FAA Aircraft Dispatcher (ADX) flashcards

The ceiling is the height of the lowest layer of clouds reported as broken, overcast, or an obscuration (vertical visibility), regardless of higher cloud layers.

• Only BKN, OVC, or VV count as a ceiling
• The lowest qualifying layer defines the ceiling
• FEW and SCT layers never count as a ceiling

Memory trick: 'Broken or Blocked, that's the Deck' — lowest BKN/OVC is your ceiling.

Default weather minimums used to qualify an airport as an alternate when no other alternate minimums are published, based on approach type available.

• Precision approach available: 600-foot ceiling, 2 SM visibility
• Nonprecision approach only: 800-foot ceiling, 2 SM visibility
• No instrument approach: must allow descent, approach, and landing under VFR

Memory trick: 'Six hundred, Eight hundred' — precision beats nonprecision by 200 feet

Requires turbine-powered Part 121 airplanes with more than 30 passenger seats to carry TCAS II for collision avoidance.

• Provides both traffic and resolution advisories
• Requires automatic altitude reporting capability
• Smaller commuter aircraft may use TCAS I instead

Memory trick: Thirty-plus seats means Two-CAS (TCAS II) is a must.

The leading edge of cool, gusty outflow air spreading out from a thunderstorm's downdraft, often producing a sudden wind shift and temperature drop ahead of the storm.

• Caused by thunderstorm downdraft outflow reaching the surface
• Can occur well ahead of the parent storm and its precipitation
• Often marked by a shelf cloud or roll cloud at the leading edge

Memory trick: Gust front = the storm's cold breath rushing out ahead of it.

Specifies the fuel reserve for supplemental turbine-powered (non-turboprop) flights when no alternate airport is required.

• Base fuel to destination plus 10% of total enroute time
• Distinct from flag ops' 10% + 30-minute rule
• Distinct from domestic ops' fixed 45-minute reserve

Memory trick: "Supplemental with no alternate? Add a Tenth."

A standard rate turn is a turn of 3 degrees per second, completing a 360-degree turn in 2 minutes; approximate bank angle equals TAS/10 plus 7.

• Rate: 3 degrees per second (2-minute turn)
• Bank angle rule of thumb: (TAS/10) + 7
• Used for holding patterns and procedure turns

Memory trick: 'Divide by 10, add lucky 7' to find the bank.

An altitude depicted on instrument approach charts providing 1,000 feet of obstacle clearance within a specified radius (typically 25 NM) of a reference facility, intended for emergency use only.

• Provides 1,000 ft obstacle clearance, not navigation guidance
• Typically based on a 25 NM radius from a facility or fix
• For emergency use only — not for normal approach or vectoring
• May be divided into sectors if terrain/obstacles vary

Memory trick: 'MSA = My Safety Anchor' — emergency backup, not a flight plan altitude

Condensation trails form when hot, moist engine exhaust mixes with cold ambient air; persistence requires the surrounding air to already be near ice saturation.

• Requires cold temperatures typically below -40°C
• Persistent contrails indicate high relative humidity aloft
• Non-persistent (short) contrails indicate dry air at altitude

Memory trick: Cold + wet sky = contrail stays; warm + dry sky = contrail fades fast.

An FAA-approved document permitting dispatch with specified inoperative equipment provided maintenance and operational procedures are followed, including placarding and logbook entries.

• MEL items are categorized A, B, C, D by allowable repair interval
• Placard must be installed at the item location if required
• Maintenance record entry documents the deferral
• Item must be deactivated/removed if the MEL specifies this action

Memory trick: Placard it, Log it, Deactivate it — three steps before you fly with it broken

In non-radar oceanic airspace, pilots must report at each compulsory reporting point with position, time, altitude, and next position/ETA to enable procedural separation.

