Occupation
Flight dispatcher
Flight dispatchers plan and release flights from an airline operations centre, working out routes, fuel, and payload within legal and weather constraints. In several jurisdictions the dispatcher shares operational control of the flight with the captain, which makes it a licensed, accountable role. Dispatchers also monitor flights in progress and coordinate the response when conditions change.
Also known as: Aircraft dispatcher · Flight operations officer · Flight operations controller · Flight planner
Occupation content
Part of Supply chain, transport and logistics
What the work involves
- Build flight plans covering route, altitude, fuel, and alternate airports.
- Analyse weather, notices to air missions, and airport or airspace restrictions.
- Check weight, balance, and payload limits against the planned aircraft.
- Brief and release the flight with the captain and file the plan with air traffic services.
- Monitor flights in progress and recommend reroutes, diversions, or delays.
- Coordinate with maintenance, crew scheduling, and station staff during disruption.
How people commonly enter
- An approved aircraft dispatcher certification course where the jurisdiction licenses the role.
- A college aviation management or flight operations diploma.
- Progression from airline operations, load control, or crew scheduling roles.
- Transferring from a flight crew or military operations background into dispatch.
Typical training: Certificate or college diploma
Licensing: Regulated in most jurisdictions — confirm the current requirement with the regulator in your province, state, or country.
Typical work context
Desk based · Shift work · High responsibility · Fast paced · Team based
Related interests
Conventional (organizing) · Investigative (analytical)
Related aptitude preparation
These are preparation links only. They do not measure eligibility for this occupation and no score here qualifies or disqualifies anyone.
Skills to practise
- Data interpretation
- Numerical reasoning
- Multitasking and monitoring
- Planning and scheduling exercises
- Safety judgment
Practice suites
Related learning
Family-level learning links for Supply chain, transport and logistics.
Official sources
Labour-market facts such as pay and employment projections are not reproduced here. Open an official source below for figures, with its own geography and reference period.
- O*NET OnLine — occupation quick search: airfield operations specialists · International
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- US BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · United States
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- UK National Careers Service — Explore careers · United Kingdom
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
This is broad family-level context for Supply chain, transport and logistics in Canada, not a figure for Flight dispatcher. It does not affect matching scores and is not an eligibility determination.
This is a broad Supply chain, transport and logistics family. Explore the official profile for the chosen occupation; entry education and training can differ within the family.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Supply chain, transport and logistics: education pathways
Some roles in Supply chain, transport and logistics may be regulated. Confirm whether the specific role requires registration, certification, or a jurisdiction-specific licence.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Supply chain, transport and logistics: licensing
Find jobs
These are live, user-controlled searches on each source's own site for “ Flight dispatcher”. Novus Learn does not fetch, store, or rank these results, and job availability never changes your exploration match score.
- Search Canada Job Bank · Canada
- Search USAJOBS · United States federal
- Search EURES · European Union / EEA
- Search Indeed · International (choose location on Indeed)