Flight planning with the airlines or regionals?

[PureMuscle]

I was wondering how some of you do flight planning working for a an airline company? Since you have a designated time of arrival at the next destination, you would probabaly choose the best way to arrive their at that specific time, figuring a suitable airspeed, route to take, etc, right? How early in advance do you plan out your flight?

 

[EagleRJ]

Most of the flight planning is taken care of by the flight's dispatcher, which is an FAA certificated position. The Captain for the flight prints out the flight plan and dispatch release before each flight, and will discuss any desired changes in fuel, route, altitude etc. with the dispatcher.
Enroute changes in the flight plan are frequent, and sometimes they involve communication with the dispatcher over the radio, but usually as long as fuel is not an issue, the Captain is free to make any changes he needs to.

The desired arrival time is somewhat fluid, since ATC-imposed delays or weather can impact it a lot. If the company really wants to delay your arrival at the next airport (such as when thunderstorms have delayed the previous departures), they might impose a delay on the ground before departure, but that's rare. Normally you just take off when you can, make up time where you can, and if you're early and the gate is not available, park the plane on a taxiway somewhere and wait.

 

[Clutch_Cargo]

I was wondering how some of you do flight planning working for a an airline company?

Walk up to the flight desk and say, "Is the paperwork for 78 up yet?" The beauty of it is that it works for all flights... just change the number! Seriously, the flight planning is handled by the dispatchers or flight followers. You, as a pilot, will review it and make sure it complete and correct. Airlines are all different but it is pretty common to do this about an hour before departure. Some pilots don't look at a thing until they show up, some start looking at wx, notams, etc prior to show time... to each his own.

cc

 

[PureMuscle]

Who does the flight dispatcher actually work for, and is it someone that makes up numerous flight plans just for that company?

 

[FlightTraker]

www.dispatcher.org

 

[atrdriver]

Who does the flight dispatcher actually work for, and is it someone that makes up numerous flight plans just for that company?

The dispatcher works for the airline. Most airlines have pre-planned or "canned" flight plans for each route that they fly. These routes take into account FAA preferred routes, times of day, etc.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

Most dispatcher work for the airline, in this example. For most of our flight, we have standard routing that the computer pumps out and the dispatcher gives his/her seal of approval on the number. Now, before anyone jumps my case, this is a very watered down version of their duties. The airlines generally fly the same route day after day. So the routing rarely changes, except for weather. The computer takes into account the winds aloft, etc and provides the dispatcher and flight crew will all of the necessary information: flight plan, "navigational log", weather package, and takeoff and landing performance numbers... Just to name alittle bit...