American Airlines Dispatch Study Guide
with Complete Solutions
Heavy Aircraft - ANSWER-Greater than 300,000 lbs.
Large Aircraft - ANSWER-Greater than 12,500 lbs.
Definition of night - ANSWER-The time between the end of evening civil twilight and the
beginning of morning civil twilight.
Definition of a Ceiling - ANSWER-The height (AGL) of the lowest cloud base or
phenomenon aloft considered broken or overcast clouds. Also vertical visibility into a
surface based total obscuration.
Operation Control - ANSWER-The exercise in authority to initiate, conduct and
terminate a flight. Shared between dispatch and PIC.
NORDO - ANSWER-No radio
EFC - ANSWER-Expect further clearance
FAR Part 65 - ANSWER-Aircraft Dispatch Certification
FAR Part 91 - ANSWER-General operating and flight rules
FAR 117 - ANSWER-Flight and duty limitations and rest requirements for flight crew
members.
FAR Part 119 - ANSWER-Certification for air carriers and commercial operators
119.49 Contents of Operations Specification - ANSWER-Authorized airports, authorized
aircraft, authorized operations, airport limitations for routes and areas of operations,
authorized approaches, ETOPS, International operations, any item that the
administrator determines necessary.
FAR 139 - ANSWER-Airport certification
FAR Part 121 - ANSWER-Operating Requirements: Domestic, Flag, and Supplemental
Operations.
Subpart T: Flight Operations
Subpart U: Dispatching and Flight Release Rules
121.645 Flag Fuel Requirements - ANSWER-Burn-Fuel to fly to the airport which
departed
, Contingency-Fuel to fly 10% of the ETE between departure airport and the airport which
dispatched.
Alternate Burn-Fuel to fly to the most distant alternate.
Reserve-Fuel to fly for 30 mins holding speed at 1500ft above the alternate or
destination ISA conditions.
Legal to Depart - ANSWER-Reported weather at the departure airport is at or above
takeoff minimums
121.617 Takeoff Alternate Required - ANSWER-Reported weather at the departure
airport is greater than or equal to landing mins at the departure airport. Based on 60
mins still air, one engine inop ISA conditions
121.613 Dispatch IFR - ANSWER-Indicated weather at the destination at ETA is at or
above landing minimums
121.619 No Alternate Required (1,2,3 Rule) - ANSWER-Indicated weather at the
destination airport +/- 1 hour ceiling at or above 2000ft and visibility at or above 3sm
121.619 Two Alternates Required - ANSWER-Forecast weather at the destination and
first alternate are considered marginal
121.533 Responsibilities of a Dispatcher - ANSWER-The pilot in command and the
aircraft dispatcher are jointly responsible for the preflight planning, delay, and dispatch
release of a flight in compliance with this chapter and operations specifications.
The dispatcher is responsible for: Preflight planning, sign dispatch release, cancel and
delay flights, monitor flight progress, issue important information to pilots, amend and
redispatch.
121.663 Dispatch Release - ANSWER-Each certificate holder conducting domestic or
flag operations shall prepare a dispatch release for each flight between specified points,
based on information furnished by an authorized aircraft dispatcher.
The pilot in command and an authorized aircraft dispacther shall sign the release only if
they both believe that the flight can be made with safety.
What makes an airport suitable for diversion purposes? - ANSWER-Authorization,
aircraft limitations, traffic and holding patterns, crew familiarity airport conditions,
NOTAMS, airport staffing, aircraft equipment
121.687 Items required on a dispatch release - ANSWER-Aircraft Reg number, flight
number, all airports, type of operation, min fuel supply, 2 signatures, ETOPS, all
weather.
121.601 Aircraft dispatcher information to pilot in command - ANSWER-(a)The aircraft
dispatcher shall provide the PIC all available current reports or information on airport
conditions and irregularities of navigation facilities that may affect the safety of the flight.
with Complete Solutions
Heavy Aircraft - ANSWER-Greater than 300,000 lbs.
Large Aircraft - ANSWER-Greater than 12,500 lbs.
Definition of night - ANSWER-The time between the end of evening civil twilight and the
beginning of morning civil twilight.
Definition of a Ceiling - ANSWER-The height (AGL) of the lowest cloud base or
phenomenon aloft considered broken or overcast clouds. Also vertical visibility into a
surface based total obscuration.
Operation Control - ANSWER-The exercise in authority to initiate, conduct and
terminate a flight. Shared between dispatch and PIC.
NORDO - ANSWER-No radio
EFC - ANSWER-Expect further clearance
FAR Part 65 - ANSWER-Aircraft Dispatch Certification
FAR Part 91 - ANSWER-General operating and flight rules
FAR 117 - ANSWER-Flight and duty limitations and rest requirements for flight crew
members.
FAR Part 119 - ANSWER-Certification for air carriers and commercial operators
119.49 Contents of Operations Specification - ANSWER-Authorized airports, authorized
aircraft, authorized operations, airport limitations for routes and areas of operations,
authorized approaches, ETOPS, International operations, any item that the
administrator determines necessary.
FAR 139 - ANSWER-Airport certification
FAR Part 121 - ANSWER-Operating Requirements: Domestic, Flag, and Supplemental
Operations.
Subpart T: Flight Operations
Subpart U: Dispatching and Flight Release Rules
121.645 Flag Fuel Requirements - ANSWER-Burn-Fuel to fly to the airport which
departed
, Contingency-Fuel to fly 10% of the ETE between departure airport and the airport which
dispatched.
Alternate Burn-Fuel to fly to the most distant alternate.
Reserve-Fuel to fly for 30 mins holding speed at 1500ft above the alternate or
destination ISA conditions.
Legal to Depart - ANSWER-Reported weather at the departure airport is at or above
takeoff minimums
121.617 Takeoff Alternate Required - ANSWER-Reported weather at the departure
airport is greater than or equal to landing mins at the departure airport. Based on 60
mins still air, one engine inop ISA conditions
121.613 Dispatch IFR - ANSWER-Indicated weather at the destination at ETA is at or
above landing minimums
121.619 No Alternate Required (1,2,3 Rule) - ANSWER-Indicated weather at the
destination airport +/- 1 hour ceiling at or above 2000ft and visibility at or above 3sm
121.619 Two Alternates Required - ANSWER-Forecast weather at the destination and
first alternate are considered marginal
121.533 Responsibilities of a Dispatcher - ANSWER-The pilot in command and the
aircraft dispatcher are jointly responsible for the preflight planning, delay, and dispatch
release of a flight in compliance with this chapter and operations specifications.
The dispatcher is responsible for: Preflight planning, sign dispatch release, cancel and
delay flights, monitor flight progress, issue important information to pilots, amend and
redispatch.
121.663 Dispatch Release - ANSWER-Each certificate holder conducting domestic or
flag operations shall prepare a dispatch release for each flight between specified points,
based on information furnished by an authorized aircraft dispatcher.
The pilot in command and an authorized aircraft dispacther shall sign the release only if
they both believe that the flight can be made with safety.
What makes an airport suitable for diversion purposes? - ANSWER-Authorization,
aircraft limitations, traffic and holding patterns, crew familiarity airport conditions,
NOTAMS, airport staffing, aircraft equipment
121.687 Items required on a dispatch release - ANSWER-Aircraft Reg number, flight
number, all airports, type of operation, min fuel supply, 2 signatures, ETOPS, all
weather.
121.601 Aircraft dispatcher information to pilot in command - ANSWER-(a)The aircraft
dispatcher shall provide the PIC all available current reports or information on airport
conditions and irregularities of navigation facilities that may affect the safety of the flight.
