Sheffield School of Aeronautics

If I could give Sheffield more than 5 stars I would. I arrived at Sheffield with zero experience in aviation. None. In November I finished the 5 week course and took my practical exam. After getting my certificate and applying for jobs, I decided on my current employer and am in the process of finishing initial training.

When I was making my decision on where to get my training, Sheffield’s name kept coming up. After talking to dispatchers, looking on forums and subreddits, Sheffield was the school that had been mentioned the most. If you’re looking into getting your dispatcher’s certificate you need to seriously consider going to Sheffield. Theres a reason other countries (and major US airlines) send their employees here when they need them certified. If you put in the effort the instructors ask of you, you’ll do well. These guys just won’t let you fail.

Hope all is well done in Florida!!

Best Training I’ve ever had! The instructors are very good explaining the subjects and they monitor your progress very closely , its not easy though .

I came in as a complete newbie. No prior aviation experience. I went to Sheffield 10 years ago. I was in a class with many students who had dispatch experience. It was five weeks of very intense classroom, and I spent every day and night after class studying. I thought at times I was not going to make it, but somehow, I passed everything. I worked for 3 years at a regional airline in Arizona, before going back to the DFW area to do dispatch for a corporate aviation airline for 6 years. I have since moved on from aviation, but it was a great experience for me. Did I agree with how everything was presented? No. Did I have some issues with other aspects? Sure, but I was fully prepared for the job, and I appreciate the intensity of the school. Thank you again, Eric.

There’s a reason that when people at major airlines discuss what‘s the best dispatch school in America, Sheffield is nearly always the first to be named. Stepping into an interview after having passed the class actually holds weight and immediately shows to the interviewer that you know your stuff. This review will serve as a warning to any casual students looking to get a free ticket by simply attending class, this is not that. It requires a considerable amount of effort and studying to pass the class. This is what makes Sheffield prestigious. When I attended, I saw those students who were unable or rather unwilling to put in the work and to no surprise, some of them did not pass. It’s a 5 week class, the training is vigorous and challenging, as their website properly states. Those students who elected to treat this as a south Florida vacation should not have been surprised when at the end of the class, they weren’t prepared. As a current flight dispatcher at a major airline, this is a profession where you can make in excess of $100-150k, simply handing a certificate to every student that pays to take the class, as some schools do, would be a disservice to those students as well as those that actually put in the work. Ive seen first hand plenty of students of other programs who have their certificates but will never get an actual job in the field, which lets be honest is the only purpose of attending.

As for those accusations that the class is outdated, the rules behind dispatch are largely unchanged. Yes they use an old airplane 727 but simply because it has 3 engines, you can dispatch a paper airline if you wanted, the point is to learn the regulations and concepts. You are learning the foundation of dispatch, it is not something you will be doing on a regular basis at work, but it is vital to understand what the computer is doing for you. More importantly, this is the source material that major airlines will test you on in the applicant entrance exam. It’s the equivalent of learning to add and subtract before you learn to do calculus.

Sheffield played a vital roll in my path to success, not only did they prepare me with a foundational
Knowledge which I would go on to remember for years. But when I got a job at an airline and then Later went on to apply for dispatch, they even let me reattend the course absolutely free of charge as a refresher.

I recommend Sheffield School of Aeronautics to anyone looking to begin their career as an aircraft dispatcher. My experience there was fulfilling and rewarding, and the education provided is second to none. You get out of Sheffield what you put into it. If you attend with the right mindset and are prepared to work hard, you will have a tremendous experience and be rewarded for your effort. The instruction you receive while you’re there is thorough and teaches you the information and skills required to not only receive an FAA dispatch certificate, but be able to succeed once hired by a company. I recommend finding a group of committed classmates to study with in your free time. Working through the assignments and studying with others outside of class is an excellent way to supplement the high-quality instruction you receive in class. The incredible value of the program should not go unmentioned either, considering the cost of enrollment versus the quality of education received. Becoming a student at Sheffield is a great way to be optimally prepared for your FAA practical exam and subsequent career in the aviation industry.