Is this schedule crazy?

[alpine1989]

Here's the problem...

All of your proposed solutions hurt the Dispatch group. They want to work the doubles.

1) Put people on reserve. Tell them they have to answer the phone on a two hour call out. The union would probably agree to something stupid like this for comp days or the like.

2) Allow management to cover open shifts. This takes away gravy overtime. It ain't gonna happen.

3) Combine the work loads and go with one Dispatcher on duty. This sets a precedent and allows the Company to avoid overtime all together. Not to mention you can't take a good dump with only one person on duty.

I have never been fatigued and unable to execute my duties as a Dispatcher.

Our Dispatch ASI has no problem with double shifts.

You can do it your way and we'll do it our way.

 

[bcp7]

We get several sick calls per week. Sometimes several in one day. A few times 2 for the same shift.

When the OT list is called, NOBODY ANSWERS THE PHONE. I guess at your shop everyone wants to work so they answer the phone at all hours of the night to help the company. They wouldn't want the Company to violate the intent of an FAR.

It's not so much about the company violating the intent of an FAR, but teamwork among a small group of people to ensure everyone gets the time off they are entitled to. When there are only 5 guys working the desk, you have to have each other's back.

 

[dispatchguy]

Not to mention you can't take a good dump with only one person on duty.

How long do u need, an hour?

I've worked single-dispatcher shops for several years, and in that time I've taken plenty of dumps No, not the relaxing do-the-New-York-Times-Sunday-crossword on the throne dump, but I was able to accomplish what I set out to do.

I ask Sked or MX to watch my phones, make sure I dont have something extremely pressing (airplanes in a hold come to mind), and head out; I always tried to be off the desk no more than 5-7 minutes, and that includes the paperwork!

 

[bcp7]

Here's the problem...

All of your proposed solutions hurt the Dispatch group. They want to work the doubles.

1) Put people on reserve. Tell them they have to answer the phone on a two hour call out. The union would probably agree to something stupid like this for comp days or the like.

2) Allow management to cover open shifts. This takes away gravy overtime. It ain't gonna happen.

3) Combine the work loads and go with one Dispatcher on duty. This sets a precedent and allows the Company to avoid overtime all together. Not to mention you can't take a good dump with only one person on duty.

I have never been fatigued and unable to execute my duties as a Dispatcher.

Our Dispatch ASI has no problem with double shifts.

You can do it your way and we'll do it our way.

If you guys can live with it, that's fine. Personally, I don't agree with it, but I am not your Dispatch ASI.

On the other hand, you gotta love the union mentality. The contract entitles me to sick days, so I am going to take them, and screw somebody else. I'll only work overtime if it is convenient for me, screw somebody else. I don't have to accept overtime unless I'm the junior man already on shift, screw somebody else.

 

[alpine1989]

If you guys can live with it, that's fine. Personally, I don't agree with it, but I am not your Dispatch ASI.

On the other hand, you gotta love the union mentality. The contract entitles me to sick days, so I am going to take them, and screw somebody else. I'll only work overtime if it is convenient for me, screw somebody else. I don't have to accept overtime unless I'm the junior man already on shift, screw somebody else.

You are looking at this from the context of your shop with the perception that someone is getting screwed. Nobody is getting screwed here. We want to do it. Somebody is working a double shift 0600-2200 lcl right now. He was not junior assigned. The other guy on duty also wanted the double.

Where do you work bcp? You can PM me.

 

[XPOO]

Hey, that old place I worked at had 4 Full-Time Dispatchers. Three other people in the company were actually able to dispatch legally, but one was the President, one was the Director of Security and the other was the Director of Flight Ops. Getting any of those three to work a shift or cover was like wiping your butt with only one square of one-ply toilet tissue.

 

[hoover]

Surely you're not serious. [I am serious and don't call me Shirley. sorry just had to]

An emergency is where you are AT your 10 hr limit? How many dispatch initiated emergencies have you declared when that 10th hour struck? I'm sure your company loves you.

I think I mis-spoke myself. My point was that the only time you can violate the regulations is in the case of an emergency, and then only to the extent required to meet that emergency.

I do not consider poor planning on the part of dispatch management to be an emergency. If the office is so short-staffed that there is no one to properly relieve a dispatcher at the end of their scheduled shift, then that's when flights stop getting released. As a dispatcher, I will stay on duty until every flight that is currently airborne lands safely, but I believe that a dispatcher releasing a flight with the full knowledge that he will be required to exceed his maximum duty time in order for that flight to operate normally is a violation of the FARs.

It's one thing to stick around past 10 hours to ensure the safety of the flights already airborne. It's quite another to continue releasing flights when you know beforehand that duty times are going to be exceeded. I view it no differently than the crew that is required to do a look back and find an appropriate rest period in the past 24 hours. I see no reason why dispatcher duty and rest regulations should be interpreted any differently.

 

[dispatchguy]

Isnt there a quotation somewhere that states "Piss poor planning on your part doesnt constitute an emergency on my part"?

Like in my situation on page 1, the shift was scheduled covered, however, due to illness, the PM dispatcher was unable to come in, and there were no other dispatchers available; unplanned sitution, no other coverage, do the double. HOWEVER, had that shift, since the beginning of the schedule for that month, always had been open for whatever reason, then, no, I wouldnt have picked it up, and nothing wouldve operated after my original schedule shift end time. Follow the flights that are airborne, release NOTHING after my end time, and tell the SOC management to start positioning crews for tomorrow. I will bail out a last second sick call, I will NOT bail out piss poor planning on managements part. It is THEIR job to insure proper staffing, and had that PM shift had been open on the day I did the double, then it was managements job to junior or ask for OT well before that start time so I wouldve had a relief dispatcher after I had given my pound of flesh for the day.

However, to wait and tell the AM dispatcher to do a double for a long-time known open shift after he has done his time, is not fair, is not within the spirit and intent of the 10hr max rule. I think that if the FAA general counsel was asked for an interpretation, I think that they would find it in violation of the regs.

 

[hoover]

When a crew member reaches the limit of the Part 121 duty regulations, he stops operating regardless of the reason. He does not operate outside the regulations, even if he wants too. Why are/should dispatchers be any different? Duty time regulations have been around for decades, yet management always acts surprised when a shift cannot be covered due to a lack of staffing. That's MY certificate; MY means of earning a living. I'm not going to jeopardize it so management can save a few bucks on staffing. Cancel the damn flight!

 

[wms]

10 hours on 14 hours off. Flip it around to 14 on and 10 off and it's still a better schedule than a lot of regional pilots' schedules. When we complain we're told getting enough rest on our off time is our responsibility.