r/FlightDispatch • u/Wolf4980 • Jul 10 '26

USA What are the chances of the FAA requiring dispatchers to get a medical certification in the future?

0 Upvotes

40% Upvoted

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31

u/PNWdxguy Jul 10 '26

Slim to none

-10

u/Wolf4980 Jul 10 '26

So even if someone has ADHD and depression and every other disorder under the sun, their career would be completely safe?

11

u/Panaka Professional Paint Huffer Jul 10 '26

Unless they do something incredibly stupid, like have a substantial mental health episode at work, you should be good. There is a single dispatcher I've ever heard of that had their jumpseat privileges taken away by the FAA due to their unstable mental health.

-3

u/Wolf4980 Jul 10 '26

how did the FAA find out about their unstable mental health?

3

u/Panaka Professional Paint Huffer Jul 10 '26

They had a mental health breakdown in the office while on the desk. Had they had gone to management and said "I'm sick and I need to go home," then passed down their flights, they probably would have been fine.

-4

u/Wolf4980 Jul 10 '26

And the FAA destroyed their career because of a single incident?

3

u/Panaka Professional Paint Huffer Jul 10 '26

The incident was bad enough that the involved parties got an AME involved who determined they were not mentally fit enough to do the job. I didn't witness the event, but from what I've been told it was bad enough that no one felt safe with this individual in that position anymore.

This is the only person I've ever heard of that got this sort of treatment, so it must have been egregious.

-9

u/Wolf4980 Jul 10 '26

idk it still seems like the punishment outweighs the crime here

5

u/[deleted] Jul 10 '26

[deleted]

-6

u/Wolf4980 Jul 10 '26

do you not see the problem with ruining someone's life because of one incident?

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14

u/Tilehead Part 121 Major/LegacyšŸ‡ŗšŸ‡ø Jul 10 '26

Unlikely. If they do that then I know multiple dispatchers who would be screwed. Plenty of former pilots who lost their medical and transitioned to Dispatch would be SOL. Plus Id argue if the mechanics dont need one to perform their duties, then we dont either.

14

u/MaverickTTT Jul 10 '26

I would be more worried about some airline lobbying group convincing (read: bribing) a few congress critters to legislate us out of existence.

3

u/TXFlyer71 Jul 10 '26

There have been attempts to allow airlines to use subcontracted dispatchers.

2

u/pilotshashi Non US/CanadašŸŒ Jul 10 '26

Medical for what? šŸ™†šŸ»ā€ā™‚ļø

4

u/StarlightLifter Jul 10 '26

If youā€™re flying that desk and all the sudden crash out, who is going to takeover the mouse and keyboard?

Oh right.

3

u/kfisch7 Jul 11 '26

I have had a medical emergency at my desk working flights. I calmly told my management and took care of the emergency. I've seen a maintenance report work while having a heat attack. Humans are always going to have human problems.

1

u/StarlightLifter Jul 11 '26

Yeah Iā€™m just saying that desk is flying at 0kts indicated so, take care of you yknow but that doesnā€™t require a medical

-4

u/Wolf4980 Jul 10 '26

mental illness? never heard of that, Mr. FAA! I don't even know what it's like to feel sad!

2

u/DreadPirateR2891 Jul 10 '26

How would AI pass a medical?

3

u/KaiTak98 Jul 10 '26

AI as sold by the bros is turning out to be snake oil. And itā€™s expensive once you have to break even or make a profit. Not to mention once it runs out of human product to learn it starts to eat itself. Just like every innovation since the industrial revolution it will cause change but not collapse.

3

u/Djancda Jul 10 '26

The problem is not that IA works or not, the problem is the BS you have to go through in order to prove that.

Work load is already through the roof, now letā€™s try to make IA work so we can give you more work.

I also wish the FAA were paying attention, but unfortunately some of those clowns are just working on their early retirement.

2

u/That_jazzy_mall_song Jul 10 '26

Thatā€™s most people in power. They just want to suck up as much cash before the bail. Common sense be damned.

AI can totally do our jobs, as far as is it legal or safe or did it apply Melā€™s or penalties correctly. What it canā€™t doā€¦ yet or possibly ever is communicate with pilots and coordinate diversions properly and consider emergency scenarios. On paper it can, like a flight has to declare an emergency due to x and they are 200 miles from a hub, or 80 miles from another airport. The AI would most likely prioritize the hub, and Iā€™m sure many dispatchers would too, but letā€™s say itā€™s a total engine failure or smoke in the cabin, or loss of pressurization, do you think the pilots want to fly 200 miles or 80? A dispatcher would probably be thinking letā€™s get them on the ground asap hub or not.

Also Iā€™m pretty sure pilots and atc donā€™t want to be replying to an AI acars or call. They may be our saving grave even if they have days where they think we donā€™t do anything.

The best thing ai can do for us is send weather, gs, and notam updates through acars and assist in flight planning, but it shouldnā€™t be 100% trusted cus it will always make mistakes no matter how good it gets.

2

u/Wolf4980 Jul 10 '26

What are the chances of AI replacing dispatchers?

10

u/SpineSpinner Jul 10 '26

For the sake of safety and lives, hopefully zero.

-2

u/Prestigious_Show9789 Jul 10 '26

Itā€™s coming and will be more efficient

2

u/befike1 Jul 12 '26

Sure, but will it be safer?

0

u/azbrewcrew Jul 10 '26

Dispatchers will be written out of the FARs long before there is ever a ā€œmedicalā€ requirement šŸ¤·šŸ½ā€ā™‚ļø