Hi All, PA Publication would wish you all Eid Fitr Mubarak for those who celebrate
This article is continuation of my previous post on flight dispatcher Jobs in Airlines
This job is so rewarding yet challenging. It’s rewarding as you get to be in the front lines whenever it comes to preparing flights to move passengers to their final destinations. Failure to well prepare pre flight activity could impact flights delays that disrupt whatever passengers agendas for various purposes ; meeting , catching flight connections or even for leisure.. flight delays can disappoint passengers.
It’s yes so challenging too as the job is not simple. Flight dispatcher should be well trained and certified before they got hired. It’s so high standard though as this is relating to Flight safety. Imagine if they do wrong calculation on fuel carriage to certain destination… hmm it will be disastrous.
One of which their job is covering performing Calculation of Trip fuel that comprises of starting and taxing fuel, Take off and climb to cruise level fuel, Cruise fuel, Descent fuel, Approach fuel and deciding fuel for contingency plan , Reserved fuel at destination in case of Missed approach fuel 10 minutes, calculating reserved fuel for Climbing, Cruising, Descending, Approach & landing , Holding fuel at alternate are all in great need of extra carefulness and details.
DISPATCH BRIEFING
Dispatcher should give a full briefing to Pilot In command (and his/her crew) on all particular of Flight. Such briefing is required to familiarize the crew with all the operational aspect in an efficient way.
AT HOME BASE
Crew briefing is available in every Airlines head quarter , however it could be sometimes due to so busy operational reason, it is considered too inconvenient, Briefing is done at selected location with direct access to operational manual and means of communication where disturbance from general public can be kept at minimum level.
DURING TURN AROUND/TRANSIT
Briefing is done in the aircraft, taking environmental radar as outlined above into consideration. Briefing should be kept short and to the point. There is no need to read out all I information, emphasize only highlights pertinent to the flight.
All necessary and related documents are supposed to be prepared in advance while other relevant data such as the part of meteorological report/forecast should be kept bound/ stapled until and after PIC (Pilot in Command) signature for (his/her) approval.
BRIEFING COVERAGES POINTERS :
AIRCRAFT
Dispatcher will inform Pilot in Command Aircraft Registration, configuration, estimate time arrival, parking position, Serviceability, Possible particulars on crew, estimate time departure and Expected delays, consequences on pay load esp Cargoes.
ENVIRONMENT
Briefing is also done by informing any things relating to NOTAM, supplementary information and briefing book on departure, destination, en-route and destination alternate(s) and route, weather, departure, en-route, applicable chart and segments, volcanic ash warning, etc, destination, en-route and diversion alternate.
FLIGHT PLAN
It is relating to (Estimated Time of Departure and Arrival) ETD/ETA on which flight plan is based, load into, Zero Fuel Weight, selection of Flight Level, optimum level, if applicable, selection of route and possible alternatives, selection of alternate (s) ATC clearance, adequate airport notams and other destination, suitable Airport for the required time period of validity, fuel penalties trip fuel, fuel destination-alternate, fuel from to en-route alternate.
TAKE-OFF DATA CARD
Departure weather including time, and new, Runway in use, possibility of restrictions Runway conditions (including possible contamination), noise abatement procedures
SPECIAL INFO
Particulars on taxi routing, SID’s, flight permit, special cargo, Pilot report from previous flight, etc.
WHAT IS NOTAM
It stands for NOTICE TO AIRMEN/NOTAM
Aeronautical information, which is essential to the safety, regularity and efficiency or air navigation, shall be made available to flight operation personnel including flight crews and service responsible for pre-flight information.
It is AIRLINES policy that the aeronautical information must be briefed prior to flight. Pilots being responsibility for making themselves familiar with all current NOTAM’S. And In addition to NOTAM is valuable information shall be used to optimize flight safety.
Sampling of NOTAM from the DGAC ( Directorate General of Civil Aviation ) / Airport authority.
- The jeppesen NOTAM bulletins in respective navigation bags.
- AREA Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) whenever there are irregular request from Authorities , those shall be made available in NOTAM for particular information that will be accessible for handling company, airport authorities, civil aviation authority, other airlines, diplomatic channels, etc
ZERO FUEL WEIGHT
This Is the weight of aircraft as stated in its manual from factory plus operating devices weights and all crews weights and also weights of Payloads (Passengers , Baggages and Cargo/Mail weights
There are still many to discuss in next article pertaining to Flight Dispatchers and we will see you in the next lesson and update
See ya
Salam Sehat Semangat Sukses
Bambang Purnomo , SS-BA, CSCA, CAVM Solution Consultant
By Bams – May 02, 2022
