FAA AIRCRAFT DISPATCHER COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔How is a surface analysis chart used? - ✔✔It is used to determine sky cover, the
types of clouds. SLP, pressure change, precip, temp/dew point, present wx, wind. They
can be used to locate the jetstream, turbulence, and wind shear.
✔✔What is the relationship between isobars and surface winds? - ✔✔The closer the
isobars are together, the stronger the winds will be.
✔✔How often is a Weather depiction chart issued? - ✔✔Every 3 hours starting at 01Z
✔✔What is a weather depiction chart? - ✔✔A weather chart to be used for flight
planning by giving an overall picture of the WX across the US.
,✔✔What is a Radar summary chart? - ✔✔A radar summary chart is a graphically
depicted collection of radar weather reports.
✔✔Does the Radar summary chart depict forecast conditions, or observed conditions?
How often? - ✔✔Observed, hourly.
✔✔What is the difference between visible and infrared Satellite imagery? - ✔✔The
visible images display cloud cover. The infrared images display the earth in a manner
that correlates with temperature. Generally speaking, the warmer an object, the more
infrared energy it emits.
✔✔What does water vapor imagery show on the Satellite imagery? - ✔✔The water
vapor images display the earth in a manner that correlates to quantity of water vapor in
the upper portions of the atmosphere (25,000 feet and higher in general). The most
useful information to be gained from the water vapor images is the locations of storm
systems and the jet stream.
✔✔What do the Valid Times indicate?
(on a prog chart) - ✔✔12 and 24 hours. They indicate that the prog chart is valid for 12
hours from the time issued, or 24 hours from the time issued.
✔✔How many times are Prog charts issued? - ✔✔4 times a day. 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, 18Z.
✔✔Is a prog chart a forecast or a depiction of actual conditions? - ✔✔Forecast.
Remember "to prognosticate" means "to forecast"
✔✔What kinds of weather/hazards are shown on the low level prog chart? - ✔✔Precip,
icing, turbulence, thunderstorms, tropical storms, hurricanes IFR/MVFR conditions,
areas of high/low pressure, different types of fronts.
✔✔What is a cold front? - ✔✔The leading edge of an advancing cold air mass
✔✔What clouds are associated with a cold front? - ✔✔Cumulus and cumulonimbus
✔✔What weather is associated with a cold front? - ✔✔Thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes,
good visibility.
✔✔What discontinuities are associated with a cold front? - ✔✔-Temp: Cold air
advances and overtakes warm air.
-Pressure: Pressure will drop then rises abruptly after the front passes.
- Windshift
✔✔What is a warm front? - ✔✔The leading edge of an advancing warm air mass.
, ✔✔What clouds are associated with a warm front? - ✔✔Stratus clouds. Nimbostratus,
altostratus, cirrostratus, cirrus.
✔✔What type of weather is associated with a warm front? - ✔✔Continuous rain,
Drizzles, poor visibility.
✔✔What type of weather is associated with a stationary front? - ✔✔Several days of
overcast weather (stratus clouds) and drizzle, nothing severe.
✔✔What type of front is associated with a temperature inversion? - ✔✔An occluded
front. This is because the advancing cold airmass sinks below the warm airmass and
pushes the warm airmass up above the cold airmass. This creates an inversion
because the warm air will be above the cold airmass and therefore temperature will
increase as altitude increases.
✔✔What is a temperature inversion? - ✔✔A temperature inversion is when temperature
increase with altitude rather than decrease with altitude. Inversions are common in the
stratosphere.
✔✔What is an airmass? - ✔✔a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor
content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adapt to
the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude
and their continental or maritime source regions.
✔✔What weather is associated with a warm front? - ✔✔continuous rain and drizzle
✔✔What discontinuities are associated with a warm front? - ✔✔-Temp: Warm air
-Pressure: Pressure usually drops abruptly.
✔✔What is an occluded front? - ✔✔an occluded front is a front that is made up of 3 air
masses. 2 cold air masses (cold and cool), and one warm air mass. All the air masses
are all moving in the same direction.
✔✔How and why does a temperature inversion occur in an occluded front? - ✔✔A
temperature inversion occurs in an occluded front because the cold air masses push the
warm air mass up and above them, therefore warmer air will exist as altitude increases.
✔✔What is a stationary front? - ✔✔A stationary front is when an advancing warm
airmass and an advancing cold airmass converge and one is not strong enough to
overtake the other so the air masses become stationary.
✔✔What is an Isobar? - ✔✔An Isobar is a line of equal pressure reduced to sea level.
