A flight dispatcher is a person responsible for planning and monitoring the progress of an aircraft journey. In airline operations, depending on the type of certification the airline has, and depending on where the airline is based, both the pilot in command and the dispatcher are legally responsible for the safety of a flight. A dispatcher may have the authority to delay, divert or cancel a flight at any time, and a flight might not be able to be released without the signature of both the pilot in command and the dispatcher, again depending on the jurisdiction.
A dispatcher typically must be licensed by the aviation authority of a country. In order to obtain the licence, the candidate must demonstrate extensive knowledge of meteorology and aviation, to a level comparable to the holder of an airline transport pilot license.
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. Shared responsibility adds a layer of checks and balances to aircraft operation and greatly improves safety.[2]
In the US, licensed flight dispatchers have to demonstrate extensive aviation knowledge equal to that of Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) holders (the FAA ATPL written exam and the FAA Dispatcher written exam are identical).
In some jurisdictions of the US, the dispatching duties and responsibilities are designated to flight followers. The main difference between a flight dispatcher and a flight follower is that the latter does not share legal responsibility for the operation of a flight. Also, followers are not required to attain a flight dispatcher's license, although they are usually encouraged to do so.
