Military/Civilian Dispatcher, Pilot, Air Traffic Controller
Hello All! My Name is Talene Scherer and I currently live near Cleveland, OH.
My hometown is Freedom, PA, near Pittsburgh. I’m 28, and I unfortunately
do not have any pets at this time, but hope to get a doggie in the years to
come.
Growing up, I was a tomboy who liked the outdoors, history, and the
military. I credit my father for unintentionally peaking my interest in aviation.
Every time an older aircraft would fly over our house, he would always yell
“Talene, get out here! Do you know what that is?” My answer usually was
“No”. I didn’t know what I was looking at other than an airplane, helicopter,
or balloon. My dad would then go on to explain what the airplane was and its
use in our history. My dad still does this to me!
It wasn’t until high school that I thought about joining the military and
majoring in aviation at college. Actually, it came down to majoring in aviation
or biology. What’s more fun, flying a plane or looking into a microscope? So
I decided to give aviation a shot. A decade later, I’m still in aviation.
I joined the Army National Guard as a way to help pay for college and more
importantly as a way to serve my country. I would encourage any young
girls who want to join the military to do so. When joining the military you
must be aware of the risks, work hard, and have the determination to get the
best experience out of it. I was an Aviation Operations Specialist (a
dispatcher) for the National Guard. My job duties were to flight follow (to
keep track) all aircraft flying and serve as an information relay to the rest of
the company.
I went to college at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MN. I majored in
Aviation Operations, which focuses on how airports, airlines, and fixed based
operators (people/facilities that provide aircraft sales, services, & support)
are operated. St. Cloud’s aviation program is small, which I liked. I always
had access to my professors whenever I needed their help.
I received my aircraft dispatcher’s license while living in MN. An aircraft
dispatcher is basically a pilot on the ground. Have you ever wondered how
airline pilots show up to a boarding gate at an airport with their bags and
moments later your aircraft is backing off the gate? Well that’s where an
aircraft dispatcher comes in. Before a pilot even shows up for her flight, the
airline’s operational support staff has completed everything. A dispatcher
does all the preflight planning for a flight including looking at forecast
weather, deciding a flight path, and generating aircraft performance data
(how good will the airplane perform today). An airline captain then looks at
all the information provided by the dispatcher and then decides if the flight
will occur. If the captain has any concern with the information provided by the
airline dispatcher they work together to resolve the issue. An aircraft
dispatcher is a check and balance for an airline captain to ensure that a flight
is conducted in a safe manner.
After graduating from college, I wanted to pursue a career as an aircraft
dispatcher. But then Sep. 11th hit and postponed this goal. I moved back
home to Pennsylvania and began working at USAirways Express as a gate
agent at Pittsburgh International Airport. I really think that Customer Service
Agents (the men and women who print your ticket, check in your bags, and
load up the planes) have the hardest and most undervalued jobs in the
aviation industry. It was at this time that I decided to go back to school. I
then went to the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) to pursue a
degree in Air Traffic Control. This was such an interesting and challenging
time for me.
I was a full time employee for USAirways Express, a full time college student,
and also a member of the Army National Guard. I was kept busy! As part of
CCBC’s air traffic control program, you have to control aircraft in the tower
and also earn your private pilot’s license.
I remember how scared and nervous I was when I had to actively control the
runway and taxiways myself. I was so afraid of making mistakes!! Learning
new things does not come easy for me, so I would make myself play “pretend
controller.” I would make up mental scenarios and say aloud my clearances
and directions to the aircraft. I would then repeat air traffic control sayings
over and over until I finally got them right. Controlling aircraft is fun and
challenging.
I received my private pilot’s license in July of 2006. It was a challenge for
me. Some people flying comes easy, and some people it doesn't. I was one
of the many “doesn’t people” out there. I was proud of myself when I soloed
for the first time and even prouder when I didn’t get lost during my first solo
cross country flight. Its nice to know that anyone can get a driver’s license,
but not everyone can obtain a pilot’s license. If you are interested in flying,
go up on flight at your local airport. There’s always someone at an airport
ready to talk to a young person about aviation.
