PlaneConnection maintains two distinct sets of dispatch-related statuses: aircraft dispatch states that track real-time aircraft position and availability, and FRAT assessment statuses that track the Flight Risk Assessment Tool approval workflow. Both feed into the dispatch board and trip lifecycle.
Aircraft Dispatch States
The dispatch status table tracks the real-time operational state of each aircraft. This is a separate concept from the aircraft’s fleet status (Active, Maintenance, etc.) — dispatch state reflects what the aircraft is doing right now.
| State | API Value | Description |
|---|
| Available | available | Aircraft is on the ground and available for dispatch. No active trip assigned. |
| Dispatched | dispatched | Aircraft has been assigned to a trip and dispatched to crew. Departure is pending. |
| Airborne | airborne | Aircraft is currently in flight. Position data is being tracked. |
| Arriving | arriving | Aircraft is on approach or has landed and is taxiing to parking. |
| Maintenance | maintenance | Aircraft is undergoing maintenance and is not available for dispatch. |
Dispatch State Lifecycle
Dispatch State vs Fleet Status
Dispatch state and fleet status serve different purposes and operate independently:
| Concept | Dispatch State | Fleet Status |
|---|
| Purpose | Real-time position and operational state | Long-term aircraft availability |
| Granularity | Changes multiple times per flight | Changes infrequently |
| Source | ADS-B tracking, dispatcher actions | Admin/dispatcher manual transitions |
| Examples | Available, Airborne, Arriving | Active, Maintenance, Storage |
| Where used | Dispatch board, in-flight display | Scheduling, fleet reports |
An aircraft can have a fleet status of Active while its dispatch state cycles through
Available, Dispatched, Airborne, and Arriving during normal operations. If the fleet status
changes to Maintenance, the dispatch state also transitions to Maintenance.
Dispatch State Record Fields
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|
aircraft_id | Reference | The aircraft this status applies to (one record per aircraft). |
state | Enum | Current dispatch state. |
current_trip_id | Reference | The trip currently assigned to this aircraft, if any. |
current_leg_id | Reference | The specific leg currently in progress, if any. |
eta_minutes | Number | Estimated time of arrival in minutes (updated during flight). |
fuel_remaining | Number | Estimated fuel remaining in gallons. |
updated_at | Timestamp | Last time the dispatch state was updated. |
FRAT Assessment Statuses
The Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT) evaluates risk factors before each flight. FRAT assessments follow their own approval workflow.
| Status | API Value | Description |
|---|
| Draft | draft | Assessment has been started but not yet submitted. Risk factors may be partially scored. |
| Submitted | submitted | Assessment has been completed and submitted for review. All risk categories are scored. |
| Approved | approved | Assessment has been reviewed and approved. The flight is cleared from a risk perspective. |
| Rejected | rejected | Assessment has been reviewed and rejected. Additional mitigations are required before the flight can proceed. |
FRAT Lifecycle
Risk Levels
Each FRAT assessment produces a total score that maps to a risk level:
| Risk Level | Description | Action Required |
|---|
| Low | Standard operations. No additional mitigations required. | Proceed normally. |
| Moderate | Elevated risk. Review mitigations before proceeding. | PIC and dispatcher review. |
| High | Significant risk. Requires management review and additional mitigations. | Management approval required. |
| Critical | Unacceptable risk without substantial mitigations. | Chief pilot or DO approval required. Flight may be cancelled. |
FRAT Risk Categories
The FRAT scoring evaluates six categories. Each category contributes to the total score:
| Category | Factors Assessed |
|---|
| Weather | Ceiling, visibility, winds, icing, turbulence, thunderstorms |
| Crew | Experience, fatigue, currency, familiarity with route/aircraft |
| Aircraft | MEL deferrals, maintenance status, equipment limitations |
| Route | Terrain, airspace complexity, alternate availability, distance |
| Time | Time of day, duty time elapsed, circadian factors |
| Operational | Passenger requirements, schedule pressure, special cargo |
FRAT assessments are linked to specific trips and optionally to specific legs. High-risk
assessments appear as alerts on the dispatch board and in the trip detail timeline.
Dispatch Compliance Gate
Before an aircraft can transition from Available to Dispatched, the system runs a set of pre-departure compliance checks. If any check fails, dispatch is blocked until the issue is resolved.
| Check | Regulation | What it verifies |
|---|
| Crew duty time | 14 CFR 135.267 | No crew member exceeds the 14-hour duty day or 8-hour flight time limit. |
| Crew currency | 14 CFR 135.243 | PIC instrument proficiency, recurrent training, and medical certificate are current. |
| Recurrent training | 14 CFR 135.293 | All assigned crew have completed required recurrent training. |
| eAPIS filing | 19 CFR 122.49a | For international flights, eAPIS manifest has been filed with CBP. |
| FRAT score | AC 120-92D | Flight Risk Assessment score is within acceptable limits or has management approval. |
| Dual authorization | 14 CFR 135.77 | Both dispatcher and PIC have independently approved the operational release. |
Compliance Gate States
| State | Meaning |
|---|
| Clear | All checks passed. Dispatch may proceed. |
| Warning | Approaching a limit (e.g., crew at 80% duty time). Dispatch allowed with review. |
| Blocked | One or more checks failed. Dispatch is blocked until resolved. |
Duty time overrides are available under 14 CFR 135.267(c) for unforeseen circumstances. Overrides
require a documented reason and are recorded in the audit trail for regulatory review.
How Dispatch Statuses Differ from Trip Statuses
Trip statuses track the administrative lifecycle of a trip (Draft through Completed). Dispatch statuses track the real-time operational state of the aircraft and the risk assessment approval workflow. A single trip may involve multiple dispatch state transitions as the aircraft moves through Available, Dispatched, Airborne, and Arriving for each leg.
| Aspect | Trip Status | Dispatch State | FRAT Status |
|---|
| Scope | Entire trip (all legs) | Single aircraft, current moment | Single assessment per trip/leg |
| Transitions | Manual (dispatcher/admin) | Automatic (tracking) + manual | Manual (assessor/reviewer) |
| Terminal states | Completed, Cancelled | None (cycles continuously) | Approved |
| Regulatory role | Operational control | Situational awareness | Risk management (AC 120-92D) |
Trip Statuses
Trip lifecycle statuses and transition rules.
Aircraft Statuses
Fleet-level aircraft availability statuses.
Use the Dispatch Board
Monitor aircraft dispatch states in real time.
Conduct a FRAT
Complete a Flight Risk Assessment before departure.
