Appendix A to Part 65 - Aircraft Dispatcher Courses
14:2.0.1.1.4.8.1.1.18 : Appendix A
Appendix A to Part 65 - Aircraft Dispatcher Courses Overview
This appendix sets forth the areas of knowledge necessary to
perform dispatcher functions. The items listed below indicate the
minimum set of topics that must be covered in a training course for
aircraft dispatcher certification. The order of coverage is at the
discretion of the approved school.
I. Regulations A. Subpart C of this part; B. Parts 1, 25, 61, 71,
91, 121, 139, and 175, of this chapter; C. 49 CFR part 830; D.
General Operating Manual. II. Meteorology A. Basic Weather Studies
(1) The earth's motion and its effects on weather. (2) Analysis of
the following regional weather types, characteristics, and
structures, or combinations thereof: (a) Maritime. (b) Continental.
(c) Polar. (d) Tropical. (3) Analysis of the following local
weather types, characteristics, and structures or combinations
thereof: (a) Coastal. (b) Mountainous. (c) Island. (d) Plains. (4)
The following characteristics of the atmosphere: (a) Layers. (b)
Composition. (c) Global Wind Patterns. (d) Ozone. (5) Pressure: (a)
Units of Measure. (b) Weather Systems Characteristics. (c)
Temperature Effects on Pressure. (d) Altimeters. (e) Pressure
Gradient Force. (f) Pressure Pattern Flying Weather. (6) Wind: (a)
Major Wind Systems and Coriolis Force. (b) Jetstreams and their
Characteristics. (c) Local Wind and Related Terms. (7) States of
Matter: (a) Solids, Liquid, and Gases. (b) Causes of change of
state. (8) Clouds: (a) Composition, Formation, and Dissipation. (b)
Types and Associated Precipitation. (c) Use of Cloud Knowledge in
Forecasting. (9) Fog: (a) Causes, Formation, and Dissipation. (b)
Types. (10) Ice: (a) Causes, Formation, and Dissipation. (b) Types.
(11) Stability/Instability: (a) Temperature Lapse Rate, Convection.
(b) Adiabatic Processes. (c) Lifting Processes. (d) Divergence. (e)
Convergence. (12) Turbulence: (a) Jetstream Associated. (b)
Pressure Pattern Recognition. (c) Low Level Windshear. (d) Mountain
Waves. (e) Thunderstorms. (f) Clear Air Turbulence. (13) Airmasses:
(a) Classification and Characteristics. (b) Source Regions. (c) Use
of Airmass Knowledge in Forecasting. (14) Fronts: (a) Structure and
Characteristics, Both Vertical and Horizontal. (b) Frontal Types.
(c) Frontal Weather Flying. (15) Theory of Storm Systems: (a)
Thunderstorms. (b) Tornadoes. (c) Hurricanes and Typhoons. (d)
Microbursts. (e) Causes, Formation, and Dissipation. B. Weather,
Analysis, and Forecasts (1) Observations: (a) Surface Observations.
(i) Observations made by certified weather observer. (ii) Automated
Weather Observations. (b) Terminal Forecasts. (c) Significant En
route Reports and Forecasts. (i) Pilot Reports. (ii) Area
Forecasts. (iii) Sigmets, Airmets. (iv) Center Weather Advisories.
(d) Weather Imagery. (i) Surface Analysis. (ii) Weather Depiction.
(iii) Significant Weather Prognosis. (iv) Winds and Temperature
Aloft. (v) Tropopause Chart. (vi) Composite Moisture Stability
Chart. (vii) Surface Weather Prognostic Chart. (viii) Radar
Meteorology. (ix) Satellite Meteorology. (x) Other charts as
applicable. (e) Meteorological Information Data Collection Systems.
(2) Data Collection, Analysis, and Forecast Facilities. (3) Service
Outlets Providing Aviation Weather Products. C. Weather Related
Aircraft Hazards (1) Crosswinds and Gusts. (2) Contaminated
Runways. (3) Restrictions to Surface Visibility. (4) Turbulence and
Windshear. (5) Icing. (6) Thunderstorms and Microburst. (7)
Volcanic Ash. III. Navigation A. Study of the Earth (1) Time
reference and location (0 Longitude, UTC). (2) Definitions. (3)
Projections. (4) Charts. B. Chart Reading, Application, and Use. C.