• Required because radar coverage is unavailable over oceanic areas
• Report includes aircraft ID, position, time, altitude, next position/ETA, and following significant point
• Used to maintain longitudinal and lateral separation procedurally
• CPDLC/ADS-C may automate reporting on modern equipped aircraft

Memory trick: 'PTA-Next' — Position, Time, Altitude, Next point with ETA

Fog formed when cold air moves over significantly warmer water, causing evaporation that saturates the air directly above the surface and produces visible rising wisps.

• Requires cold air over much warmer water
• Common in polar and high-latitude regions in fall/winter
• Can contribute to icing and low-level instability near the surface

Memory trick: Steam fog: warm water 'sweats' into cold air like a hot cup of coffee.

Runway gradient affects acceleration during takeoff roll; upslope increases takeoff distance required, downslope decreases it.

• Upslope opposes acceleration, increasing TODR
• Downslope aids acceleration, decreasing TODR
• Slope correction factors are found in aircraft performance manuals

Memory trick: Uphill takeoff = uphill battle — more runway needed.

Lines on a constant pressure chart connecting points of equal height for a given pressure surface (e.g., 500 mb); closely spaced contours indicate strong winds, similar to isobars on a surface chart.

• Contour spacing is inversely related to wind speed
• Tightly packed contours indicate the jet stream core
• Used to identify troughs, ridges, and wind patterns aloft

Memory trick: Tight lines, tight winds — jet stream squeezes through the gap.

Fog that forms when warm, moist air moves horizontally over a colder surface, cooling to the dew point.

• Requires wind to advect the air mass (unlike radiation fog)
• Common along coastlines and over cold ocean currents
• Can be widespread and persist with wind, unlike radiation fog which dissipates with sun/wind

Memory trick: 'ADvection = Air Drifts' over cold ground to make fog.

A type of structural icing formed by large supercooled water droplets, such as freezing rain, that spread out and freeze slowly into a smooth, dense, transparent layer that adheres strongly to aircraft surfaces.

• Forms from large supercooled droplets, common in freezing rain and cumuliform clouds
• Smooth, hard, transparent, and difficult to remove
• Most hazardous icing type due to weight and effect on aerodynamics

Memory trick: 'Clear ice is Crystal-clear and Clingy, Rime ice is Rough and Rigid.'

Airframe icing disrupts airflow, increasing stall speed, decreasing lift, increasing drag, and degrading overall aircraft performance and controllability.

• Increases stall speed
• Decreases maximum lift coefficient
• Increases drag and reduces climb performance

Memory trick: 'Ice steals lift and adds weight to the wing's job.'

A 6-level scale (VIP 1-6) categorizing radar echo intensity from light to extreme, used to assess thunderstorm hazard severity for flight planning.

• Levels 1-2: light to moderate precipitation, minimal hazard
• Levels 3-6: heavy to extreme, associated with severe turbulence and hail
• FAA recommends 20 NM lateral clearance from cells VIP Level 3 or greater

Memory trick: Level 3 and up? Stay 20 NM away, no exceptions.

The point along a route where the time required to continue to destination equals the time required to return to the departure point, used for critical fuel/route decisions.

• ETP distance (from departure) = D x GS-back / (GS-out + GS-back)
• Also called Critical Point (CP) in some contexts
• Used heavily in ETOPS and overwater dispatch planning
• Depends on both distance and the two direction-dependent ground speeds

Memory trick: Equal Time = Equal Cost either way you fly

The height to which a surface parcel must be heated before it becomes buoyant and rises to saturation, marking the expected base of cumulus clouds formed by daytime heating.

• Found on a Skew-T by intersecting the surface dew point mixing ratio line with the environmental temperature curve
• Differs from the LCL, which applies to a mechanically lifted, unsaturated parcel
• The convective temperature is the surface temperature needed to reach the CCL

Memory trick: CCL = Cooking (heating) the surface Creates clouds Level

Pressure altitude is field elevation corrected for nonstandard altimeter setting; approximately 1,000 ft per inch of Hg difference from 29.92.

