Flight dispatcher
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, enroute winds, thunderstorm and turbulence forecasts, airspace restrictions, and airport conditions. Dispatchers also provide a flight following service and advise pilots if conditions change. They usually work in the operations center of the airline. In the United States and Canada, the flight dispatcher shares legal responsibility with the commander of the aircraft (joint responsibility dispatch system). Operational control Dispatchers usually share responsibility for the exercise of operational control, which gives them authority to divert, delay or cancel a flight. Legal requirements known as "14 CFR part 121" govern dispatch release in the United States. After the release of a flight (in a joint responsibility environment) the dispatcher uses sophisticated software tools to monitor the flight's progress and advises the flight crew of any circumstances that might affect flight safety. They are in constant communication with the air crew and could be contacted through phone, radio, and ACARS (aircraft communications and reporting system). Shared responsibility adds a layer of checks and balances to aircraft operation and greatly improves safety. Joint Aviation Authorities (JAR) OPS 1 did mandate the use of an operational control system with flight dispatchers/joint responsibility/flight watch. The pan-European European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued a requirement mandating the use of such an operational control system It is expected that EASA OPS and EASA FCL will be published in 2006 which will outline EASA's position on the issue as well as any requirements imposed on European airline operators. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), headquartered in Montreal, is the civil aviation branch of the UN (United Nations). ICAO states that the operator (the airline), is responsible for the operational control of its flights and only recognizes dispatch systems using flight dispatchers/flight operations officers as the means to control and supervise flights in Annex 6, Part 1, Chapter 3. Chapter 4 of Annex 6 describes the duties of flight dispatchers/flight operations officers while Chapter 10 of Annex 6 describes the training and qualification requirements for flight dispatchers/flight operations officers. Chapter 10 also recognizes ICAO Document 7192 D3, The Flight Dispatcher/Flight Operations Officer Training Manual as the standard training resource for member States to develop their own flight dispatcher/flight operations officer training regulations. The terms "flight dispatcher", "aircraft dispatcher" and "flight operations officer" are largely interchangeable depending on the area of the world in which they are used. The term "Aircraft dispatcher" is used in the United States, while "flight operations officer" is more common in Europe and Africa, and "flight dispatcher" is typically used in Asia and the Middle East. Licensing and certification A dispatcher must be certified by the aviation authority of the country in which they operate or have a base of operations, such as the DGCA in India and the FAA/DOT (Federal Aviation Administration/Department of Transportation) in the United States. In order to obtain a certificate, a candidate must demonstrate extensive