From the Captain's
Point of View
“The relationship between a Captain and his dispatcher is a special one of professional knowledge, trust and dependability. It gives the pilot great comfort to know that his dispatcher has looked at all the angles when planning the flight and has anticipated problem areas well in advance. Particularly when things start to deteriorate during the flight, a well trained dispatcher will anticipate what's going through his pilot's mind and be ‘Johnny on the Spot’ with options before being asked by the Captain. This type of professionalism puts a big smile on any pilot's face." I have worked with some of TransCon's instructors and can assure you that graduates of this school will be trained to that level of professionalism and competency....
A.R., VA
Cmdr TopGun (USNRet)
Captain (AARet)
In addition, pending amendments to the CFRs may require licensed dispatchers for all charter flights, as well as MedEvac services and other helicopter operations. With certification via TransCon you will qualify.
Some of The many jobs will that become available in the aviation industry in the next few years include:
Air Traffic Control
Corporate Aviation
FAR Part 91 Operations
Air Taxi/Charter Operations
Pilots
Flight Attendants
Operations Specialists
Certification as an Aircraft Dispatcher is the key to many career pathways.
I Learned About Dispatching From That
(Continued)
Fuel required was sufficient to fly from MKC to IAD (2hr 30mins) at an average fuel flow (consumption) of 6,000lbs/hr or 15,000/lbs plus 4,500lbs (45minutes) reserve making a total of 19,500lbs. The fact that, although this was an FAR 121 Supplemental (Charter etc.) operation, it was returning to IAD which was on the airlines domestic route structure, and therefore did not require an alternate for the destination (IAD) by regulation, or for weather current and forecast.
After reviewing the release, the Captain called Dispatch on the telephone (non-recorded line).
Captain: “Dispatcher we arrived with 19,000lbs on board. Fuel is costly here and in addition the fueler requires a hook-up charge minimum that will exceed the cost of the additional 500lbs. Do you want me to get the additional 500?”
Dispatcher: (Feeling very confident in the weather and my abilities) “Captain, can you really read those old analog gauges as close as 250lbs per side?” The old analog gauges had a history of variable readings due to wide numerical increments and algae contamination. In making that statement I had discretely suggested that we leave without adding fuel and report it as 19,500.
Captain: “I understand what you are saying; we’ll see you in IAD.”
Approximately 1hr 45min into the flight the scattered moisture started to rapidly build northward and developed into a line of thunderstorms from Cross City to the Canadian border. On radar there appeared very few if any holes through which the flight could pass. Here we are no alternate, no contingency fuel, and 500lbs short of reserve fuel. I established radio contact with the flight, provided a weather brief and instructed the Captain, “Should you not be able to penetrate the line of weather, divert to Charleston West Virginia” which was just west of the line of weather.
Failing to hear from the flight for a very lengthy period of time (seemed like hours) we (the assistant dispatcher and I) became very, very concerned having attempted to contact the flight to no avail. If I remember correctly, just before panic set in, we heard on the Air Traffic Control Monitor - “IAD Approach – TC6003”. The assistant dispatcher and I just looked at each other as the color began returning to our faces and we begin to breathe again. We waited for TC6003 to call us with the On - In times and arrival fuel??... The flight didn’t call. Just then the Captain entered the dispatch office and walked up to the briefing counter. I asked, “How much fuel did you shut down with?” He looked directly at me grinning, and after surveying the room to find no one to overhear very softly said, “2600lbs”.
This airplane burns 6,000lbs of fuel per hour. We had less than 30 minutes of fuel when we landed in IAD. NEVER, NEVER Again!!!!!!
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