• Higher-than-standard altimeter setting lowers pressure altitude
• Lower-than-standard altimeter setting raises pressure altitude
• Rule of thumb: 1 in. Hg ≈ 1,000 feet
• Used for performance charts requiring pressure altitude input

Memory trick: High pressure pushes altitude DOWN; low pressure lets it rise

Regulation limiting scheduled aircraft dispatcher duty periods to protect against fatigue in Part 121 operations.

• Maximum 10 consecutive scheduled duty hours in 24 hours
• Relief dispatcher required if duty must extend beyond 10 hours
• Rest requirements exist before beginning a new duty period

Memory trick: 'Ten and done' — dispatcher duty caps at 10 hours

Rule establishing minimum flight crew based on type certification and workload analysis for a specific airplane and operation.

• Based on type certification and workload studies
• Considers accessibility of controls and crew duties
• Documented in Ops Specs and Airplane Flight Manual

Memory trick: Crew size comes from certification, not company convenience.

For turbojets under Part 121, the landing distance required at the destination (and alternate) may not exceed 60% of the landing distance available on a dry runway.

• Applies to turbojet aircraft under 14 CFR 121.195
• Landing distance required ≤ 60% of landing distance available
• Wet runway rules may require additional distance beyond the dry calculation

Memory trick: 'Six of ten, use it, then you're in.'

Requires pilots in command to be specially qualified for airports designated as having unusual characteristics, either by a recent landing or a pictorial presentation.

• Applies to airports designated by the Administrator
• Qualification via landing within 12 months OR pictorial presentation
• Pictorial means includes photos/diagrams reviewed within 12 months

Memory trick: "No landing? Look at the pictures instead — within the year."

Specific range measures how many nautical miles an aircraft travels per unit of fuel consumed, calculated as TAS divided by fuel flow.

• Formula: Specific range = TAS ÷ fuel flow
• Often expressed as NM per 1,000 or per pound of fuel
• Higher specific range means more efficient cruise performance

Memory trick: 'Speed over burn tells you how far you'll turn.'

Scheduled Part 121 passenger/cargo service conducted within the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia.

• Domestic = scheduled, within 48 states + D.C.
• Flag = scheduled, outside that area or long distance routes
• Supplemental = nonscheduled/charter operations

Memory trick: D-F-S: Domestic stays home, Flag flies far, Supplemental is spontaneous.

ILS approaches are categorized by decreasing decision height and visibility requirements as ground and airborne equipment capability increases.

• CAT I: DH 200 ft, RVR 1800/2400 ft
• CAT II: DH 100 ft, RVR 1200 ft
• CAT IIIA: DH <100 ft or no DH, RVR 700 ft
• CAT IIIB: DH <50 ft or no DH, RVR 150 ft

Memory trick: 'I See Less' as category number increases — lower minimums each step.

A takeoff weight limitation imposed when high density altitude causes ground speed at rotation to approach or exceed the tire's certificated maximum speed.

• High density altitude increases TAS for a given IAS
• Higher TAS/ground speed at VR can exceed tire speed limits
• Reducing takeoff weight lowers required VR and ground speed

Memory trick: Thin air means fast tires — hot and high means slow down your weight.

A cruise speed schedule providing about 99% of maximum specific range at a higher true airspeed than max range speed, reducing flight time with minimal fuel cost.

• LRC speed is higher than max range speed
• Provides ~99% of max specific range
• Commonly used operationally to balance time and fuel efficiency

Memory trick: LRC = '99% range for a little more speed' — the best of both worlds.

Stability is determined by comparing the environmental lapse rate (ELR) to the dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR, ~3°C/1,000ft) and moist adiabatic lapse rate (MALR, ~1.5-2°C/1,000ft).

• ELR < MALR: absolutely stable
• ELR > DALR: absolutely unstable
• MALR < ELR < DALR: conditionally unstable

Memory trick: Between moist and dry, conditional lies

A step climb is a planned climb to a higher cruise altitude during flight, performed as aircraft weight decreases, to maintain proximity to the optimum altitude for fuel efficiency.

