Air France / KLM Virtual Airlines Forums - Ok, what is this dispatch all about?

Air France / KLM Virtual Airlines Forums | AFVA Operations | Ok, what is this dispatch all about?

AFV153
Senior Captain, A320

Joined on January 12 2009
Double Century Club

"Brace yourselves this might be bumpy"
Sandwell GB

207 legs, 362.1 hours
207 legs, 362.1 hours ACARS

Posted onPost created on January 27 2009 03:25 ET by Dave Gandolfo

The time has come for me to try and fill in the gap.
I have noticed the Dispatch button in ACARS (although it doesnt work in 95 beta2) and I have also notices ACARS anouncing dispatchers comming online and leaving. There is even a dispatcher legend on the live ACARS map.
My problem is I don't know what a dispatcher is or what they do or even the benfit of them being online or not.
Sorry I am being ignorant guys, but the actual airline operations side of it is something I know nothing about.

Dave

Dave Gandolfo

Senior Captain, A320

DVA043
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP

Joined on June 10 2001
Event Half Century Club
Online Double Century Club
50 State Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
Everett 1500 Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Four Million Mile Club

"Col. Panic"
Marietta, GA

2,306 legs, 9,290.0 hours
240 legs, 553.9 hours online
1,964 legs, 8,083.1 hours ACARS
75 legs, 196.3 hours event
2,342 legs, 9,424.9 hours total
91 legs dispatched, 66.4 hours

Posted onPost created on January 27 2009 11:22 ET by Luke Kolin

ACARS dispatch allows you to load a pre-plotted route for a flight; and dispatchers can help you with weather conditions and other things of use at an airport. You can do the same thing as the dispatch button simply by typing ".dispatch" at the ACARS prompt.

Cheers!

Luke Kolin

Senior Captain, MD-11

AFV153
Senior Captain, A320

Joined on January 12 2009
Double Century Club

"Brace yourselves this might be bumpy"
Sandwell GB

207 legs, 362.1 hours
207 legs, 362.1 hours ACARS

Posted onPost created on January 27 2009 11:34 ET by Dave Gandolfo

pre-plotted route...why has no one told me about this before.....SWEET!
I dont trust FSX or FS9 to plan sensible routes and I dont know what I'm doing....dispatch me up baby.
I assume you have to be online for this feature to work, also does a dispatcher have to be online aswell?

Luke, what other commands can you type in the acars window, is there a complete list somewhere?

Dave

Dave Gandolfo

Senior Captain, A320

Posted onPost created on January 27 2009 11:35 ET by Luke Kolin

The ACARS server will give you a list of existing routes if they are in the database and no dispatcher is online.

If you want to view all available ACARS commands, just type .help

Cheers!

Luke Kolin

Senior Captain, MD-11

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