National Airspace Plan. D. Navigation Systems. E. Airborne
Navigation Instruments. F. Instrument Approach Procedures. (1)
Transition Procedures. (2) Precision Approach Procedures. (3)
Non-precision Approach Procedures. (4) Minimums and the
relationship to weather. G. Special Navigation and Operations. (1)
North Atlantic. (2) Pacific. (3) Global Differences. IV. AIRCRAFT
A. Aircraft Flight Manual. B. Systems Overview. (1) Flight
controls. (2) Hydraulics. (3) Electrical. (4) Air Conditioning and
Pressurization. (5) Ice and Rain protection. (6) Avionics,
Communication, and Navigation. (7) Powerplants and Auxiliary Power
Units. (8) Emergency and Abnormal Procedures. (9) Fuel Systems and
Sources. C. Minimum Equipment List/Configuration Deviation List
(MEL/CDL) and Applications. D. Performance. (1) Aircraft in
general. (2) Principles of flight: (a) Group one aircraft. (b)
Group two aircraft. (3) Aircraft Limitations. (4) Weight and
Balance. (5) Flight instrument errors. (6) Aircraft performance:
(a) Take-off performance. (b) En route performance. (c) Landing
performance. V. Communications A. Regulatory requirements. B.
Communication Protocol. C. Voice and Data Communications. D. Notice
to Airmen (NOTAMS). E. Aeronautical Publications. F. Abnormal
Procedures. VI. Air Traffic Control A. Responsibilities. B.
Facilities and Equipment. C. Airspace classification and route
structure. D. Flight Plans. (1) Domestic. (2) International. E.
Separation Minimums. F. Priority Handling. G. Holding Procedures.
H. Traffic Management. VII. Emergency and Abnormal Procedures A.
Security measures on the ground. B. Security measures in the air.
C. FAA responsibility and services. D. Collection and dissemination
of information on overdue or missing aircraft. E. Means of
declaring an emergency. F. Responsibility for declaring an
emergency. G. Required reporting of an emergency. H. NTSB reporting
requirements. VIII. Practical Dispatch Applications A. Human
Factors. (1) Decisionmaking: (a) Situation Assessment. (b)
Generation and Evaluation of Alternatives. (i) Tradeoffs and
Prioritization. (ii) Contingency Planning. (c) Support Tools and
Technologies. (2) Human Error: (a) Causes. (i) Individual and
Organizational Factors. (ii) Technology-Induced Error. (b)
Prevention. (c) Detection and Recovery. (3) Teamwork: (a)
Communication and Information Exchange. (b) Cooperative and
Distributed Problem-Solving. (c) Resource Management. (i) Air
Traffic Control (ATC) activities and workload. (ii) Flightcrew
activities and workload. (iii) Maintenance activities and workload.
(iv) Operations Control Staff activities and workload. B. Applied
Dispatching. (1) Briefing techniques, Dispatcher, Pilot. (2)
Preflight: (a) Safety. (b) Weather Analysis. (i) Satellite imagery.
(ii) Upper and lower altitude charts. (iii) Significant en route
reports and forecasts. (iv) Surface charts. (v) Surface
observations. (vi) Terminal forecasts and orientation to Enhanced
Weather Information System (EWINS). (c) NOTAMS and airport
conditions. (d) Crew. (i) Qualifications. (ii) Limitations. (e)
Aircraft. (i) Systems. (ii) Navigation instruments and avionics
systems. (iii) Flight instruments. (iv) Operations manuals and
MEL/CDL. (v) Performance and limitations. (f) Flight Planning. (i)
Route of flight. 1. Standard Instrument Departures and Standard
Terminal Arrival Routes. 2. En route charts. 3. Operational
altitude. 4. Departure and arrival charts. (ii) Minimum departure
fuel. 1. Climb. 2. Cruise. 3. Descent. (g) Weight and balance. (h)
Economics of flight overview (Performance, Fuel Tankering). (i)
Decision to operate the flight. (j) ATC flight plan filing. (k)
Flight documentation. (i) Flight plan. (ii) Dispatch release. (3)
Authorize flight departure with concurrence of pilot in command.
(4) In-flight operational control: (a) Current situational
awareness. (b) Information exchange. (c) Amend original flight
release as required. (5) Post-Flight: (a) Arrival verification. (b)
Weather debrief. (c) Flight irregularity reports as required. [Doc.
No. FAA-1998-4553, 64 FR 68925, Dec. 8, 1999, as amended by Docket
FAA-2016-6142, Amdt. 65-58, 83 FR 30281, June 27, 2018]