IFALDA

[opsguy]

I understand that at the moment there is no UK affiliate of IFALDA. There was some move to start something similar in the summer of 99. Kathy Warner e-mailed loads of people and when she replied to me had got a massive 8 replies.(Kathy if you're out there, how is it going?)

Is there anyone out there interested in such a venture. Some feedback would be interesting.

Also brings up the question of licensing for Dispatchers a-la US FAA License.

Should we be regulated and licensed?
Should any such license be regulated by the state or by the airline we work for.

I know through a colleague in a different country that there has been much discussion at IFALDA on this issue and there is much yet to discuss.

Perhaps I could start the ball rolling here.

I believe there should be such a license and that it should be administered by the state not the airline. That way we are responsilble to the state for our actions (this in no way detracts from our responsibility to our employer) and can expect the state's protection from managment when we make any judgement call that they (management) do not like for commercial reasons. Too easy for them to say "Send it or we pull your ticket" if they control it. I do not mean for this to turn us into "power freaks", a good decision with sound reasoning is expected, as we all do now.

Would be interested in what fellow PPRuners think about these topics.


[This message has been edited by opsguy (edited 18 January 2000).]

[Low life]

Some years ago there was an attempt to bring in licences for Operations/Dispatch the CAA took this on board, but drop it after pressure from Airlines and I am lead to believe BALPA.
Does anyone who had anything to do with this attempt have any information that could help with another effort?
Does anyone know if BALPA did put pressure on the CAA, what was their argument?

[GOLLUM]

I am unaware of the pressure brought to bear, but I think that we should be self policing. An International Company I worked for at LHR did an in house licence for weight and balance, and took seriously the operations. Training was in depth, as was Despatching. If a common goal/standard could be agreed, it should be easy to keep in house.I personally feel it is better in house than ran by some gvmt body.

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Not all those who wander are lost;

[JB007]

Opsbod,

I'm actually from a Crewing background, but every "OPSBOD" in the UK should be behind you on this one.

I personally think Ops staff need a Joint Aviation Authority licence.

It needs govnt backing though for them to set a standard that will be recognised by every airline in the JAA states, not just the airline you are employed by.

This would give every Ops.staff member with this qualification an oppotunity to work for any airline he or she wanted to in any JAA state. Exactly the same as flight crew with a JAA ATPL.

A "ticket" of this sort can only add to recognition and increased salary level's for everybody country wide.

007


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The World is not Enough

[blackbox]

You have my thumbs up for this one...

My only concern is, if you wish to get govmt backing, I fear Mr Prescott will be of no use, (unless it was a private enterprise)!!.

Although this is an idea, we need to push it forward, by talking to our collegues and lower managment to get support???

[JB007]

Ok BB,

Let's see what interest we can generate on this one.
Start asking round friends / colleage's.

Cheers
007

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The World is not Enough

[This message has been edited by JB007 (edited 19 January 2000).]

[waco]

About time ops and crewing had some representation. Flight crew and engineers
seem to have appropriate represntation yet we are very much left out.

However, it is important we strick together as a group. It needs eveyones support.

Its not about being bolshi, just getting our point of view over and having someone to back our story for once

[no sig]

In the late 70's and 80's the British Guild of Flight Operations Officers (BGFOO) was the UK recognised affiliate of IFALDA.

The question of adoption of the ICAO recommendation for the licencing of Flight Operations Officers was pushed in the UK regretably to no avail. There is little doubt in any of our minds that training and a formal accreditation is desirable but it will be a hard one to win in the UK environment, which unlike the US, has never known a flight dispatch system and do not understand its benefits. Note the reaction of some pilots to a posting in Rumours recently on the Delta Little Rock accident which implicated the dispatcher to a get a feel of the uphill struggle we face.

Although a licence in the UK would, I have no doubt, further safety and provide a professional base for flight operations personnel, equally important is the recognition by ourselves of the need to improve our level of knowledge 'now' rather than wait for a formal licence. If your Company won't support you get out there and do it yourself, be it the C&G course or indeed why not do the FAA licence?