Episode 213 - Behind the Scenes of Flight Operations: Harry Yi’s Path from National Guard Pilot to Dispatcher

Ready 4 Pushback

Nik Fialka

Business, Careers, Leisure, Aviation

4.8 • 716 Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2025

⏱️ 72 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How do you balance a love for flying with a desire for more family time? In this episode, Harry Yi, a Medivac helicopter pilot in the National Guard, shares his journey to becoming an airline dispatcher. Learn how dispatchers play a vital role in flight operations, offering pilots critical support and planning. From dispatch training and certification to union benefits, pay, and career paths, Harry explains what it takes to succeed. Plus, he reflects on balancing a dual career as a Guard pilot with a civilian career, offering practical tips for managing proficiency, currency, and career progression.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE

• Harry Yi’s career shift from National Guard Medivac pilot to airline dispatcher and why he made the change.

• How dispatchers support pilots with planning, recommendations, and critical flight information.

• Insights into the training process for dispatchers, including coursework and the checkride-style final exam.

• The role of unions, pay structures, and career paths in airline dispatching, from regional airlines to major carriers.

• The hiring process for dispatchers, including HR, technical, and situational interviews, as well as knowledge exams.

• What it’s like balancing a flying career in the National Guard or Reserves with a civilian career.

• Tips for maintaining proficiency, currency, and work-life balance while navigating dual aviation careers.

#Aviation #AviationCareers #pilotcareer #pilottips #pilotcareertips #aviationcrew #AviationJobs #AviationLeadership #flying #PilotSuccess #pilotpodcast #PilotPreparation #Pilotrecruitment #AviationEducation #AviationOpportunities #AviationPodcast #flyingtips #AirlineInterviewPrep #PilotDevelopment #PilotFinance #PilotExperience #pilotcaptain

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, pilot, welcome back to Ready for Pushback. I'm Nick Fialca. I'm your host today. And my guest is a guy
0:08.2	named Harry Yee. And today's conversation is totally different and very interesting. It's all
0:14.5	about being an aircraft dispatcher. Harry is on his path to becoming a professional dispatcher. He's also a guard helicopter pilot. And so this is a long one, folks. We talk in depth about what dispatch is, how to get involved with dispatch, all the resources that are out there. And then we pivot. And we talk about being in the reserves and the military and how good it is and how it can be a struggle sometime.
0:42.5	And that is something I haven't talked about very much.
0:45.7	And it was Harry's idea to jump into it.
0:47.4	And I love that because the things that we do in aviation are varied.
0:53.5	And the things that we do in aviation can take a lot of different directions.
0:58.4	And as they do, it's better to know what you're getting into before you make a big time decision.
1:05.7	And so I hope this is really fruitful for you.
1:08.6	I thought it was fantastic.
1:10.1	It was so much fun. If you guys haven't
1:12.6	given a review yet to the show, I'd love it. If you could, like and subscribe on the old YouTube
1:18.5	thing. On the Apple podcast, you can write a review. My goal before the end of 2024 is to hit 800
1:26.3	reviews. And that I'm well on my way.
1:30.0	And I'm thankful for each and every person that has done so. So thank you. Yeah. So this is a
1:36.2	great show. Great episode. It's a long one. So sit back, relax. Let's get ready for pushback.
1:44.2	Most pilots don't understand what career opportunities are available in the world of aviation.
1:50.5	They're making career decisions based on advice from friends or posts on internet forums,
1:56.2	meaning they are taking huge risk with their livelihood without having all the details.
2:02.6	This podcast was created to help you understand the aviation industry so you can find your dream job. Let's get
2:09.0	ready for pushback. Here's your host and my dad, Nick Fialca. All right, my man, Harry,
2:17.2	what's up, man? How are you? Good. Nick. I'm doing great this morning. How right, my man, Harry, what's up, man?
	...

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