• Optimum altitude rises as weight decreases
• Requires ATC coordination/clearance
• Improves specific range over long flights

Memory trick: 'Lighter plane, higher lane' — climb steps track decreasing weight.

For non-WAAS GPS equipment used as the sole means of navigation, RAIM availability must be predicted before flight to ensure GPS integrity monitoring capability at the ETA.

• RAIM = Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring
• Required when GPS is sole means of navigation with non-WAAS equipment
• WAAS-equipped aircraft use a different integrity monitoring method, not classic RAIM prediction
• Prediction performed via avionics, FAA tools, or approved software before departure

Memory trick: RAIM checks the sky before you fly

A navigation rule of thumb stating that 1° of angular displacement equals approximately 1 NM of lateral offset per 60 NM of distance flown, used to compute course corrections.

• 1° ≈ 1 NM per 60 NM traveled
• Parallel correction re-establishes track direction
• Convergence correction closes lateral displacement over a chosen distance

Memory trick: Sixty to one: one degree, one mile, every sixty miles you fly.

Fuel reserve rule for Part 121 flag operations requiring destination fuel, 10% contingency, alternate fuel, and 30-minute holding reserve.

• Fuel to destination first
• Plus 10% contingency of trip time
• Then fuel to alternate, plus 30 min holding at 1,500 ft

Memory trick: Flag flights: ten percent extra, then thirty more circling above the alternate.

Standardized PIREP categories (light, moderate, severe, extreme) describe turbulence based on effects on occupants and aircraft control.

• Light: slight, erratic changes in altitude/attitude, slight strain felt
• Moderate: definite strains, dislodged objects, aircraft remains in control
• Severe: large abrupt changes, possible momentary loss of control
• Extreme: violent tossing, aircraft may be impossible to control, structural damage possible

Memory trick: Light shakes, Moderate strains, Severe throws, Extreme breaks.

An occluded front forms when a fast-moving cold front overtakes a slower warm front. It is classified as cold-type if the overtaking air is colder than the air ahead, or warm-type if the overtaking air is warmer than the air ahead.

• Cold-type occlusion: overtaking cold air is colder than the air it displaces, common in central/eastern regions
• Warm-type occlusion: overtaking air is milder than the air ahead, common along the Pacific Coast
• Occluded fronts often bring extended periods of precipitation and cloudiness

Memory trick: 'Warm-type occlusion: the sneaky new air is Warmer, so it rides up and over — like on the West coast.'

Precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates in dry air before reaching the ground, sometimes associated with dry microbursts.

• Occurs when air below cloud base is very dry
• Evaporative cooling can accelerate a downdraft
• Associated hazard: dry microbursts, especially in arid regions

Memory trick: Virga vanishes before it lands — but the cold air it drops can slam you

The highest crosswind velocity component demonstrated during aircraft certification testing; it is not an official operating limitation.

• Found in the AFM, but not a certified limitation
• PIC retains authority to accept or decline higher crosswinds
• Dispatchers should advise crews but cannot forbid dispatch solely on this value

Memory trick: 'Demonstrated' means tested, not a wall — PIC makes the final call.

Requires PICs and SICs carrying passengers to have made 3 takeoffs and landings in the same type within the preceding 90 days, or in an approved simulator.

• Applies to both PIC and SIC
• 90-day rolling window
• Simulator credit is acceptable if approved

Memory trick: Ninety days, three landings—or the pilot sits this one out.

Baggage carried in the passenger cabin must be stowed at an approved location that does not block aisles or emergency exits and must be secured for takeoff and landing.

• Applies to all cabin baggage, not just carry-ons in overhead bins
• Must not obstruct aisle or exit access
• Must be restrained so it cannot shift during flight

Memory trick: 'Bags block nothing — exits stay open.'

Default IFR alternate weather minimums when none are published: 600-2 for precision approaches, 800-2 for nonprecision-only airports.

