FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Exam Questions And Answers Rated A+ 2024.

FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Exam Questions And Answers Rated A+ 2024. How often are METARs issues? - correct answer. Every hour, or whenever the weather changes and necessitates a change. In that situation, a SPECI (special METAR) is issued. What is a SPECI? - correct 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. Do METARs describe actual or forecast conditions? - correct answer. METARs depict actual field conditions. Define Radiation fog - correct 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. Define Advection fog - correct answer. This fog forms when moist air moves over colder ground or water. Common along the coast. What is lake effect? Describe one major consequence of lake effect in winter. - correct 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. What happens when the Temperature/dewpoint are very close? - correct answer. Small Temp/DP spread is essential to the formation of fog. How often are TAFs issued? - correct 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. Why is it important to know when the various charts and reports are issued? - correct 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. What is an Amended TAF? - correct 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. Which sky conditions are considered a ceiling? - correct answer. Broken, Overcast, VV (vertical visibility[indefinite ceiling]) How often is a surface analysis chart issued? - correct answer. starting at 00Z at 3 hour intervals. (8 times a day) What are the primary features of a surface analysis chart? - correct 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 How is a surface analysis chart used? - correct 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. What is the relationship between isobars and surface winds? - correct answer. The closer the isobars are together, the stronger the winds will be. How often is a Weather depiction chart issued? - correct answer. Every 3 hours starting at 01Z What is a weather depiction chart? - correct answer. 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? - correct answer. 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? - correct answer. Observed, hourly. What is the difference between visible and infrared Satellite imagery? - correct 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. What does water vapor imagery show on the Satellite imagery? - correct answer. 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) - correct answer. 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? - correct answer. 4 times a day. 00Z, 06Z, 12Z, 18Z. Is a prog chart a forecast or a depiction of actual conditions? - correct answer. Forecast. Remember "to prognosticate" means "to forecast" What kinds of weather/hazards are shown on the low level prog chart? - correct answer. Precip, icing, turbulence, thunderstorms, tropical storms, hurricanes IFR/MVFR conditions, areas of high/low pressure, different types of fronts. What is a cold front? - correct answer. The leading edge of an advancing cold air mass What clouds are associated with a cold front? - correct answer. Cumulus and cumulonimbus What weather is associated with a cold front? - correct answer. Thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes, good visibility. What discontinuities are associated with a cold front? - correct answer. -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? - correct answer. The leading edge of an advancing warm air mass. What clouds are associated with a warm front? - correct answer. Stratus clouds. Nimbostratus, altostratus, cirrostratus, cirrus. What type of weather is associated with a warm front? - correct answer. Continuous rain, Drizzles, poor visibility. What type of weather is associated with a stationary front? - correct answer. Several days of overcast weather (stratus clouds) and drizzle, nothing severe. What type of front is associated with a temperature inversion? - correct answer. 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? - correct answer. A temperature inversion is when temperature increase with altitude rather than decrease with altitude. Inversions are common in the stratosphere. What is an airmass? - correct answer. 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? - correct answer. continuous rain and drizzle What discontinuities are associated with a warm front? - correct answer. -Temp: Warm air -Pressure: Pressure usually drops abruptly. What is an occluded front? - correct answer. 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? - correct answer. 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.