---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 44748"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "44748"
heading: "Aircraft dispatching"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/44748"
units:
  - "Subtitle VII — Aviation Programs"
  - "Part A — Air Commerce and Safety"
  - "Subpart iii — safety"
  - "Chapter 447 — Safety Regulation"
---

# §44748. Aircraft dispatching

- (a) **Aircraft Dispatching Certificate.—** No person may serve as an [aircraft](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-6) dispatcher for an [air carrier](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2) unless such person holds the appropriate [aircraft](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-6) 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](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2) shall establish and maintain sufficient dispatch centers and flight following centers necessary to maintain operational control of each flight of the [air carrier](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2) at all times.
  - (2) **Requirements.—** An [air carrier](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2) shall ensure that each dispatch center and flight following center of the [air carrier](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2)—
    - (A) has a sufficient number of [aircraft](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-6) dispatchers on duty at the dispatch center or flight following center to ensure proper operational control of each flight of the [air carrier](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2) at all times;
    - (B) has the necessary equipment, in good repair, to maintain proper operational control of each flight of the [air carrier](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2) 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)](#d-2), an [air carrier](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2) may not dispatch [aircraft](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-6) from any location other than the dispatch center or flight following center of the [air carrier](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2).
  - (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](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2) may dispatch [aircraft](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-6) from a location other than the dispatch center or flight following center of the [air carrier](/usc/49/40102.md?p=a-2) for a period of time not to exceed 14 consecutive days per location without approval of the Administrator.

## Source credit

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