FAA Flight Dispatcher ADX EXAM
Questions
and Answers Verified Solutions Latest
Update
Question:
What is a SPECI?
Answer:
A special METAR which is created in between the hourly METARs due to a change in
weather necessitating the change. -Change of winds necessitating a new runway. -WX
changing from IFR to VFR or VFR to IFR.
Question:
Do METARs describe actual or forecast conditions?
Answer:
METARs depict actual field conditions.
Question:
Define Radiation fog
Answer:
Shallow fog, ground fog. occurs on clear nights, little or no wind, and small temp/DP
spread (high relative humidity). Occurs at night or daybreak. Radiation cools the
ground. The ground cools the air. When the air is cooled to the dew-point, fog forms.
Question:
Define Advection fog
Answer:
This fog forms when moist air moves over colder ground or water. Common along the
coast.
,Question:
What is lake effect? Describe one major consequence of lake effect in winter.
Answer:
Air moving across a sizeable lake absorbs water vapor. Showers may appear on the
leeward side if the air is colder than the water. If the air is warmer than the water, fog
often develops on the leeward side. In the winter, lake effect snow is a concern
because as a cold front passes over the warmer lake water, snow, instead of showers
will occur.
Question:
What happens when the Temperature/dewpoint are very close?
Answer:
Small Temp/DP spread is essential to the formation of fog.
Question:
How often are TAFs issued?
Answer:
Valid for a 24-hour period, TAFs are issued four times daily at 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, and 18Z,
and updated as conditions warrant. TAFs include information about wind speed and
direction, visibility, present weather, ceilings, and low-level wind shear.
Question:
Why is it important to know when the various charts and reports are issued?
Answer:
Because you always need to use the most up to date information and knowing when
the next forecast is coming up is essential for making critcal flight decisions. For
instance, if it is 05:55Z, the TAF from 00Z is the most up-to-date forecast, however, in
only 5 minutes, the 06Z TAF will be the most up-to-date forecast and could contain
critical information.
,Question:
What is an Amended TAF?
Answer:
An amended TAF is issued when the current TAF no longer adequately describes the
ongoing weather or the forecaster feels the TAF is not representative of the current or
expected weather.
Question:
Which sky conditions are considered a ceiling?
Answer:
Broken, Overcast, VV (vertical visibility[indefinite ceiling])
Question:
How often is a surface analysis chart issued?
Answer:
starting at 00Z at 3 hour intervals. (8 times a day)
Question:
What are the primary features of a surface analysis chart?
Answer:
They show pressure patterns, fronts, and information on individual reporting stations.
The pressure patterns are shown by isobars. Isobars Pressure Systems Fronts Troughs
and Ridges Station Models
Question:
How is a surface analysis chart used?
Answer:
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.
, Question:
What is the relationship between isobars and surface winds?
Answer:
The closer the isobars are together, the stronger the winds will be.
Question:
How often is a Weather depiction chart issued?
Answer:
Every 3 hours starting at 01Z
Question:
What is a weather depiction chart?
Answer:
A weather chart to be used for flight planning by giving an overall picture of the WX
across the US.
Question:
What is a Radar summary chart?
Answer:
A radar summary chart is a graphically depicted collection of radar weather reports.
Question:
Does the Radar summary chart depict forecast conditions, or observed conditions? How
often?
Answer:
Observed, hourly.
Question:
What is the difference between visible and infrared Satellite imagery?
Answer:
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.
Questions
and Answers Verified Solutions Latest
Update
Question:
What is a SPECI?
Answer:
A special METAR which is created in between the hourly METARs due to a change in
weather necessitating the change. -Change of winds necessitating a new runway. -WX
changing from IFR to VFR or VFR to IFR.
Question:
Do METARs describe actual or forecast conditions?
Answer:
METARs depict actual field conditions.
Question:
Define Radiation fog
Answer:
Shallow fog, ground fog. occurs on clear nights, little or no wind, and small temp/DP
spread (high relative humidity). Occurs at night or daybreak. Radiation cools the
ground. The ground cools the air. When the air is cooled to the dew-point, fog forms.
Question:
Define Advection fog
Answer:
This fog forms when moist air moves over colder ground or water. Common along the
coast.
,Question:
What is lake effect? Describe one major consequence of lake effect in winter.
Answer:
Air moving across a sizeable lake absorbs water vapor. Showers may appear on the
leeward side if the air is colder than the water. If the air is warmer than the water, fog
often develops on the leeward side. In the winter, lake effect snow is a concern
because as a cold front passes over the warmer lake water, snow, instead of showers
will occur.
Question:
What happens when the Temperature/dewpoint are very close?
Answer:
Small Temp/DP spread is essential to the formation of fog.
Question:
How often are TAFs issued?
Answer:
Valid for a 24-hour period, TAFs are issued four times daily at 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, and 18Z,
and updated as conditions warrant. TAFs include information about wind speed and
direction, visibility, present weather, ceilings, and low-level wind shear.
Question:
Why is it important to know when the various charts and reports are issued?
Answer:
Because you always need to use the most up to date information and knowing when
the next forecast is coming up is essential for making critcal flight decisions. For
instance, if it is 05:55Z, the TAF from 00Z is the most up-to-date forecast, however, in
only 5 minutes, the 06Z TAF will be the most up-to-date forecast and could contain
critical information.
,Question:
What is an Amended TAF?
Answer:
An amended TAF is issued when the current TAF no longer adequately describes the
ongoing weather or the forecaster feels the TAF is not representative of the current or
expected weather.
Question:
Which sky conditions are considered a ceiling?
Answer:
Broken, Overcast, VV (vertical visibility[indefinite ceiling])
Question:
How often is a surface analysis chart issued?
Answer:
starting at 00Z at 3 hour intervals. (8 times a day)
Question:
What are the primary features of a surface analysis chart?
Answer:
They show pressure patterns, fronts, and information on individual reporting stations.
The pressure patterns are shown by isobars. Isobars Pressure Systems Fronts Troughs
and Ridges Station Models
Question:
How is a surface analysis chart used?
Answer:
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.
, Question:
What is the relationship between isobars and surface winds?
Answer:
The closer the isobars are together, the stronger the winds will be.
Question:
How often is a Weather depiction chart issued?
Answer:
Every 3 hours starting at 01Z
Question:
What is a weather depiction chart?
Answer:
A weather chart to be used for flight planning by giving an overall picture of the WX
across the US.
Question:
What is a Radar summary chart?
Answer:
A radar summary chart is a graphically depicted collection of radar weather reports.
Question:
Does the Radar summary chart depict forecast conditions, or observed conditions? How
often?
Answer:
Observed, hourly.
Question:
What is the difference between visible and infrared Satellite imagery?
Answer:
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.
