soon and they let you pay in Instalments, also the Jeppesen Academy also offer the Flight ops courses not sure what syllabus bu check out good old google as I dont eally know how good AVTECH2000 is as a course provider but this is a start and have a look, if you needs more info I am sure my limied knowledge in Aviation will help you.

regards
WA

[no sig]

neilmac

Read back over this forum for more info on this often discussed topic.

[neilmac]

Thanks WA
No sig- i have but not much info there

[L-H]

Whatever happened to the GCNS course? I lost interest in it after the very first batch of course work was sent out, very poor standard, inconsistent and therefore raising doubts about credibility.

Does the GCNS ICAO FOO/Flt Disp Licence have any weight or is it another college created 'qualification' of questionable value?

In my little world of cargo airlines nobody has heard of the GCNS qual and as such immediately dismisses it as irrelevent. The general concesus is if you want a licence go to the States and do the FAA Flight Dispatchers Licence or worst case scenario do the Jeppeson version.

[no sig]

L-H

Yes the GCNS ICAO 7192 D3 Flt Ops Officer/Dispatcher course is still available and the early teething problems long since resolved. The course is not a college invention, its was driven by UK airlines and to the ICAO syllabus, the Glasgow College Natutical Studies is also a flight crew licence training establishment.

The course is more relevant now that ever with JAR and EASA using the ICAO 7192 D3 Flight Operations Officer/Dispatcher licence syllabus as the basis for operations officer training. We don't have a licence requirement (yet) but if and when we do then it will most probably be based on the ICAO recommendation and syllabus.

But, as important, is that this course and those to the ICAO syllabus, provide the fundemental knowledge every ops officer should have. The FAA licence where valuable is a US based qualification and of course focuses on FAR requirements, I would plump for the ICAO based course were I starting out again, then perhaps do the FAA licence unless you are working in the states or US carriers.

[Expat abroad]

Hi Neil

Just a quick one from here. I also was RAF AATC and wanted FLight Dispatch after leaving 8 years back.

As there a very few courses for this subject, it is possible to get an FAA course in USA as your resettlement. Myself and 2 others did this at same time. It does depend on your family situation, as its 6 weeks full time, but I think it was worth it, but then I am single so no family to worry about.
The course fees were paid, accom, plus rate 1s for 6 weeks and if memory serves me, there was also something towards travel, but not full cost of flight ticket.

I did it in Minneapolis, which is a very good school. Also, there is a military part to the airport there, and as a serving member, you can arrange accom there. It was about 6 US a day when I went thru.

If you are sure that this is the direction you want once you leave, then I can say that having the licence was a good investment for me. It got me a job working for an airline dispatch office at LHR, and also I'm onto my 3rd airline overseas. All of them wanted some sort of qualification to show at least a certain level of knowledge. The licence is great for that, works all over europe.

You'd also be advised to polish up on some subjects before going, but that you can decide later :)

If you want more info, let me know.

Regards Chris