Dear Dispatcher

[Some Dude]

On a positive note that I'm sure we can agree on. The company sent out new info about a new program you all will be using that is supposed to be a big improvement on your dispatching. The company said it will compute alot more info on performance for our aircraft. Also, they said that dispatchers will be assigned to one aircraft type only. Any thougthts or info? Also, are they going to hire more? I always thought you guys and gals were understaffed. Let's discuss something positive for a change.

 

[Hogprint]

I agree. If we can pull this off, it will make everyones life easier. Concur on the positive discussions also.

 

[Diesel]

We need to do three things-

1. Hire more dispatchers.
2. Make them fleet specific
3. End the "file and forget" rush rush rush by using step 1 and 2.
4. Make it a real joint release. Your certificate plus mine is on the line.
5. Use better software. No more of this jumping through 3 different programs to make a release.


It's a thankless job that is dealing with an environment that is constantly changing.

 

[Some guy]

I think with the tremendous growth that we had a couple of years ago along with the increase in growth this year, the company really is trying to streamline alot of different processes to make things easier on everyone.

Apparently, with the current demand on the dispatchers, there is the occasional mistake being made and maybe this new process will help. We all make our mistakes, but honestly, those of us sitting in "the casino" really do try our best to help you guys out in the field. Those who don't, don't stick around here very long.

Some Guy

 

[Some Dude]

The people in the casino didn't have the best tools to use. It's not that they were stupid, they often couldn't get the info they needed. Intellijunk was the real problem not the workers. I don't fault the workers just the tools they had to work with.

 

[Some guy]

Some dude,
I'm just hoping that when things are made right, we all become one happy family again. This really is a great company even though we have our small issues / problems. Any company that grows as fast as we have will have their problems. As far as the negotiations, both sides are playing hardball as they should be...You can't expect anything else from either side. I'm ignorant (lack of knowledge) when it comes to everything you guys are fighting for. I think that the majority of us do believe the pay situation needs major attention.

With that said, I've seen some other posts stating different rumors and such. I can tell you that the rumor about certain pilots / crews getting the "good" trips is not true. The schedulers build the flight plans based on many things such as location of the aircraft, requests to go from point A to point B, crew duty time, and other variables. As far as names, they are just names. The schedulers do not have the time to hand pick any specific names. I know that for a fact as I have been working with them for almost 5 years now.

Some Guy

 

[FLYLOW22]

Sounds cool for the high, hot n heavies.

 

[dsptchrnja]

On a positive note that I'm sure we can agree on. The company sent out new info about a new program you all will be using that is supposed to be a big improvement on your dispatching. The company said it will compute alot more info on performance for our aircraft. Also, they said that dispatchers will be assigned to one aircraft type only. Any thougthts or info? Also, are they going to hire more? I always thought you guys and gals were understaffed. Let's discuss something positive for a change.

The whiz-snappers at Ultra-Nav recently came out with "true flight" which can predict 2nd segment climb with almost any imaginable scenario. The DO just bought us 13 versions for every type of a/c we are flying so we can start providing this to NJA pilots. You will get an additional sheet that has an easy-to-read graph of your climb profile - and not sure what else - none of the dispatchers have had a chance to look at it yet. It will arrive Aug 15th and will probably take a couple weeks (?) or more to train the dxr's and standardize the program for our use.

We are staffed with higher numbers than ever right now actually, but unfortunately, the workload has never been higher either. But, 3 dispatchers are in training and rumor has it more could be on the way. We currently have 40 dispatchers.

We will need at least 10 more dispatchers before we can go fleet specific. This has also been a goal of dispatch for years. It is becoming VERY difficult to be held responsible for dispatching 10+ different types of aircraft with all the nuances involved for each manufacturer. As pilots know, they are better and safer flying one a/c type than 3 or 4 types. Same with dispatching. That's how professional 121 ops go and that's what we want as well.

I figure if the DO can get over $200,000 of new software approved in a couple days he should be able to increase our staffing so we can go fleet specific. As you know he's only been here about 14 months and is just now getting around to addressing some of our issues that have been ignored by past management. I guess he's been a little distracted by other company matters recently.

Most Ops management was not even aware that dispatch is a day-of only resource... we can't gaurantee to catch any potential flight issue before 4 hours of departure. Have you ever been sitting at the hotel wondering about your flight tomorrow and figuring someone had probably already looked at the potential performance issues? There is no gaurantee of this. Today, there is only a relatively loose process of catching tomorrow's problematic flights (automatic feasability checks and the Ops Intel dept are all we have now). But it has become the DO's most recent agenda and they are in current discussions to figure out how we can more reliably plan for tomorrow's flights so owners can get more notice of potential show-stoppers. We simply want to reduce the number of "fire drills" (as GH puts it) we do every day when we suddenly find out a trip doesn't work because DAAP failed or suddenly it's too hot to get out of JAC, etc.

If your interested more info was brought up here that I didn't take the time to talk about again in this post.
http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?p=645353#post645353

Thanks for asking.

 

[x402]

One of the best posts I've seen on this board. Mgt hasn't killed all the dreamers. We really understand the frustration with mgt, and we know it is system wide. x

 

[Some Dude]

I will say that we don't always agree. Heck my friends and I always argue about sports. I will say that you guys are overloaded. I will also say that I recently got some service from you department that was above and beyond the standard. A messed up day was saved by a quick and professional dispatcher that helped us depart on time with an owner who had gotten screwed over all day.

