NE North Dakota News

The University of North Dakota (UND) has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to offer courses that lead to certification as an aircraft dispatcher. This approval allows UND Aerospace students to pursue a new career path in the aviation industry, which is experiencing high demand for certified dispatchers.

The process of creating and securing FAA approval for these courses took several years. UND now joins only 52 other institutions nationwide with this certification. The final step occurred over the summer when FAA inspectors from Minneapolis and Seattle visited the UND campus for a facility inspection before issuing formal approval.

Brett Venhuizen, chair of the Department of Aviation, expressed gratitude to those involved in achieving this milestone. “We are very excited to be able to offer an FAA dispatch program,” Venhuizen said. “This is something that the department has wanted to do for more than 20 years, and we are very thankful to Assistant Professor Samantha Ross and the FAA for making it happen.

“This will be an excellent additional qualification or alternate career path for our students. The aviation industry has a strong need for aircraft dispatchers, and we are excited to be able to educate these professionals.”

Assistant Professor Samantha Ross, who joined the faculty in 2021, said developing an approved dispatch course had been her personal goal. “After several years of working through the FAA’s approval process, I’m proud to share that our department now has its first class of students who’ll be eligible to sit for their aircraft dispatch certification exams in May,” she said.

Students enrolled in the course will study topics such as weather, air traffic control procedures, instrument procedures, aircraft communication and navigation, human factors and aeronautical decision-making, and FAA regulations.

Aircraft dispatchers work alongside airline captains at operations centers. They help plan flight routes, manage weight and balance calculations, determine performance numbers, handle fuel planning, monitor flights after takeoff, and assist pilots during diversions caused by weather or other issues.