Tips HR Dept. A. A dispatcher works for an airline in the flight operations department and is responsible for preflight planning, weather and flight while the aircraft is airborne. A dispatcher co-signs for the aircraft with the captain and agrees the flight can be made safely under the existing weather conditions. He or she also briefs the captain before departure on all aspects of the flight, including airport conditions, weight and balance and cargo and passenger loads. A dispatcher is not a Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controller.
Controllers work radar or in control towers at airports to keep airplanes separated.
There are only 12,000 licensed dispatchers worldwide. Another 500 jobs were created in 1999 with new FAA rules. With the airlines expanding service, more dispatchers are needed nationwide. Airlines contact schools on a weekly basis looking for new dispatchers. Ky. He has owned the company since 1987, after serving there for four years as an instructor.