The International Federation of Airline Dispatchers Associations (IFALDA) marks International Flight Dispatch Day on November 1 to recognise the work of flight dispatchers and flight operations officers, who plan and monitor flights from the ground.

The date goes back to November 1, 1937, when Chapter 27 of the US Civil Air Regulations took effect and created the Airline Dispatcher Rating. The rules recognised dispatchers as equal partners with pilots in the safety and operational control of flights.

The profession is older than that rating. In 1920, the US Post Office Department set up radio stations for air mail along transcontinental routes. Their staff gave early flight-following service and passed weather observations to pilots.

Today, dispatchers use computer systems, weather radar, and satellite communications to track several flights in real time. IFALDA says their role is to make sure every flight is planned, monitored, and adjusted for safety and efficiency.

IFALDA, founded in 1961, works to raise the standards and professionalism of flight dispatch globally. In the United States, several states have officially proclaimed November 1 as Airline Dispatcher Day.

Source: IFALDA/Airline Dispatchers Federation (US)