“THE AIRCRAFT DISPATCHER

IS THE BEST KEPT SECRET OF THE AIRLINE"

Congressman Oberstar

Chair of the Aviation Sub-Committee

The profession of the Airline Dispatcher is nearly as old as the airline industry itself. In the 1920's, airlines were created to carry airmail under contract with the U.S. government. Borrowing a term from the railroad industry, these early airlines hired dispatchers to plan and control the movement of equipment (airplanes). The early airline dispatcher's primary duty was to ensure the safe and expeditious handling of airmail through the nationwide network of air routes. Within a few years, airlines gained access to government teletype lines providing updated weather information, and dispatchers compared this information with published schedules to determine the best routing for airmail. After airlines added passenger services, the dispatcher would sometimes declare conditions too hazardous to permit passengers to make the trip. Except in the worst conditions, however, dispatchers made certain that the mail always went through.

By the early 1930's, airlines equipped their aircraft with two-way radio. Now dispatchers could consult with pilots in flight, discussing weather conditions and possible alternate landing sites. (Later, radio would also permit development of modern air traffic control.) Improved air-ground communication made the dispatcher more effective and air travel much safer.

 In 1938, Congress passed the landmark Civil Aeronautics Act. In accordance with that Act, federal regulations required U.S. airlines to employ dispatchers, who were required to obtain a federal license.

To obtain a license, the airline dispatcher had first to demonstrate detailed knowledge of aviation, weather, air routes and air traffic procedures. The licensed dispatcher became, by regulation, a partner with the airline captain. Both shared legal responsibility for the safety of the airline flight.

Over the years, airlines have referred to their licensed dispatchers by various names. They have been called Flight Dispatchers, Flight Superintendents, or Flight Controllers (not to be confused with air traffic controllers). All share the same duty and responsibility: to provide ground based operational control of every flight operated by U.S. airlines, whether domestic or overseas. The dispatcher is the eyes of the airlines, watching the progress of each flight from planning to touchdown. From the 1920's to the present, airline dispatchers have continued to provide an important link between air and ground which protects the safety of every airlines passenger.

Donna M. Corbett

Aviation Historian, Smithsonian Institute