49 USC § 44748 - Aircraft dispatching

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t49/s44748"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "49 USC § 44748 - Aircraft dispatching"
title_number: 49
title_name: "TRANSPORTATION"
section_number: "44748"
section_name: "Aircraft dispatching"
chapter_number: 447
chapter_name: "SAFETY REGULATION"
part_number: "A"
part_name: "AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 118–63, title IV, § 420(b)(1), May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1164.)"
---


# § 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.

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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 118–63, title IV, § 420(b)(1), May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1164.)