What's a European Dispatcher?
 

Can someone please fill me on what a European Dispatcher does? I've been reading these topics, and actually just discovered PPRUNE. I am confused. At the major airline where I am currently employed, dispatchers do not even see airplanes. We are housed in a huge dark room environment facility, write flight plans, write the dispatch release, and include the weather packet. From reading the topics, I guess Euro Dispatchers go out and work the airplanes as well? Can someonen please fill me in!

In the UK, a dispatcher is responsible for aircraft turnarounds. - I suppose the American definition would be Red Cap.
The UK equivalent of an American Dispatcher would be an OPS officer, although there are no formal Licence Requirements for an OPS officer.

In Europe, obviously except in the UK, a (Flight) Dispatcher is also the one making the flight plans, checking the weather, etc..
I go on the ramp only to bring the latest version of a CFP in case the crew has no time to come at Ops for their briefing.

As far as im aware most of Europe’s dispatchers generally work for the handling agents contracted to the Airline’s and do the following:

Coordinate ground operations… fuel, catering ect
Arrange stands/air bridges
Produce the load sheet
Provide current weather
Coordinate pushback (Headset man)
Liaise with the Airline

As for Operations Officer’s/ Operations Controllers they work for the Airline and generally do the following:

Flight planning, over flight clearance, runway slots
Provide crews with computerised flight plans/en-route weather
Ensuring crew’s are legal to fly (FTL, medicals and currency ect)
Coordinate the Airline’s flying program (flight watch)
Liaison with the handling agents

This is a very brief account of what’s done but I hope it gives you a slight idea how it works

HS