How To Become A Flight Dispatcher In Ghana

A flight dispatcher (also known as an airline dispatcher or flight operations officer) assists in planning flight paths, taking into account aircraft performance and loading, en route winds, thunderstorm and turbulence forecasts, airspace restrictions, and airport conditions.

Below is How To Become A Flight Dispatcher In Ghana

There is no limit to how much one must know. The belief in this adage has led me to expand my frontiers in terms of knowledge acquisition in the aviation industry.

With my years of experience in the aviation industry, I have had experiences in commercial operations and aero-political levels in the industry. To further improve my expertise and to take optimal decisions, I have added up to my knowledge in other areas in the industry – “flight operations” precisely a “DISPATCHER”. I enrolled at the Ghana Aviation Training Academy (GATA) to acquire further knowledge as a Flight Dispatcher.

With this new feat, I will be able to make technical and optimal decisions that will enhance my thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving abilities through the understanding of how flight operation players work. By way of sharing this new achievement, I intend to share with you in this blog who a Flight Dispatcher is and the relevance of the role in the airline business.

To begin with, a Flight Dispatcher who is also known as a “ground pilot” is a professional in the aviation space who is usually stationed at the operations control center of an airline and assists in the operational activities of the airline.

Although, during air travels, pilots are responsible for flying aircraft from one destination to another, however, that cannot be possible without the support of a Flight Dispatcher who understudies some environmental and regulatory requirements to ensure a smooth flight.

Some of the key roles of a flight dispatcher are explained in themes as seen below:

Flight Planning

A Flight Dispatcher is responsible for the planning of departures and arrivals of an aircraft at an airport and irrespective of a particular schedule that may be allocated to the aircraft, the dispatcher has the authority to divert, delay, change or cancel a flight for safety reasons. In some cases also, the loading of cargo unto an aircraft is checked by the dispatcher to ensure the aircraft flies with the right weight and at the right altitude.

Weather Monitoring

Just like how roads are made for cars, the skies are pathways for aircraft movement. Before an aircraft moves, the Flight Dispatcher takes into account the weather conditions of both the departing and arriving airports to confirm whether it is safe to fly. Also, an emergency arrangement is made for an alternative airport for landing should the aircraft depart from its origin and have issues with landing at the destination airport.

Communication

After an aircraft departs from an airport, it is the responsibility of the flight dispatcher to maintain communication with the pilot who will be arriving at a particular airport, be it the aircraft’s origin or destination to provide navigational information and unplanned changes to the pilot for flight safety.

Relevance of a Flight Dispatcher

With the explanation of the role in the above, one could describe the work of the dispatcher as a ‘ground pilot’s whose presence in the operations of an aircraft gives him or her maximum authority over an aircraft movement just like the pilot to ensure the aircraft depart and arrive safely. To execute such a role, one has to have a clear mind to make quick and informed decisions by running different shifts as and when applicable.

What qualifications do you need to be a flight dispatcher?

Must be at least 23 years of age.

High school graduate or international equivalent education.

Ability to read, write, and communicate in the English Language.

Minimum 200 hours of instruction.

Passing Score on FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test.

What does an airport dispatcher do?

An aircraft dispatcher is employed by an airline and is heavily involved in the pre-planning of flights to ensure the safety of the trip. They review the plane’s crew, monitor the plane in-flight, and focus on maximizing efficiency.

An aircraft dispatcher will also do a great deal of research on the weather conditions.