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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Flight Planner / Flight Dispatcher

💰 $65,000 - $120,000

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🎯 Role Definition

As a Flight Planner, often referred to as a Flight Dispatcher or Flight Operations Officer, you are the strategic mind on the ground, sharing joint responsibility with the Captain for the safety and operational control of every flight. You are the critical link in the operational chain, meticulously planning flight paths, analyzing meteorological data, calculating fuel requirements, and ensuring every aspect of the flight complies with strict domestic and international aviation regulations. Your decisions directly impact the safety of passengers and crew, the economic efficiency of the airline, and the overall integrity of the flight schedule. This is a dynamic, high-stakes role that requires precision, critical thinking, and the ability to perform under pressure in a 24/7 operational environment.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • FAA Certified Aircraft Dispatcher (new graduate)
  • Crew Scheduler or Crew Tracker
  • Load Planner / Loadmaster
  • Aviation Operations Agent

Advancement To:

  • Lead Flight Planner / Senior Dispatcher
  • Dispatch Supervisor or Manager
  • Director of Flight Operations / OCC Manager
  • Chief Dispatcher

Lateral Moves:

  • Airline Operations Center (AOC) Duty Manager
  • Aviation Safety Program Manager
  • Flight Operations Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Plan and generate comprehensive flight releases for domestic and international routes, ensuring full compliance with FAA/EASA and other applicable government regulations.
  • Analyze and interpret complex meteorological data, including METARs, TAFs, SIGMETs, and upper-air charts, to determine the safest and most efficient flight routes and altitudes.
  • Calculate optimal fuel loads based on aircraft performance, payload, weather conditions, en-route alternates, and potential ATC reroutes, balancing safety with economic efficiency.
  • Prepare and file air traffic control (ATC) flight plans, coordinating with ATC facilities to secure optimal routing and address any potential flight path constraints.
  • Conduct detailed pre-flight planning, including runway analysis, takeoff/landing performance calculations, and weight & balance computations to ensure aircraft limitations are respected.
  • Monitor the real-time progress of active flights, maintaining constant communication with the flight crew regarding weather changes, turbulence, or operational issues.
  • Initiate and coordinate flight diversions to alternate airports in response to unforeseen circumstances such as medical emergencies, security threats, or sudden weather deterioration.
  • Provide flight crews with thorough pre-flight briefings, covering all aspects of the planned flight, including weather, NOTAMs, routing, and contingency plans.
  • Exercise joint responsibility with the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) by signing the dispatch release, thereby certifying that the flight can be conducted safely.
  • Plan and manage Extended Operations (ETOPS/EDTO) flights, ensuring all regulatory requirements for route selection, alternate airports, and system redundancy are met.
  • Maintain situational awareness of the entire fleet's operational status, including air traffic flow management, airport ground stops, and system-wide delays.
  • Proactively identify and mitigate potential operational risks by analyzing airport conditions, NAVAID serviceability, and airspace restrictions.
  • Amend flight plans in-flight as necessary, recalculating fuel and range to ensure the flight can continue safely to its destination or an alternate.
  • Ensure all flight documentation, including the flight plan, weather package, and dispatch release, is accurate, complete, and properly disseminated.
  • Coordinate with maintenance control to address any Minimum Equipment List (MEL) or Configuration Deviation List (CDL) items, assessing their impact on flight planning and performance.

Secondary Functions

  • Support the Operations Control Center (OCC) with ad-hoc operational problem-solving and decision-making during irregular operations (IROPS).
  • Participate in the development and testing of new flight planning software, tools, and operational procedures.
  • Assist in departmental projects, such as route analysis for new city pairs or fleet-type introductions.
  • Contribute to post-flight analysis to identify opportunities for operational efficiency improvements, such as fuel savings and route optimization.
  • Mentor and provide on-the-job training for newly hired or junior Flight Planners.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • FAA Aircraft Dispatcher License: A mandatory certification for this role in the United States.
  • Proficiency with Flight Planning Software: Extensive experience with systems like LIDO, Jeppesen JetPlanner/FliteDeck Pro, Sabre, or similar platforms.
  • Aviation Meteorology: Deep understanding of weather charts, forecasting, and the effects of weather phenomena on flight.
  • Aircraft Performance & Systems: Strong knowledge of aircraft performance capabilities, limitations, and onboard systems for specific fleet types (e.g., Boeing, Airbus).
  • Regulatory Knowledge: Comprehensive understanding of Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), particularly Part 121, as well as international ICAO and EASA standards.
  • Weight & Balance Calculation: Expertise in computing aircraft weight and balance to ensure it remains within certified limits for all phases of flight.

Soft Skills

  • Decision Making: Ability to make sound, timely, and critical decisions under immense pressure with incomplete information.
  • Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills to resolve complex operational challenges effectively.
  • Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for concise and clear interaction with flight crews, ATC, and internal teams.
  • Stress Tolerance: The capacity to remain calm, focused, and effective in a fast-paced, high-stress 24/7 operational environment.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous and precise in all aspects of flight planning and monitoring to ensure safety and compliance.
  • Teamwork & Collaboration: Ability to work effectively as part of a tightly integrated operations team.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High School Diploma or GED equivalent.
  • FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Certificate.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Aviation Management
  • Aeronautics / Aeronautical Science
  • Meteorology
  • Air Traffic Control

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1-5 years of experience in a Flight Dispatch/Operations Control environment under FAR Part 121 or 135.

Preferred:

  • Experience with international, polar, and ETOPS/EDTO flight planning.
  • Prior experience working in a major airline's Operations Control Center.
  • Experience with multiple aircraft types and advanced flight planning systems.
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