Aircraft Dispatcher (ADX) practice questions with answers

Answer: A) Each en route communication between the certificate holder and its pilots, kept for at least 30 days

14 CFR 121.711 requires domestic and flag operators to record each en route (gate-to-gate) communication with their pilots, including date, time, flight, position and a narrative, and to keep the records for at least 30 days.

• ACorrect. Section 121.711 requires each en route communication between the certificate holder and its pilots to be recorded, and the records must be kept for at least 30 days.
• BIncorrect. The right communications are listed, but the retention period is wrong. The rule requires at least 30 days, not 3 months.
• CIncorrect. The rule covers communications between the certificate holder and its pilots. It does not cover pilot communications with ATC.
• DIncorrect. For this section, en route means from pushback at the departure gate until the aircraft reaches the arrival gate, not takeoff to landing.

Answer: D) 15 years old

• AIncorrect. A minimum applies.
• BIncorrect. The minimum is 15.
• CIncorrect. The minimum is 15.
• DCorrect. They must also be willing and able to assist.

Answer: A) Continue the approach to DA/DH or MDA, and land only if the regulation's landing conditions are then met

14 CFR 121.651(c) lets a pilot already on the final approach segment continue to DA/DH or MDA after receiving a below-minimum report. Descending below that point requires meeting the regulation's position and flight visibility conditions.

• ACorrect. 121.651(c) allows a pilot who has begun the final approach segment under 121.651(b) and then receives a below-minimum report to continue the approach to DA/DH or MDA. Landing then requires that the aircraft be continuously in a position to land at a normal rate of descent using normal maneuvers, and that flight visibility be at least the visibility the approach procedure requires.
• BIncorrect. The rule does not require an immediate missed approach. A pilot who has properly begun the final approach segment may continue to DA/DH or MDA.
• CIncorrect. Being on a stabilized approach does not allow descent below DA/DH or MDA. The required visual references and flight visibility conditions must be met.
• DIncorrect. 121.651(c) sets no requirement for the dispatcher to confirm the report. The rule lets the pilot continue to DA/DH or MDA on their own authority.

Answer: C) Higher than the actual altitude

• AIncorrect. It reads higher.
• BIncorrect. It reads higher.
• CCorrect. "High to low, look out below."
• DIncorrect. It reads higher.

Answer: A) An above-freezing layer exists aloft, over a subfreezing layer near the surface

Freezing rain shows a temperature inversion: warm air above freezing aloft over subfreezing air near the surface. Rain falling from the warm layer becomes supercooled and freezes on contact.

• ACorrect. Freezing rain needs a temperature inversion. Rain from the warm layer aloft falls into subfreezing air near the ground, becomes supercooled, and freezes on contact.
• BIncorrect. With no above-freezing layer, precipitation would usually reach the ground as snow, not liquid rain that freezes on impact.
• CIncorrect. Precipitation that melts completely near the ground arrives as ordinary rain. Freezing rain means the surface layer is below freezing.
• DIncorrect. If air is above freezing down to the surface, the result is plain rain. Freezing rain requires subfreezing air near the ground.

Answer: B) Precipitation

• AIncorrect. Radar shows precipitation.
• BCorrect. Not clouds or turbulence directly.
• CIncorrect. Radar shows precipitation.
• DIncorrect. Radar shows precipitation.

Answer: B) The highest altitude of detected precipitation

• AIncorrect. That's a ceiling.
• BCorrect. They help estimate storm strength.
• CIncorrect. That's a different chart.
• DIncorrect. It's a precipitation height.

Answer: A) 1900 on December 31

• ACorrect. PST is UTC minus 8.
• BIncorrect. That adds 8 hours.
• CIncorrect. That uses UTC minus 5.
• DIncorrect. Conversion is needed.

Answer: A) The magnetic poles drift over time

• ACorrect. Charts and runway numbers may change.
• BIncorrect. Magnetic poles drift.
• CIncorrect. Pole drift is the cause.
• DIncorrect. Pole drift is the cause.

Answer: A) When the maximum holdover time has been exceeded and the airplane is to take off without being deiced again

A pretakeoff contamination check is one way to allow takeoff after the maximum holdover time has been exceeded. It must be done within five minutes before takeoff, normally from outside the aircraft (14 CFR 121.629(c)(3)–(4)).

• ACorrect. Under 14 CFR 121.629(c)(3), takeoff after the maximum holdover time has been exceeded is allowed only after a pretakeoff contamination check, an approved alternate procedure, or redeicing with a new holdover time. The check must be done within five minutes before beginning takeoff and, unless the program says otherwise, from outside the aircraft.
• BIncorrect. This describes the pretakeoff check, which 121.629(c)(4) defines as a check of the wings or representative surfaces for frost, ice, or snow done within the holdover time.
• CIncorrect. The pretakeoff contamination check must be done within five minutes before beginning takeoff, not at the gate before deicing.
• DIncorrect. Holdover time begins when the final application of deicing/anti-icing fluid starts. A pretakeoff contamination check does not set that time; it is used after the holdover time has been exceeded.

Answer: D) 3 consecutive calendar days

• AIncorrect. That's Category A.
• BIncorrect. That's Category C.
• CIncorrect. That's Category D.
• DCorrect. The day of discovery isn't counted.

Answer: B) Chart Supplement

• AIncorrect. It's the Chart Supplement.
• BCorrect. Formerly the Airport/Facility Directory.
• CIncorrect. It's the Chart Supplement.
• DIncorrect. It's the Chart Supplement.

Answer: B) 30 minutes

• AIncorrect. File at least 30 minutes ahead.
• BCorrect. Per the AIM recommendation.
• CIncorrect. File at least 30 minutes ahead.
• DIncorrect. File at least 30 minutes ahead.

Answer: B) Provide suitable airports with weather, runway and medical-service information

In an emergency the PIC has final authority (14 CFR 121.557). The dispatcher helps most by giving the crew information on suitable diversion airports, including weather, runways and medical services, and by coordinating on the ground.

• AIncorrect. Under 14 CFR 121.557, the pilot in command may take any action he considers necessary in an emergency. The dispatcher advises but does not override the PIC's diversion decision.
• BCorrect. The dispatcher supports the PIC's decision by finding suitable diversion airports and giving the crew current weather, runway, field conditions and ground medical services, while coordinating on the ground.
• CIncorrect. A diversion does not depend on a medical professional on board agreeing to it. Delaying for that reason works against the PIC's emergency authority and against passenger safety.
• DIncorrect. The flight crew gets clearances directly from ATC. The dispatcher supports with information and coordination; it does not take over ATC communication.

Answer: C) A crew-induced deviation in aircraft position, speed, attitude or configuration that reduces safety margins

In TEM, threats and errors that are mismanaged can produce an undesired aircraft state. This is a crew-induced deviation in position, speed, attitude or configuration that reduces safety margins, and the crew must recover from it. LOSA collects these states as accident and incident precursors.

• AIncorrect. This describes a threat: an external event or condition that the crew must manage. A mismanaged threat can lead to an undesired aircraft state, but the threat is not the state itself.
• BIncorrect. This describes an error. In TEM, a mismanaged error can lead to an undesired aircraft state, but the two are separate parts of the model.
• CCorrect. FAA TEM guidance describes undesired aircraft states as crew-induced divergences, such as position or speed deviations or wrong configurations, that reduce margins of safety. The crew's main task is to recover from them.
• DIncorrect. This describes an accident. An undesired aircraft state is a precursor to incidents and accidents, and the crew can still recover from it.