Career opportunities

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Aircraft/Flight Dispatcher

Aircraft dispatchers work in the team that is responsible for coordinating activities to ensure the quick, safe and efficient turnaround of flights from arrival to departure at an airport. They work for airlines and ground handling services in airport operations control centres, and are also known as flight operations officers or load controllers.

Aircraft dispatchers liaise with many different teams within an airport, include airlines, airport authorities and other internal departments working in ground services. They have to make sure that any work undertaken to prepare a flight is done to the correct standards and within set timeframes. They must also deal with any unexpected problems and make sure that they are resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The responsibilities that aircraft dispatchers have can vary between employers, but normally they have to use airline computer systems to prepare for flights, including coordinating preparation and departure times of aircraft, planning luggage position, seating arrangements and load distribution, and calculation of fuel requirements. Before a flight takes off, the aircraft dispatcher has to complete documentation confirming all details of the flight, including passenger numbers and weight of load. They give a form, called a load sheet, to the aircraft pilot so that the information can be entered into the flight deck computer before take off. This is a very important task as this data ensures that the aircraft will fly safely throughout its journey. They also complete more documentation once a flight has landed, to confirm that calculations were accurate and to monitor performance of aircraft.

Aircraft dispatchers can earn from around £14000. This can increase to around £20000 with experience.Go Back

Working environment

Aircraft dispatchers work in an operations office in an airport control centre. They normally work shifts of around 8 hours a day that cover all of the times that an airport is open. This can include early mornings, evenings, weekends and bank holidays and possibly nighttimes if the airport is open 24 hours a day.

Much of the aircraft dispatcher’s time is spent at their desk, working on a computer, however they may spend some of their time airside (where the aircraft are parked up outside of the terminal). This can mean being outside in all weathers.

Aircraft dispatchers have to wear an identity pass at all times. They may also be required to wear a uniform, and if they are airside, have to wear high visibility clothing, ear defenders and safety shoes.
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Skills and interests

An aircraft dispatcher should:
- have good planning and analytical skills
- have strong communication skills, both written and spoken
- be able to remain calm under pressure and work to deadlines
- be able to respond quickly to issues and to take the initiative
- be able to use complex computer systems
- be flexible when late changes are necessary
- be able to work well within a team
- be reliable and conscientious
- be able to cope with what is a stressful job
- be able to prioritise and organise tasks.Go Back

Entry into the role

Entry requirements for getting into the role of aircraft dispatcher can vary between employers. Normally some experience of working in aviation can be very useful as the role does require an understanding of the basic procedures for aircraft landing and take off at an airport.

Academic requirements for entry into the role can vary although applicants will need a good basic education, normally at least GCSEs at grades A-C (or national equivalent), especially in English and maths.

Job vacancies are advertised on airline or ground handling services company websites and on aviation job search facilities on the internet. They may also be advertised on airport websites and on the website for the United Kingdom Operations Managers Association (UKOMA).

Anyone wanting to work at an airport needs to live close to the airport and have access to reliable transport. This is in case they are called in at short notice, but also because of working shifts when they may be required to travel and any time of the day or night. 
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Opportunities

Aircraft dispatchers can progress to become duty managers or operations supervisors. Some can progress to become flight operations managers.

Aircraft dispatchers can move into other areas of airport work, including managing operations for ground services companies or taking on planning or project management responsibilities.
 
Industry related qualifications that may be relevant to this role include:
- NVQ level 3 in coordinating aviation operations on the ground (offered by City & Guilds and EAL).
There are also degrees in airline or aviation management.

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Useful links

• United Kingdom Operations Managers Association
• Royal Aeronautical Society
• Ground Handling International (magazine)

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Case Studies

• AVIATION - load despatcher
  Watch an interview with a load despatcher working at an airport (links to Virtual Work Experience from Learning and Teaching Scotland).
  View case study (external website)
• AVIATION - operations controller
  See an interview with Robert Springett, an operations controller for Air Southwest (links to Jobs4U careers database)
  View case study (external website)

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