Roster 24hr Dispatch Department

[Alfred Ebbers]

Just wondering if anybody has some hints/advice for preparing a roster for a 24hr Dispatch Department? We are with roughly 15 dispatchers and need to cover 24 hour with 3 shifts per 24 hours. Anybody experience how to create a nice sequence to have a good balance between work and social life...... :)

Thanks!

[merlinxx]

This really depends on your coverage requirements, handover period, leave entitlement etc.

Classic is Early-Early-Late-Late-Night-Night sleep day after last night then 3 off or L-L-E-E. It's a 10 day pattern which does have flexibility.

This works fine, but there has to be an overtime coverage application for leave and a leave curfew as to numbers allowed off at the same time. Other factors need applications such as recurrent trng (if reqrd), fam flts etc.

Good luck

[ralle72]

we´re 27 and we also have the classic e-e-l-l-n-n-off-off-off pattern. three times in 10 weeks it´s only 5 working days iso 6. so this results in a 38.5 hours week.
cheers ralle72

[merlinxx]

The e-e-l-l-n-n pattern is over is a 7 day work pattern, as duty is accomplished on all 7 days day. The part of the day left after the last N is classically called "a sleep day". Thus with 3 days off it's a 10 day pattern, hence must be plotted over a full 365 day period to ascertain/input leave/trng/public holidy requirements. Irrespective of actual leave taken, this must be plotted in the planning stage to see a realistic picture not just for manning, but for financial planning for the bean counters, i.e. how much overtime etc.

Also gives you ability to switch personnel from one team to another for quality assurance flexibility/adaptability. Creates good CRM.

With 27 you sure are in a creative position, a luxury not normally heard of these days, when I first started (long, long time ago) we had 5 to cover 24/365.

[merlinxx]

You with E.J. or J.A. I think we know each other from a few years back, PM me. Cheers.

[ManxBoi]

Im not sure how you would do it! But just a little bit of advise! When I worked as a despatcher we done a L-L-E-E-O-O rotation and it worked well!
You get an extra day as you dont start till late and you finish early so you really have three days off! You were a bit tired with the L to E! But was far better than a E to L!

You had more of a social life!! And didn't feel that you were constintly at work! So staff morale was good!

[merlinxx]

We were talking of a 24/365 coverage, no nights you ain't lived sport. When it hits the fan on a L then you have to run an E, how long is that shift and how competent are you then to run an op?

[ManxBoi]

Well when we are on a late, If we did run late baring in mind the late shift starts at 14.00 and an early 05.00. The latest the airport has ever opened is till 2am when we were on earlies the next day! We just slept at the airport (What an experience) and than started again at 5am a couple of red bulls and the adrenaline kicks in at 6am when you are trying to get all the flights out time! Trying to beat BA out!
It all owrks well as you get to go at 14.00 and back in again at 05.00 but then you have a couple of days off!!!

It worked really well!

[merlinxx]

You've been lucky there, I've never worked for a day time outfit. Has always been a full 24/365 operation. All early departures are planned (flt, fuel, maintrol, wx, notam, MEL construct etc) in fact all flt ops functions are a 24/365 application.

Keep the day job & the faith, luck chap, I'm now coming up to 62, and still getting the buzz.

[Alfred Ebbers]

We are running a 24hr dispatch with always people on duty: three dispatchers in the morning/early afternoon, three late afternoon/evening and two to cover the night. As we work 9,5 hours per day (with a long handover period and time to go out for a proper lunch:) ) we also have more days off after our sequence. The sequence suggested by merlinxx might work very well in this case. This way we can have a sequence of 6 days on, 3 days off, 6 days on, 4 days off, 6 days on, 3 days off, etc.

Thanks for your suggestions!

[merlinxx]

Good luck with the shift system:ok: especially the proper lunch:O

[747-436]

What about moving to 4 days on 4 off and doing 12 hour shifts? Once you have been there for 8 hours you may as well stay for 12!

I previously worked a combination of 4 days then 4 nights but as more people were needed in the day you didn't always have to do nights.

Glad I didn't have to do the 2 days 2 nights then 4 off combination as it meant you would be doing nights all the time. At least doing 4 in a row then 4 off and then days again means your body isn't so messed around!

If you have to keep the 3 shifts why not do NNNNNN XXX LLLLLL XXX EEEEEE
Harsh doing six nights in a row but then you have a long gap before you do anymore. And then have almost 4 days off going from an early to a night.

[merlinxx]

Neolithic that takes it all back to the 60s. A pure Flight Disptacher has DTLs just as crew have FTLs. You've obviously not had to route/wx/ftl pln multiple
deps from multiple stations and flt follow/watch as well. Maybe OK with a few clapped out cargo acft, but not our real world with very high value acft & pax.

[747-436]

I would take 4 on 4 off with 12 hour shifts any day as I enjoyed having the days off. Back to the real world of non shift work for a bit now anyway!

I haven't had to do any flight planning as that was outsourced but did have to flight watch and as in most Ops department it was peaks and troughs, you would be busy for 2 hours then very quiet for the next 2 and so on. No cargo aircraft for me, all pax.

I ended up doing longer shifts sometimes when on 8 hours than on 12.
Have ended up many times having to do 11-13 hour days when it should have been 8 but then with the 12 hour shift I have rarely had to work much longer than 12.

But it depends on the set up of the Airline and the Ops department, where I worked 12 hour shifts as I have described were fine.

[the bald eagle]

And i'm still sodding around doing DDNN 4 off DDNN 4 off and thats with only 5 of us including 1 on float! As 747 says..you've been there for 8 hours you might as well stay for 12 then fall asleep at the last knockings and screw it all up for the next shift - off to bed now! :zzz: :zzz: :zzz:
see ya