Skip to content

Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline Aircraft Dispatcher Competencies Survey

We need your input!

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry ("DLI") Dual-Training Pipeline team is conducting a survey on proposed competency standards for potentially adding a new occupation in the ­­­­­Transportation industry. The information you provide in the survey will be used by DLI to create the Aircraft Dispatcher dual-training competency standards.

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. Any information you choose to supply on this survey will be used by DLI staff members working on creating competency standards for Aircraft Dispatcher; competency models and all survey data entered are public information.

In addition to participating in the survey, you are invited to join a meeting on January 21, 2026 at 11 a.m. to discuss the new possible Transportation competency standards. The link to join the meeting is here.

If you have questions regarding the survey or any other work of Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline, please email pipeline.program@state.mn.us. Thanks!
Draft - Aircraft Dispatcher
Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline Competency Model for Transportation Occupation Pyramid: Aircraft Dispatcher: Employer-specific requirements (left blank for employers to fill in themselves). Occupation specific competencies: Coordinate operational logistics and flight synchronization; communicate via multi-channel systems and crew liaison; respond to emergencies and execute contingency plans; monitor flight progress and deliver operational advisories; brief crews with pre-flight intelligence and support; document operational data and compile regulatory reports; operate dispatch software and integrate systems tools; apply standard operating procedures and hub familiarity. Industry-sector technical competencies: Weather analysis and meteorology; air traffic control procedures; navigation principles; aircraft performance and load management; wind shear and microburst awareness; flight planning; weather systems; regulatory compliance; aerodynamics; aeronautical decision making and judgement. Industry-wide technical competencies: transportation industry fundamentals; operations and management; compliance with industry standards; documentation of information; maintenance and repair; regulations; design and development; technology applications; safety and security. Workplace competencies: Business fundamentals; teamwork; scheduling and coordinating; customer focus; planning and organizing; problem solving, decision making; working with tools and technology; checking, examining and recording; sustainable practices. Academic competencies: Reading; writing; STEM; basic computer skills; technical mathematics skills; information technology fundamentals; communication-visual and verbal; critical and analytic thinking; locating and using information. Personal effectiveness competencies: Interpersonal skills; integrity; professionalism; initiative; dependability and reliability; adaptability and flexibility lifelong learning. Based on: Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Competency Model, Employment and Training Administration United States Department of Labor, February 2025. For more detailed information about competency model creation and sources, visit dli.mn.gov/business/workforce/transportation.
Competency Model for Aircraft Dispatcher Aircraft Dispatcher – An aircraft dispatcher is a certified aviation professional responsible for planning, coordinating, and monitoring flights to ensure safe and efficient air travel. Working primarily for an airline’s operations center, dispatchers share joint authority with the Pilot in Command under the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) System of Operational Control, particularly for Part 121 scheduled airlines. *Pipeline recommends the Industry-Sector Technical Competencies as formal training opportunities (provided through related instruction) and the Occupation-Specific Competencies as on-the-job (OJT) training opportunities. Industry-Sector Technical Competencies Related Instruction for dual training means the organized and systematic form of education resulting in the enhancement of skills and competencies related to the dual trainee’s current or intended occupation. • Weather analysis and meteorology – Interpret meteorological data to anticipate and mitigate adverse weather conditions, ensuring flight plans are adjusted accordingly and crews are informed of potential hazards. • Air traffic control procedures – Understand pilot responsibilities and ATC procedures related to enroute operations, terminal area coordination, and instrument departure/approach protocols. • Navigation principles – Apply principles of air navigation under instrument meteorological conditions in the National Airspace System. • Aircraft performance and load management – Calculate and verify aircraft weight and balance, fuel loads, and payload distribution to optimize performance and ensure safe takeoff, cruise, and landing parameters. • Wind shear and microburst awareness – Identify and avoid hazardous weather phenomena such as wind shear and microburst, ensuring flight plans and crew advisories reflect current and forecasted risks. • Flight planning – Develop comprehensive flight plans that account for weather conditions, aircraft performance, fuel requirements, alternate airports, and regulatory compliance to ensure safe and efficient operations.
• Weather systems – Interpret and use weather charts, maps, forecasts, sequence reports, abbreviations, and symbols as it relates to National Weather Service in the National Airspace System. • Regulatory compliance – Ensure all flight operations adhere to FAA regulations and airline policies, including weight and balance limits, crew duty times, and aircraft readiness. • Aerodynamics – Understand an aircraft’s flight characteristics and performance in normal and abnormal flight regimes. • Aeronautical decision making and judgement – Utilize structured decision-making frameworks to assess risk, evaluate alternatives, and make timely, safety-focused dispatch decisions under dynamic operational conditions. Occupation-Specific Competencies On-the-Job Training is hands-on instruction completed at work to learn the core competencies necessary to succeed in an occupation. Common types of OJT include job shadowing, mentorship, cohort-based training, assignment-based project evaluation and discussion-based training. • Coordinate operational logistics and flight synchronization – Collaborate with pilots, ground crews, and air traffic control to align flight activities, resolve logistical challenges, and maintain real-time situational awareness. • Communicate via multi-channel systems and crew liaison – Use radio, telephone, and digital platforms to transmit assignments, relay updates, and sustain continuous contact with flight crews throughout all flight phases. • Respond to emergencies and execute contingency plans – Prepare for and manage in-flight emergencies or disruptions by coordinating reroutes, diversions, and support services while upholding safety and compliance standards. • Monitor flight progress and deliver operational advisories – Continuously oversee flights en route, tracking progress and advising crews of weather changes, notice to airman’s (NOTAMs), and operational updates. • Brief crews with pre-flight intelligence and support – Provide pilots with comprehensive pre-flight briefings covering route, weather, aircraft status, and contingency plans to ensure mutual agreement before departure. • Document operational data and compile regulatory reports – Maintain flight logs, dispatch records, and performance statistics for audits, reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Operate dispatch software and integrate system tools – Utilize proprietary flight planning, tracking, and communication platforms tailored to the airline’s operations center. • Apply standard operating procedures and hub familiarity – Implement airline-specific procedures and develop expertise in the route network, hub logistics, and regional operational nuances. Updated December 2025
1.What is your general impression of the occupation-specific competencies? (i.e. the things someone would typically learn through on-the-job-training)
2.Are there any occupation-specific competencies you would like to see edited, added or eliminated?  Please write your suggestions if you have any.
3.Please share any suggested edits to the occupation-specific competency definitions.
4.What is your general impression of the industry-sector technical competencies? (i.e. what will typically be learned through formal related instruction to succeed in this specific occupation/ sector)
5.Are there any industry-sector technical competencies you would like to see edited, added or eliminated?  Please write your suggestions if you have any.
6.Please share any suggested edits to the industry-sector technical definitions.
7.What is your general impression of the industry-wide technical competencies (i.e. what will typically be learned through related instruction for a broad range of occupations working in the industry).
8.Are there any industry-wide technical competencies you would like to see edited, added or eliminated?  Please write your suggestions if you have any.
9.Finally, please let us know if you have any other suggested edits or comments on the remainder of the pyramid.
10.Please let us know what sector you work in.(Required.)
11.Contact information