Originally Posted by
SonicFlyer
I assume you would have to live in base and physically show up to the Ops center every day for duty? No remote work?
Also, if one is an ATP 121 pilot, and they lose their medical, can they slide over into dispatch, or do they need to go work for a 135 or regional and work their way up to a legacy dispatch? Also are dispatchers unionized?
What is the pay range?
I too have thought about it as a plan in case I ever lose my medical.
You do not have to reside where the dispatch office is. Plenty of dispatchers commute. No remote work (it was more so written into law post COVID)
I believe you would just need to get the dispatcher license and I don't believe losing a medical would have anything to do with that.
Most dispatchers are unionized.
Regionals starting pay is a little over $20/hour, top of scales at the big 3 can be over 200k prior to OT.
Originally Posted by
Sliceback
Jumpseat was limited to 2x(??) for training/observation every year. That's my recollection from the very infrequent dispatchers I had on my jumpseat. It's not the unlimited access you have as a CASS pilot.
Originally Posted by
Stratosphere
You would be wrong on that.. Most dispatchers are in CASS and can and do have the same offline jumpseat bennies as the pilots do. Now each airline has a jumpseat listing priority that differs from airline to airline so don't know where they would fall in the boarding . But yes on their own metal dispatchers have the required FAM ride a couple times a year . Think it's 4 hrs total they can also do it in the sim if they want.
This may vary by airline, but at mine dispatchers have unlimited access to the jumpseat. Commuters can book the jumpseat to go to work at the same time (pilot or dispatch), then from work, then personal travel. If a dispatcher going to work booked it, they can't be displaced by a pilot going to work, etc.
Dispatchers are required to observe 5 hours every year. They book the jumpseat prior to commuters, etc. That time can be reduced with more landings. They can also observe in the sim if allowed by the company.