Pilot to Dispatcher

[PA44Jockey]

I am currently a pretty junior FO at a regional airline and am looking into transfering to a dispatch position for a better quality of life. Can anyone provide some insight to the transition? Schools, Cost, Pay?

 

[propsarebest]

Where do you work now???

 

[PA44Jockey]

Local regional in Northern Kentucky.

 

[flyjumpseat]

Careful on the "better quality of life". Everyone defines it differently, and dispatch is just like everything else in the airline world - SENIORITY. Some people are happy working weekends - some want/need weekends off. Early mornings, late nights.... Each has it's ups and downs. Dispatchin is good - just expect time to get there.

http://www.sheffield.com/
http://www.flightcontrolacademy.com/
http://www.fltdisp.com/
http://www.airlinedispatcher.com/

and several others.

You're a FO at a regional, take a moment to stop in at your dispatch office and ask your dispatcher for more specifics.

 

[bathing510]

I don't find it too easy to find a dispatcher job. I started with $15/hr for a handling company for international airlines in CA. My supervisor in this company I am working now is getting $4200/mo after working for 8 years. And this is in CA.
I don't know if I am just unlucky to get paid that little or what....I just have 1.5 years of experience anyway.

 

[PA44Jockey]

Thanks for the info. When I say quality of life mainly I'm talking about being home every night. Decent pay, being home every night, not having to walk through the rain and snow to find food at midnight, not flying reserve, and I'm sure you get the point.

Are you dispatching?

 

[Way2Broke]

There are flying jobs that you would be at home every night ya know. It seems to me that is would be a shame to throw away all that flight training. I was in the same boat not too long ago and found a job that allows me to be at home every night. At some point down the road I'd love to go back out on the road, but not right now.


On the same subject: I think it would be great to be a certified dispatched. It would be an excellent back up if you ever lost your medical.

 

[SKC]

bathing, there are plenty of dispatching jobs out there. You just have to be willing to go anywhere.

 

[bathing510]

bathing, there are plenty of dispatching jobs out there. You just have to be willing to go anywhere.

SKC, you are right, I was an international student. I almost got an offer from Jeppesen in CO when I graduated, but they said they need a "U.S. person" which I was not. Then I got this offer in CA with a mid size company. I also got a call from Netjets a year ago, but they also need a "U.S. person".

Now I have fixed my status, and settled in CA. CA has similiar life style from the place I come from, and I found myself pretty impossible to live in the midwest. That limits my choices.

 

[Bart Simpson]

SKC, you are right, I was an international student. I almost got an offer from Jeppesen in CO when I graduated, but they said they need a "U.S. person" which I was not. Then I got this offer in CA with a mid size company. I also got a call from Netjets a year ago, but they also need a "U.S. person".

Now I have fixed my status, and settled in CA. CA has similiar life style from the place I come from, and I found myself pretty impossible to live in the midwest. That limits my choices.

Why not just try it? And how can CA have a similar lifestyle to any other place? Did you come from Earthquake country thats ruled by a mediocre moviestar? LOL, just kidding.