FlyingPirate

Lately a few fellow pilots and I have been having problems with our Dispatchers as we navigate the bad weather we have been having this past week. We have had to cancel flights, divert, or we are delayed. However, when we call our dispatch (who aren't even FAA certified) to let them know whats going on, and all we get from them is that Flight Service gives us all this "Doom and Gloom" report about the weather. In my opinion they know a little more than our unlicensed dispatchers.

How do you deal with Dispatchers who constantly try to push your limits as PIC? Are they doing something illegal trying to push us to fly through storms with Tornado warnings, etc?

Do you have any stories from your days as a 135 pilot and dispatcher problems?

(Hopefully this is clear and not too general)

Thanks in Advance!!

Twin Wasp

They don't have a cert, they're not Dispatchers, they're flight followers. They have nothing hanging out, you have your life and certificate. All they have to worry about is an end of shift report about why flights were late.

kodiakallstar

Dealing with dispatchers was Probably my least favorite aspect of flying for airnet. They were the no idea about anything but how to answer the phone type. once and a while they would tell people other company planes were going so why aren't you. Also had no cert and no real knowledge of the regs. basically asked me to break the law without knowing it more than once. I found the best way to deal with it was to ask for the department that actually could help you and avoid dispatch for everything but check in check out. If I was going to delay or not go somewhere I'd tell them that and only that. Too much info and they start arm chair qb'ing the whole thing. It took some practice but I figured out a system (not that I should have needed to) that worked and after that life was much more pleasant and my relationships with the dispatchers improved greatly.

i121ADX

Pirate,

I once was a flight follower for a 135 Operation. I know the 135 Regs in and out. I made it a point to learn them as I wanted to be able to explain to the customer the rules that Part 135 had to follow as well as 121. But here is the main thing you must remember. In 121 you and I share joint operational control. In Part 135, it is you and the D.O. who share it, not the FF unless the D.O. has deligated power to an indivdual. If the FF says stupid things like that, let them know that they do not have operational control over the flight. It is your safety, not the FF. The FF just doesn't want to deal with the customer and tell them that they're freight isn't going to get there. I'll be totally honest with you, I'd rather tell the pilot to do the trip than tell a customer why the freight isn't moving.

Now as I'm licensed, I always challenged the pilot and I always reminded him that he held operational control. I can only point out my facts and I'd always find a safe alternate for him if he needed one. (I planned all of my flights). I would never send him somewhere unsafe. Some of us 135 Followers are smart.

Only use one dispatcher per shift. Make sure it's one who you know and trust. I always made it a point to show the pilots that I'm not a dumbass flight follwer but a Good, Safe, Smart Flight Follwer.

Hope this helps out some bit.

JustGetDeiced

Very interesting. From my own experience working at the 'Net, I couldn't disagree more. That's not to say that you couldn't have a completely opposite experience though. Here's my own experience: Airnet Airline Operations Personnel never pushed me out in the conditions. I did my best to maintain the schedule, but on seldom occasions did delay, divert, and declare. When those things happened, I called Ops and clearly stated in aviation speak why things were delayed - on the other end of the phone I always got an "Ok, thanks for letting me know. Please keep us updated," and that's it. Never heard anything more of it. I know a few are legitimately liscened now, one is a CFI, and the others are in the process of certifying. You can talk about the communication out of LCK up and down all you want - but to say these guys know nothing aviation-related is a stretch. To say they are phone-answering pilot pushers is just not correct, IMHO.

cpatterson19

I must say you made the FF's come off smart when pilots encountered you. You took it upon yourself to be knowlegable about the regs. This is not my area. I am 121 but i will tell you dispatch screws up there as well. Remember we are the PIC's out on line and what we see is what we see. The final descion comes back to us.
I dont know it dispatch sends you guys loads and stuff like that as well but simple things like thaat hold us up. Patching us through a huricane and not knowing happens from time to time as well. On other times you got storms on both sides and they patch you 400nm off course rather then patch you between them even if they are 5 billion miles apart. Makes me smile alot at work and takes away some stress.NOT ON THE LAST DAY THOUGH> We be tryna get home.

i121ADX

Haha, thanks for the compliment. I'd love to get back into being a Flight Follower but the industry sucks and I've found a niche in starting an Air Freight department for a logistics company. Let's just say when I brought in my 121 FAR/AIM and FC, they were like, "What are those?" I said, "The Bibles". Even now when I call a charter company for a rate they don't beat around the bush because they know who they are dealing with. lol

cpatterson19

LOL....It pays to know your stuff. I guess you probably at the poit where you dont need to walk with your bibke anymore. When they tell you crap you go "in far part ......it stats specifically....." Lmao.

Great to see you have your own gig going in such trying times. I am now working on my part 135? Still familiarizing myself with the regs. I am too used to the 121. Let me know if you need affordable freight service. Will be happy to help when i get started.

Jetcap37

That will be around 12 (Prop, Turbo-Prop) or 16-18 (Jet) months. If the FAA decides there is a need for your 135 Certficate in the area you are applying for.

Planewatcher

The stupid people bring us down with them. I care about my flights. If my name is down on the Release portion I am responsible for that flight to a cretin degree. If freight doesn't move, it doesn't move period. We can not control the Wx and that's what I tell the customer. Every time I get a call "What do you want me to do?" I take everything into consideration if its wx related whats it reporting, TAF/TEMPO etc. I'll call the AWOS if I have to, to get an up to date wx. But in my mind it ultimatly comes down to the pilot. Is he profecient enought? Is he on baby mins? No two people fly the airplane the same, Its experience that sets them apart. I do not push to get it in. I hate to leave a pilot stranded somehwere away from home but sometimes it happens, It's aviation. "Pilot disceration" is a term every 135 dispatcher needs to learn.

I could type on and on about this but the fact is mangment hires stupid people to save money, and in turn that makes us all look stupid. Each pilot builds his or her trust with certin dispatchers.