I'm a Flight Dispatcher, ask me anything!

[Whatdoido2018]

As the subject dictates, ask away!

Not sure anyone will be interested but if I can help with anything you've maybe always wondered, or even anything else Air travel related, I'll do my best to answer if I can

How did you get into your job?

Oh, I would love to know whether you have to "ground" a plane to stop yourself getting an electric shock before you plug in the communication wire to the side of the airplane nose.

Excuse my total lack of correct terms.

@JustLurkingAway - Started off taking a BTEC course that covered Dispatch amongst other similar aspects of commercial Aviation at The Aviation Academy @ Leeds Bradford Airport (Southside). Then went on to do a Foundation Degree. I had already worked for an airline, got to know the various staff working within that airport and then moved up to Dispatch.

@Hawkie APU? No!

Thanks!

Have you ever had to dispatch when there has been an incident on the aircraft or at the airport? Do you communicate it to the pilot or does the tower?

Have tou ever witnessed a crash? morbid

Sorry for late replies! Had a nightmare this evening!

@Hawkie Not so far. Nothing more than a missed approach, weather causing a failed take off etc.

@Iown5pairsofDocMartens Yes! Well kind of...

29th April 2007. Thomson Airlines 757 Bird Strike. I was looking from the terminal and saw the flames blowing out the engine in huge puffs. It's a Mayday/Pan worthy emergency situation. However the aircraft can fly easily on one engine, just not for as long. So they returned to the airport shortly after. They had to dump fuel over the ocean first as the amount of fuel they had onboard for their intended flight, made them too heavy to land. Also, landing with any substantial amount of fuel can cause an explosion. Here it is on YouTube

I'll never forget the horrible BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG of the engine as the aircraft rotated from the runway just after the bird entered the engine. You can't really pick it up on the video but from the terminal, it sounded like multiple bombs going off!

How often do Dispatchers make mistakes...I am terrified of flying & always wonder how easy it would be for two planes to collide.

Dispatchers wouldn't have anything to do with aircraft colliding? That's down to Air Traffic Control? But even if they did make a mistake despite their crazy training and systems they have to prevent mistakes; each aircraft has a system called TCAS - Traffic Collision Avoidance System. That warns aircraft if they are becoming too close and tells them how to correct this.

As a Dispatcher, our calculations are handed to the Flight Crew who go through it to make sure it meets their requirements. If we make mistakes, it would be highly highly unlikely for both the two immensely well trained Flight Crew (Pilots) to also miss this mistake.

Just to clarify a Flight Dispatcher is not the same thing as Air Traffic Controller! I can see why it would be mistaken as such though.

Our role responsibilities consist of, amongst many other things, making calculations relating to the weight & balance of the aircraft such as fuel, cargo, PAX (- passengers) payload. Weather reports etc etc. The job description does vary quite a bit between airlines/ground handling agents and also between smaller and larger airports.
Some airports/airlines/ground handling agents incorporate many of the responsibilities of Ramp Agents into the role of Flight Dispatcher. Whereas some are strictly Dispatchers like me. Ultimately we are all ground crew who are responsible for the turnaround procedures of an aircraft from as soon as just before landing, until departure

I used to do this in the Air Force. Have had ac arrive with bullet holes in it. And moved lots of scary shit (and some scary people). People leaving their legs in the plane, having to xRay coffins, and explaining to people why no, they can’t take their hamsters with them. Once had to weigh every single pax to see if we could squeeze on any more payload.
Ah, the good old days.