....what pilot would just go ahead and takeoff for somewhere if they don't have to proper data.
I can think of a few at Colgan that have and would, but that's a different thread.
I know there are a few of you that do a great job in a bad environment. I think I know who you are, and I'm sure you either know who I am or can easily find out. If you don't know, PM me and I'll tell you. I don't hide behind my user name.
My point with your quote above is that we as pilots only have you, the dispatcher, to guide us with the proper data. I can't go to a computer in Boston and pull up the current radar. I have to rely on getting good solid info from my dispatcher. In three years of flying, I have only twice been held on the ground for enroute weather. Both times my dispatcher was MD. I've called down there and asked about the storm I saw on my way in to BOS. The storm that was between the airport and my next destination. I was told the radar was clear. Hmm.. I can see the lightening and rain from the ground, but the radar is clear.
It's all a game of give and take and I know lots of people out there who weren't willing to give even a little, so what do you expect?
I have to disagree with you there. There is no give and take in this job. You dispatch me within a set of regulations and I fly an airplane within a set of regulations as well. If we have an MEL, we have to comply with that MEL.
You can't tell me it's ok to fly a BOS-RKD-AUG-BOS trip with thunderstorms in the forecast with the radar MELd, but then tell me I can't fly back to PQI with that same MEL because there are TS in the forecast.
As a dispatcher I expect you to be honest with me. If you tell me it's safe to depart, I should be able to assume it's safe to depart. If it's safe to depart and we're legal to depart, I'm going to depart. It seems pretty black and white to me.. Not much gray area to play with. If the airplane can be flown safely within the regulations, I will be taking that flight out. You shouldn't be enticing me to get the flight out, nor should I be trying to keep the flight on the ground.
Again, I realize that not everyone that works, or has worked in that office is a bad dispatcher or tries to bend or break the rules. I also understand that the devil himself runs that office with fear and intimidation. I think after the second time I called him a F-K-N-G weasel and hung up on him, he stopped putting my calls on speaker phone.
Is MD still rooming with JA? If so and you figure out who I am, say hi to both of them for me. I flew with JA quite a bit when she first upgraded.
EDIT--- I knew you, but I don't think you knew me.. I'm sure you've heard of me though.. I'm really not as bad as most in that office thought!