• 600-2 = ceiling 600 ft, visibility 2 SM (precision)
• 800-2 = ceiling 800 ft, visibility 2 SM (nonprecision)
• Used only when airport has no published alternate minimums

Memory trick: 'Six hundred, precise; eight hundred, less nice.'

When departure weather is below landing minimums, a takeoff alternate must be within 1 hour (two-engine airplanes) or 2 hours (more than two engines) at one-engine-inoperative cruising speed in still air.

• Applies when departure weather is below landing minimums
• 2-engine airplanes: 1 hour OEI cruise time limit
• 3+ engine airplanes: 2 hour OEI cruise time limit

Memory trick: 'Two engines, one hour; more engines, double the power.'

A rule of thumb used to estimate top-of-descent distance: approximately 3 NM of ground distance for each 1,000 feet of altitude to be lost.

• Distance (NM) = Altitude to lose (in thousands) x 3
• Add extra distance for deceleration/level-off segments
• Used for quick in-flight or planning estimates, not precise FMS calculations
• Wind and speed changes affect actual required distance

Memory trick: 3 miles down for every thousand feet — then add a cushion

Flight operations conducted more than 50 NM from the nearest shoreline, requiring additional survival equipment under 14 CFR 121.339.

• Defined in 14 CFR 1.1 as >50 NM from shoreline
• Requires life rafts sufficient for all occupants
• Also requires life preservers, ELT, and pyrotechnic signaling devices

Memory trick: Fifty miles from shore, and you'd better have more (rafts, vests, flares).

LPV minimums use WAAS (a form of SBAS) to provide precision-like lateral and vertical guidance on an RNAV (GPS) approach, achieving ILS-like decision altitudes without ground-based glide slope equipment.

• Requires WAAS-enabled GPS receiver
• Provides angular guidance similar to ILS glideslope
• Distinct from LNAV/VNAV, which may use baro-VNAV
• Can achieve DA as low as 200 ft in some cases

Memory trick: 'LPV Loves Satellites' — WAAS in the sky replaces the glide slope on the ground.

NOTAMs issued by the FAA's National Flight Data Center that contain regulatory changes, including amendments to instrument approach procedures, minimums, and temporary flight restrictions.

• Issued by the National Flight Data Center
• Include IAP amendments and TFRs
• Distinct from NOTAM (D)s, which cover airport/navaid status

Memory trick: FDC = 'Flight rule changes come from the Center.'

Airplanes with more than 19 passenger seats must have a crewmember interphone system connecting the flight crew compartment with each required flight attendant station.

• Threshold: more than 19 passenger seats
• Connects cockpit to each required FA station
• Separate from the passenger-facing PA system (121.318)

Memory trick: 'Nineteen seats, interphone greets.'

Fuel required for holding equals fuel flow rate multiplied by the planned holding time expressed in hours.

• Formula: Fuel = Fuel Flow × Time (hrs)
• Convert minutes to a decimal fraction of an hour
• Holding fuel is planned in addition to trip, reserve, and alternate fuel

Memory trick: Fuel flow × time = fuel burned — simple multiplication, just watch your units.

A standardized way of expressing CG location as a percentage of the chord length, independent of aircraft type, used to verify CG is within certified limits.

• %MAC = (CG station - LEMAC)/MAC length x 100
• LEMAC = Leading Edge of Mean Aerodynamic Chord station
• Loading manifests/W&B forms plot CG as %MAC vs weight
• Must fall within forward/aft CG envelope limits

Memory trick: LEMAC is the starting line; %MAC is how far down the track the CG sits

As altitude increases and air density decreases, true airspeed (TAS) becomes progressively greater than calibrated airspeed (CAS) for the same dynamic pressure reading.

• CAS reflects instrument-corrected dynamic pressure
• TAS = CAS adjusted for air density (via EAS)
• Divergence between CAS and TAS increases with altitude

Memory trick: 'Thin air, fast plane' — as density drops, TAS climbs above CAS.

Cargo/baggage compartments are classified A through E based on fire detection and suppression capability; Class C requires both a detection system and a built-in extinguishing system controllable from the cockpit.