I currently work as a flight planner at a fractional airline in Northeast Ohio. A
flight planner has the same duties as an aircraft dispatcher except that we do
not have operational control over a flight. Operational control is the exercise
of authority over initiating, conducting, and terminating of a flight. Where I
work, the pilot in command has operational control, so I am assisting the
pilots with preflight planning. My job is interesting because of all the different
variables that can happen in aviation from day to day. For example when the
weather becomes really severe air traffic control may issue reroutes. It’s my
responsibility to see that our flights are routed accordingly to what air traffic
control wants.
Math and science plays a big role in my daily job activities. I look at numbers
all day. Part of generating flight plans is to calculate passenger weights. I
also compare actual flight plan distances to preflight estimates. I look at fuel
burn, total fuel, and takeoff weights for our aircraft on every flight plan we
work. On a given shift, one flight planner might run close to a hundred flight
plans themselves. That’s a lot of math in a day! Science and technology is
everywhere from our aircraft to the computers I type on. Without science
and math we wouldn’t have electricity, cell phones, and many other luxuries
in life. We need more young girls interested in not only aviation, but also
other science and engineering related fields. So if you’re interested, keep
pushing forward with your goal and seek a mentor to help provide guidance.
Over the past decade I’ve worked in military and civilian aviation, as an airport
management intern, as a gate agent, as a crew scheduler, and currently as a
flight planner. I have two degrees, my private
pilot’s license, aircraft dispatcher’s license, and Control Tower Operator’s
license. I’m not finished and I hope to one day fulfill my goals to become an
air traffic controller and to obtain my instrument rating. The FAA has
temporarily hired me for Air Traffic Control and I can’t wait to go to Oklahoma
City for my initial job training.
Yes aviation is fun!! Aviation is also challenging. You will have frustrations
and disappointments along the way, but it’s worth the fight. Ten years later
I’m still fighting, but I won’t give up until I’ve given all that I can. Have fun
with aviation and science. Always remember to work hard, laugh, and learn
from your mistakes and you’ll make it in whatever you choose to do in life!
Hello All! My Name is Talene Scherer and I currently live near Cleveland, OH.
My hometown is Freedom, PA, near Pittsburgh. I’m 28, and I unfortunately
do not have any pets at this time, but hope to get a doggie in the years to
come.
Growing up, I was a tomboy who liked the outdoors, history, and the
military. I credit my father for unintentionally peaking my interest in aviation.
Every time an older aircraft would fly over our house, he would always yell
“Talene, get out here! Do you know what that is?” My answer usually was
“No”. I didn’t know what I was looking at other than an airplane, helicopter,
or balloon. My dad would then go on to explain what the airplane was and its
use in our history. My dad still does this to me!
It wasn’t until high school that I thought about joining the military and
majoring in aviation at college. Actually, it came down to majoring in aviation
or biology. What’s more fun, flying a plane or looking into a microscope? So
I decided to give aviation a shot. A decade later, I’m still in aviation.
I joined the Army National Guard as a way to help pay for college and more
importantly as a way to serve my country. I would encourage any young
girls who want to join the military to do so. When joining the military you
must be aware of the risks, work hard, and have the determination to get the
best experience out of it. I was an Aviation Operations Specialist (a
dispatcher) for the National Guard. My job duties were to flight follow (to
keep track) all aircraft flying and serve as an information relay to the rest of
the company.
I went to college at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, MN. I majored in
Aviation Operations, which focuses on how airports, airlines, and fixed based
operators (people/facilities that provide aircraft sales, services, & support)
are operated. St. Cloud’s aviation program is small, which I liked. I always
had access to my professors whenever I needed their help.
I received my aircraft dispatcher’s license while living in MN. An aircraft
dispatcher is basically a pilot on the ground. Have you ever wondered how
airline pilots show up to a boarding gate at an airport with their bags and
moments later your aircraft is backing off the gate? Well that’s where an
aircraft dispatcher comes in. Before a pilot even shows up for her flight, the
airline’s operational support staff has completed everything. A dispatcher
does all the preflight planning for a flight including looking at forecast
weather, deciding a flight path, and generating aircraft performance data
(how good will the airplane perform today). An airline captain then looks at
all the information provided by the dispatcher and then decides if the flight
will occur. If the captain has any concern with the information provided by the
airline dispatcher they work together to resolve the issue. An aircraft
dispatcher is a check and balance for an airline captain to ensure that a flight
is conducted in a safe manner.
