ADF Quarterly Update — August 2026

Hello my fellow dispatchers and members of the Airline Dispatchers Federation. I wanted to take some time to update our membership on what we, as an all-volunteer professional advocacy organization, have been doing on your behalf and in the profession. Since I took the helm of the ADF in May, the board and I have been quite busy these last few months. We have been working to further the dispatcher profession through public outreach and regulatory advocacy. We launched a newly redesigned webpage this past April highlighting our history, our mission and priorities. It was created free to our organization and done on a member's own time. We truly appreciate past Board Members for their hard work and dedication to our organization. We are also pleased to announce that this year, we were able to offer multiple scholarships from our partner dispatch schools, that will be announced at the Summit.

Our professional advocacy has not stopped. We continued through our recognized position on the federal regulatory rule-making body ACT-ARC and re-engaging with the professionally recognized Standards Development Organization RTCA in Washington D.C. These respective organizations help ensure the dispatch voice is heard at this very important rule-making body and in the halls of power within the FAA and DOT. The RTCA has allowed us to work with major industry participants and ensure that the dispatch profession is considered in developing technology and revisions of operation-impacting procedures and policies. We have also for the first time engaged with our industry peer organization, the Allied Pilots Association; we are working to develop a deeper partnership that builds on our professional interactions. The goal is to collaborate with a major voice in the industry to ensure operational control and flight safety. All these actions are geared toward shaping the major advances in AI and how they are impacting our profession — from new technologies being introduced to dispatch offices, to the FAA's recently announced partnership with ASI in the SMART modernization project.

On the public outreach front, members of the board and other ADF members have volunteered to actively engage in multiple venues to bring to public awareness "the best kept secret" in the industry. We have attended events from Purdue Aviation Day in Indianapolis, to the Professional Asian Pilots Association (PAPA) Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, Airliners International in Denver, and AirVenture at Oshkosh. Most recently, on August 6th, we participated in the North Texas Job Fair. We also look forward to the upcoming 50th Anniversary Celebration and Convention with the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) in Chicago this month, followed by the Latino Professionals in Aerospace (LPA) in September. In October, we will have a presence at the Rotary to Airline Group (RTAG) — the largest military veteran charity group with a military to civilian aviation career focus. All of these events are planned and staffed by volunteers, on their own time, to help get the word out to the public about who we are as an organization and the importance of our profession.

Our organization continues to focus on amplifying the dispatcher voice at every table, advancing policies that protect the dispatcher role, and building meaningful connections with other stakeholders in the aviation industry. Whether through public awareness, legislative engagement, professional standards, or public education, our collective efforts help ensure that the issues affecting our field remain visible, understandable, and addressed.

Advocacy is most effective when members are informed, engaged, and ready to act. By sharing expertise, participating in outreach, and staying connected to organizational priorities, every member contributes to a stronger and more influential professional community.

**— Miguel Reyes**
President, Airline Dispatchers Federation

**Aug 12–14** — OBAP Convention and 50th Anniversary Celebration
**Sept 14–16** — NATCA Communicating for Safety Summit
**Sept 14–17** — ALPA Air Safety Forum
**Sept 17–18** — LPA Aerospace Industry Expo
**Sept 28–30** — ADF Annual Summit — Indianapolis, IN
**Oct 17–18** — RTAG Convention and Expo

Our focus this year is **"Safety in the Profession, with the Advent of AI"** — examining Human Decision-Making, Training, and the impacts of AI on our profession.

Featuring networking opportunities for those pursuing a career in dispatch, our hiring panel, and a Senior Leadership Panel from respective carriers.

**Prices increase September 1st** — register now for lower member and non-member rates.