• Class A: visible to crew, hand extinguisher only
• Class B: detector + crew access + hand extinguisher
• Class C: detector + built-in extinguishing system, cockpit-controlled
• Class E: cargo-only airplanes, requires ventilation shutoff, no built-in suppression

Memory trick: 'A sees it, B reaches it, C suppresses it, E starves it of air.'

A pilot report prefixed with 'UUA' indicating urgent weather information such as severe turbulence, severe icing, hail, low-level wind shear, tornadoes, or volcanic ash, requiring immediate distribution.

• 'UA' = routine PIREP, 'UUA' = urgent PIREP
• Urgent criteria include severe turbulence/icing, hail, wind shear, funnel clouds, volcanic ash
• Urgent PIREPs must be given priority handling by ATC and flight service

Memory trick: Double U in 'UUA' means 'urgent, urgent, act now!'

Fog that forms when moist, stable air is forced to rise along sloping terrain, cooling adiabatically to the point of saturation.

• Requires wind to push air up terrain (not calm like radiation fog)
• Can occur day or night, and even through cloud cover
• Common on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

Memory trick: Upslope fog: air climbs the hill and cools itself into a cloud — 'hill-chill fog'.

An ETOPS fuel planning requirement assuming an engine failure and cabin decompression occur simultaneously at the most critical point, requiring diversion at a lower altitude with higher fuel burn.

• Combines engine failure + decompression simultaneously
• Evaluated at the most critical point (often the equal-time point)
• Drives diversion altitude and fuel reserve calculations for ETOPS routes

Memory trick: 'Worst case: lose an engine AND the cabin, all at once, far from land.'

Turbulence caused by strong wind flow perpendicular to a mountain ridge in a stable atmosphere, creating oscillating wave patterns downwind.

• Requires wind ≥25 kt roughly perpendicular to ridge and stable air aloft
• Lenticular clouds mark wave crests; rotor clouds mark turbulent rotors near the surface
• Can produce severe to extreme turbulence and strong up/downdrafts

Memory trick: Stable air + strong wind over a ridge = waves like water over rocks.

A 5-category scale classifying hurricane intensity based on maximum sustained wind speed, used to estimate potential damage.

• Category 1: 64-82 kt
• Category 3: 96-112 kt (major hurricane threshold)
• Category 5: 137 kt or greater

Memory trick: 1-2 minor, 3-5 major: '96 and up gets rough.'

Freezing rain forms when snow melts in a warm layer aloft and refreezes near the surface; freezing drizzle forms in shallow all-liquid stratus clouds with small supercooled droplets and no melting layer.

• Freezing rain: warm layer aloft melts snow into rain
• Freezing drizzle: shallow stratus, small supercooled droplets, no melting layer
• Both cause hazardous clear ice accretion on aircraft surfaces

Memory trick: Rain melts then refreezes; drizzle never melts, just stays cold and small.

A report from a pilot describing actual in-flight weather conditions encountered, transmitted to ATC/FSS for dissemination to other users.

• Includes location, time, altitude, aircraft type, and conditions like turbulence/icing
• Urgent PIREPs (UUA) report severe turbulence, icing, wind shear, or low-level windshear
• Filled out using the standard PIREP format elements

Memory trick: 'Pilots Inform Real-time Environmental Perceptions' — real data from real skies.

Minimum requirements a person must meet under 14 CFR Part 65 to be issued an FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Certificate.

• Minimum age is 23 years
• Must read, write, speak, and understand English
• Must complete an approved training course or have qualifying experience, and pass required tests

Memory trick: '23 and free' — dispatcher age minimum

A local wind circulation caused by differential heating between land and water, with cooler air flowing onshore during the day.

• Land heats faster than water, creating a thermal low over land by afternoon
• Cooler, denser marine air flows onshore to replace rising warm air
• Reverses at night as a land breeze once land cools faster than water

Memory trick: Land heats fast, air rises, sea air rushes in—'sea breeze by three.'