Since pressure varies with altitude, we cannot readily compare station pressures
2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔How is a surface analysis chart used? - ✔✔It is used to determine sky cover, the
types of clouds. SLP, pressure change, precip, temp/dew point, present wx, wind. They
can be used to locate the jetstream, turbulence, and wind shear.
✔✔What is the relationship between isobars and surface winds? - ✔✔The closer the
isobars are together, the stronger the winds will be.
✔✔How often is a Weather depiction chart issued? - ✔✔Every 3 hours starting at 01Z
✔✔What is a weather depiction chart? - ✔✔A weather chart to be used for flight
planning by giving an overall picture of the WX across the US.
,✔✔What is a Radar summary chart? - ✔✔A radar summary chart is a graphically
depicted collection of radar weather reports.
✔✔Does the Radar summary chart depict forecast conditions, or observed conditions?
How often? - ✔✔Observed, hourly.
✔✔What is the difference between visible and infrared Satellite imagery? - ✔✔The
visible images display cloud cover. The infrared images display the earth in a manner
that correlates with temperature. Generally speaking, the warmer an object, the more
infrared energy it emits.
✔✔What does water vapor imagery show on the Satellite imagery? - ✔✔The water
vapor images display the earth in a manner that correlates to quantity of water vapor in
the upper portions of the atmosphere (25,000 feet and higher in general). The most
useful information to be gained from the water vapor images is the locations of storm
systems and the jet stream.
✔✔What do the Valid Times indicate?
(on a prog chart) - ✔✔12 and 24 hours. They indicate that the prog chart is valid for 12
hours from the time issued, or 24 hours from the time issued.
✔✔How many times are Prog charts issued? - ✔✔4 times a day. 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, 18Z.
✔✔Is a prog chart a forecast or a depiction of actual conditions? - ✔✔Forecast.
Remember "to prognosticate" means "to forecast"
✔✔What kinds of weather/hazards are shown on the low level prog chart? - ✔✔Precip,
icing, turbulence, thunderstorms, tropical storms, hurricanes IFR/MVFR conditions,
areas of high/low pressure, different types of fronts.
✔✔What is a cold front? - ✔✔The leading edge of an advancing cold air mass
✔✔What clouds are associated with a cold front? - ✔✔Cumulus and cumulonimbus
✔✔What weather is associated with a cold front? - ✔✔Thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes,
good visibility.
✔✔What discontinuities are associated with a cold front? - ✔✔-Temp: Cold air
advances and overtakes warm air.
-Pressure: Pressure will drop then rises abruptly after the front passes.
- Windshift
✔✔What is a warm front? - ✔✔The leading edge of an advancing warm air mass.
, ✔✔What clouds are associated with a warm front? - ✔✔Stratus clouds. Nimbostratus,
altostratus, cirrostratus, cirrus.
✔✔What type of weather is associated with a warm front? - ✔✔Continuous rain,
Drizzles, poor visibility.
✔✔What type of weather is associated with a stationary front? - ✔✔Several days of
overcast weather (stratus clouds) and drizzle, nothing severe.
✔✔What type of front is associated with a temperature inversion? - ✔✔An occluded
front. This is because the advancing cold airmass sinks below the warm airmass and
pushes the warm airmass up above the cold airmass. This creates an inversion
because the warm air will be above the cold airmass and therefore temperature will
increase as altitude increases.
✔✔What is a temperature inversion? - ✔✔A temperature inversion is when temperature
increase with altitude rather than decrease with altitude. Inversions are common in the
stratosphere.
✔✔What is an airmass? - ✔✔a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor
content. Air masses cover many hundreds or thousands of square miles, and adapt to
the characteristics of the surface below them. They are classified according to latitude
and their continental or maritime source regions.
✔✔What weather is associated with a warm front? - ✔✔continuous rain and drizzle
✔✔What discontinuities are associated with a warm front? - ✔✔-Temp: Warm air
-Pressure: Pressure usually drops abruptly.
✔✔What is an occluded front? - ✔✔an occluded front is a front that is made up of 3 air
masses. 2 cold air masses (cold and cool), and one warm air mass. All the air masses
are all moving in the same direction.
✔✔How and why does a temperature inversion occur in an occluded front? - ✔✔A
temperature inversion occurs in an occluded front because the cold air masses push the
warm air mass up and above them, therefore warmer air will exist as altitude increases.
✔✔What is a stationary front? - ✔✔A stationary front is when an advancing warm
airmass and an advancing cold airmass converge and one is not strong enough to
overtake the other so the air masses become stationary.
✔✔What is an Isobar? - ✔✔An Isobar is a line of equal pressure reduced to sea level.
Since pressure varies with altitude, we cannot readily compare station pressures