 

[bizjet737]

We need to do three things-

1. Hire more dispatchers.
2. Make them fleet specific
3. End the "file and forget" rush rush rush by using step 1 and 2.
4. Make it a real joint release. Your certificate plus mine is on the line.
5. Use better software. No more of this jumping through 3 different programs to make a release.


It's a thankless job that is dealing with an environment that is constantly changing.

agree, there needs to be accountability up there! not one single person is accountable for their mistakes.

 

[dsptchrnja]

not one single person is accountable for their mistakes.

Not true at all.

 

[Diesel]

Dispatchnja

You're right. the pilots are.

 

[bizjet737]

Not true at all.

ok examples -
i get released to TEB- twice! we can't even go there!
i get released to a closed airport
flight plan filed for altitude over our capability for weight/temp - by 6000'
flight plan filed directly through a typhoon
crewmembers left off w&b
heavy crew, their bags not accounted for in w&b
atlantic crossing w/no etp's in paperwork
atlantic crossing w/no TMI message - happens frequently
full-power (27k) takeoff but too light for that power setting
illegal alternate filed
no alternate filed

these are some pretty basic things! if i didn't catch them, i'd be doing the BWAY1 arrival.

 

[cgmason1]

full-power (27k) takeoff but too light for that power setting
.

Come on-no derate, no assumed temp-those are the fun ones.


Fly Safe
Chuck
ps ever have a copilot change the take off runway in the box and froget to redo the derate and assumed temp-instant fullpower takeoff.

 

[Lrjet55]

dsptchrNJA,


I appreciate the honest response. We have all been critical of NJA dispatch from time to time so any tool that will make your job and ours a little better I'm sure were all in favor.
As always there will be some growing pains and everyone needs to remember that.

 

[dsptchrnja]

ok examples -
i get released to TEB- twice! we can't even go there!
i get released to a closed airport
flight plan filed for altitude over our capability for weight/temp - by 6000'
flight plan filed directly through a typhoon
crewmembers left off w&b
heavy crew, their bags not accounted for in w&b
atlantic crossing w/no etp's in paperwork
atlantic crossing w/no TMI message - happens frequently
full-power (27k) takeoff but too light for that power setting
illegal alternate filed
no alternate filed

these are some pretty basic things! if i didn't catch them, i'd be doing the BWAY1 arrival.

For the sake of argument, lets say these were all true... What makes you think we have no accountability for our errors? Again, I'm telling you, we do.

i get released to TEB- twice! we can't even go there!

For starters, I know for a fact you have never been released to TEB because the airport doesn't even exist in the Boeing Laptop Tool database. We can't even start a release until it's in there. You may have been "scheduled" to go to TEB. Can't help you there.

i get released to a closed airport

If it was actually NOTAM closed at the time of release (was it?), I can gaurantee you the Dxr was held accountable.

flight plan filed for altitude over our capability for weight/temp - by 6000'

Domestic or International? If domestic and the flight plan ran without errors at time of the release then it was obviously a valid plan. Releasing you 4-6 hours before you even leave, than a add a few hours on top of that leaves a lot of room for the Winds/Temps aloft to change from what they were forecasted. That's part of the reason why we give you so much extra fuel in case it is necessary to go lower.

flight plan filed directly through a typhoon
atlantic crossing w/no etp's in paperwork
atlantic crossing w/no TMI message - happens frequently

Can't help you, Dispatchers are domestic only (+CAN). You have an issue with Jepps IFP, not DX.

(Yes, we all remember the typhoon, and yes, Jepps was held accountable and changes were made as a result. Question also came up as to why the crew got all the way there before they themselves realized they were headed for a typhoon?)

crewmembers left off w&b
heavy crew, their bags not accounted for in w&b
full-power (27k) takeoff but too light for that power setting
illegal alternate filed
no alternate filed

All very basic DX functions using the software and training we are provided with. I'm assuming you discussed all of them with your dispatcher to find out what the problem was. If the dispatcher was negligent I can assure you he/she was held accountable. In fact the BBJ program is is scrutinized more than any other program at NJA. I have personally been held accountable for a larger number of BBJ issues, which make up the smallest percentage of my releases, than all the other programs combined.

 

[dsptchrnja]

Dispatchnja

You're right. the pilots are.

Yes you are, probably more so than the dispatcher. And rightly so. You have been given a greater responsibility.

Don't forget, however, at the beginning of the day we are both putting our license on the line. It is a joint release process just as the FOM stipulates.

Leaky, Tx for example. The FAA investigators didn't just interview the pilots. The release was pulled and the dispatcher was also questioned during the investigation and was held accountable for his part of the flight.

 

[squonk]

dsptchr,

Great info on the previous page! I learned more there than the last three briefs on dispatch in recurrent!

See kids, you can learn on flightinfo.com!

 

[Prog 2/2]

Hey,nineteen, that's Aretha Franklin.



Why is the Dan now "classic rock" ? Seems like I just bought those LP's a couple of weeks ago. Can't mean I'm getting old, can it?