After graduating from college, I wanted to pursue a career as an aircraft
dispatcher. But then Sep. 11th hit and postponed this goal. I moved back
home to Pennsylvania and began working at USAirways Express as a gate
agent at Pittsburgh International Airport. I really think that Customer Service
Agents (the men and women who print your ticket, check in your bags, and
load up the planes) have the hardest and most undervalued jobs in the
aviation industry. It was at this time that I decided to go back to school. I
then went to the Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) to pursue a
degree in Air Traffic Control. This was such an interesting and challenging
time for me.
I was a full time employee for USAirways Express, a full time college student,
and also a member of the Army National Guard. I was kept busy! As part of
CCBC’s air traffic control program, you have to control aircraft in the tower
and also earn your private pilot’s license.
I remember how scared and nervous I was when I had to actively control the
runway and taxiways myself. I was so afraid of making mistakes!! Learning
new things does not come easy for me, so I would make myself play “pretend
controller.” I would make up mental scenarios and say aloud my clearances
and directions to the aircraft. I would then repeat air traffic control sayings
over and over until I finally got them right. Controlling aircraft is fun and
challenging.
I received my private pilot’s license in July of 2006. It was a challenge for
me. Some people flying comes easy, and some people it doesn't. I was one
of the many “doesn’t people” out there. I was proud of myself when I soloed
for the first time and even prouder when I didn’t get lost during my first solo
cross country flight. Its nice to know that anyone can get a driver’s license,
but not everyone can obtain a pilot’s license. If you are interested in flying,
go up on flight at your local airport. There’s always someone at an airport
ready to talk to a young person about aviation.
I currently work as a flight planner at a fractional airline in Northeast Ohio. A
flight planner has the same duties as an aircraft dispatcher except that we do
not have operational control over a flight. Operational control is the exercise
of authority over initiating, conducting, and terminating of a flight. Where I
work, the pilot in command has operational control, so I am assisting the
pilots with preflight planning. My job is interesting because of all the different
variables that can happen in aviation from day to day. For example when the
weather becomes really severe air traffic control may issue reroutes. It’s my
responsibility to see that our flights are routed accordingly to what air traffic
control wants.
Math and science plays a big role in my daily job activities. I look at numbers
all day. Part of generating flight plans is to calculate passenger weights. I
also compare actual flight plan distances to preflight estimates. I look at fuel
burn, total fuel, and takeoff weights for our aircraft on every flight plan we
work. On a given shift, one flight planner might run close to a hundred flight
plans themselves. That’s a lot of math in a day! Science and technology is
everywhere from our aircraft to the computers I type on. Without science
and math we wouldn’t have electricity, cell phones, and many other luxuries
in life. We need more young girls interested in not only aviation, but also
other science and engineering related fields. So if you’re interested, keep
pushing forward with your goal and seek a mentor to help provide guidance.
Over the past decade I’ve worked in military and civilian aviation, as an airport
management intern, as a gate agent, as a crew scheduler, and currently as a
flight planner. I have two degrees, my private
pilot’s license, aircraft dispatcher’s license, and Control Tower Operator’s
license. I’m not finished and I hope to one day fulfill my goals to become an
air traffic controller and to obtain my instrument rating. The FAA has
temporarily hired me for Air Traffic Control and I can’t wait to go to Oklahoma
City for my initial job training.
Yes aviation is fun!! Aviation is also challenging. You will have frustrations
and disappointments along the way, but it’s worth the fight. Ten years later
I’m still fighting, but I won’t give up until I’ve given all that I can. Have fun
with aviation and science. Always remember to work hard, laugh, and learn
from your mistakes and you’ll make it in whatever you choose to do in life!
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| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
TM
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
TM
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
TM
