FAA AIRCRAFT DISPATCHER 2026/2027 QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What is Pressure Altitude? - ✔✔For pressure altitude, set the window in your
altimeter to 29.92. Whatever value it reads is pressure altitude.
✔✔What is Density Altitude? - ✔✔pressure altitude corrected for non-standard
temperature.
✔✔What is true altitude? - ✔✔This is the height above "mean sea level"
✔✔What is absolute altitude? - ✔✔Absolute altitude is your height above the ground.
✔✔Describe circulations associated with high pressure systems. - ✔✔High pressure =
clockwise circulations
(Anti-cyclones)
✔✔Describe circulations associated with low pressure systems. - ✔✔Low pressure =
counter-clockwise circulations
(Cyclones)
✔✔How often are SIGMETs and AIRMETs issued? - ✔✔AIRMETs:
Scheduled - every 6 hours starting at 0145Z
Max Forecast period - 6 hours
SIGMETs:
Unscheduled - as needed
Max Forecast period - 4 hours
✔✔Once issued, how long are SIGMETs good for? - ✔✔4 hours
✔✔How often are convective SIGMETs issued?
What are the locations?
How long are they good for? - ✔✔Convective SIGMETs issued every hour. If there are
none, it will say none.
Locations: Western Central East.
Valid for 2 hours.
✔✔What is a WX depiction chart?
How often are WX depiction charts issued?
What times are they issued? - ✔✔Lets you know IFR and VFR conditions.
WX depiction are issued 8 times a day every 3 hours
starting at 0100z.
, ✔✔How often are Radar summery charts issued? - ✔✔Radar summary charts are
issued every hour.
✔✔Are AIRMETs scheduled? How long are they good for? - ✔✔AIRMETS ARE
scheduled 255, 855, 1455, 2055. They are good for 6 hours.
✔✔What are SIGMETs? - ✔✔A SIGMET is issued to alert pilots of potential hazardous
WX not adequately issued in an area forecast.
- Severe and extreme turbulence
- Severe icing
- Widespread dust storms, sandstorms, or VA lowering visibility to below 3 miles.
✔✔What are AIRMETs? - ✔✔An AIRMET is issued to alert pilots of potential hazardous
WX not adequately issued in an area forecast.
-Moderate icing
-Moderate turbulence
-Sustained winds of 30+knots at the surface
-Widespread areas of ceilings less than 1,000 feet or visibilities of less than 3 miles.
- Extensive mountain obscurement.
✔✔What are convective SIGMETs? - ✔✔A Convective SIGMET is issued to alert pilots
of potential hazardous WX not adequately issued in an area forecast.
- Tornadoes
- Lines of T-storms
- Embedded thunderstorms
- T-storms areas greater or equal to intensity level 4
- Hail greater than 3/4 of an inch in diameter
✔✔What is an area forecast? (FA) - ✔✔Expected VMC, clouds, and general WX
conditions over an area the size of several states. FA's should be used in conjunction
with AIRMETs SIGMETs, and convective SIGMETs to get a full picture.
✔✔What locations are SIGMETs issued for? - ✔✔SFO - San Francisco
SLC - Salt Lake City
DFW - Dallas Fort Worth
MIA - Miami
CHI - Chicago
BOS - Boston
✔✔What are the three types of AIRMETs? - ✔✔Airmet Sierra (S) - (Mountain
obscuration or IFR) ceilings less than 1000 feet and/or visibility less than 3 miles
affecting over 50% of the area at one time; extensive mountain obscuration
Airmet Tango (T) - (Turbulence) - Light - moderate turbulence, sustained surface winds
of 30 knots or more.
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔What is Pressure Altitude? - ✔✔For pressure altitude, set the window in your
altimeter to 29.92. Whatever value it reads is pressure altitude.
✔✔What is Density Altitude? - ✔✔pressure altitude corrected for non-standard
temperature.
✔✔What is true altitude? - ✔✔This is the height above "mean sea level"
✔✔What is absolute altitude? - ✔✔Absolute altitude is your height above the ground.
✔✔Describe circulations associated with high pressure systems. - ✔✔High pressure =
clockwise circulations
(Anti-cyclones)
✔✔Describe circulations associated with low pressure systems. - ✔✔Low pressure =
counter-clockwise circulations
(Cyclones)
✔✔How often are SIGMETs and AIRMETs issued? - ✔✔AIRMETs:
Scheduled - every 6 hours starting at 0145Z
Max Forecast period - 6 hours
SIGMETs:
Unscheduled - as needed
Max Forecast period - 4 hours
✔✔Once issued, how long are SIGMETs good for? - ✔✔4 hours
✔✔How often are convective SIGMETs issued?
What are the locations?
How long are they good for? - ✔✔Convective SIGMETs issued every hour. If there are
none, it will say none.
Locations: Western Central East.
Valid for 2 hours.
✔✔What is a WX depiction chart?
How often are WX depiction charts issued?
What times are they issued? - ✔✔Lets you know IFR and VFR conditions.
WX depiction are issued 8 times a day every 3 hours
starting at 0100z.
, ✔✔How often are Radar summery charts issued? - ✔✔Radar summary charts are
issued every hour.
✔✔Are AIRMETs scheduled? How long are they good for? - ✔✔AIRMETS ARE
scheduled 255, 855, 1455, 2055. They are good for 6 hours.
✔✔What are SIGMETs? - ✔✔A SIGMET is issued to alert pilots of potential hazardous
WX not adequately issued in an area forecast.
- Severe and extreme turbulence
- Severe icing
- Widespread dust storms, sandstorms, or VA lowering visibility to below 3 miles.
✔✔What are AIRMETs? - ✔✔An AIRMET is issued to alert pilots of potential hazardous
WX not adequately issued in an area forecast.
-Moderate icing
-Moderate turbulence
-Sustained winds of 30+knots at the surface
-Widespread areas of ceilings less than 1,000 feet or visibilities of less than 3 miles.
- Extensive mountain obscurement.
✔✔What are convective SIGMETs? - ✔✔A Convective SIGMET is issued to alert pilots
of potential hazardous WX not adequately issued in an area forecast.
- Tornadoes
- Lines of T-storms
- Embedded thunderstorms
- T-storms areas greater or equal to intensity level 4
- Hail greater than 3/4 of an inch in diameter
✔✔What is an area forecast? (FA) - ✔✔Expected VMC, clouds, and general WX
conditions over an area the size of several states. FA's should be used in conjunction
with AIRMETs SIGMETs, and convective SIGMETs to get a full picture.
✔✔What locations are SIGMETs issued for? - ✔✔SFO - San Francisco
SLC - Salt Lake City
DFW - Dallas Fort Worth
MIA - Miami
CHI - Chicago
BOS - Boston
✔✔What are the three types of AIRMETs? - ✔✔Airmet Sierra (S) - (Mountain
obscuration or IFR) ceilings less than 1000 feet and/or visibility less than 3 miles
affecting over 50% of the area at one time; extensive mountain obscuration
Airmet Tango (T) - (Turbulence) - Light - moderate turbulence, sustained surface winds
of 30 knots or more.
