§44748. Aircraft dispatching

§44748. Aircraft dispatching

(a) Aircraft Dispatching Certificate.—No person may serve as an aircraft dispatcher for an air carrier unless such person holds the appropriate aircraft dispatcher certificate issued by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.

(b) Proof of Certification.—Upon the request of the Administrator or an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board, or other appropriate Federal agency, a person who holds such a certificate, and is performing dispatching, shall present the certificate for inspection.

(c) Dispatch Centers and Flight Following Centers.—

(1) Establishment.—Each air carrier shall establish and maintain sufficient dispatch centers and flight following centers necessary to maintain operational control of each flight of the air carrier at all times.

(2) Requirements.—An air carrier shall ensure that each dispatch center and flight following center of the air carrier—

(A) has a sufficient number of aircraft dispatchers on duty at the dispatch center or flight following center to ensure proper operational control of each flight of the air carrier at all times;

(B) has the necessary equipment, in good repair, to maintain proper operational control of each flight of the air carrier at all times; and

(C) includes the presence of physical security and cybersecurity protections to prevent unauthorized access to the dispatch center or flight following center or to the operations of either such center.

(d) Prohibition.—

(1) In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), an air carrier may not dispatch aircraft from any location other than the dispatch center or flight following center of the air carrier.

(2) Emergency authority.—In the event of an emergency or other event that renders a dispatch center or a flight following center inoperable, an air carrier may dispatch aircraft from a location other than the dispatch center or flight following center of the air carrier for a period of time not to exceed 14 consecutive days per location without approval of the Administrator.