Last updated · Researched from official sources · By Studyforge Labs
The FAA Aircraft Dispatcher knowledge test (test code ADX) is the computer-based written exam you must pass on the way to an FAA aircraft dispatcher certificate under 14 CFR Part 65. It has 80 questions, a 3.5-hour time limit and a 70% passing score, you can take it from age 21, and your passing result must be no more than 24 calendar months old when you apply for the certificate after the practical test.
What is the FAA Aircraft Dispatcher (ADX) knowledge test?
Aircraft dispatchers share operational control of airline flights with the captain. Before the FAA issues a dispatcher certificate, you must prove your knowledge in a written test and your skill in a practical test. The ADX is the written part. It draws on the same broad knowledge areas as the Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) knowledge test, from regulations and weather to weight and balance and crew resource management, so it is demanding even for experienced pilots.
Key facts, based on the FAA’s current Airman Knowledge Testing Authorization Requirements Matrix and 14 CFR Part 65 (check the official pages before booking, as details can change):
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Test code | ADX (Aircraft Dispatcher) |
| Questions | 80 multiple-choice questions |
| Time allowed | 3.5 hours |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Minimum age | 21 to take the test; 23 to hold the certificate |
| Where | FAA Airman Knowledge Testing centers, booked through PSI |
| Endorsement | None required for a first attempt |
| Result validity | You must show a pass from within the preceding 24 calendar months |
Practice with Aircraft Dispatcher Prep ADX
Aircraft Dispatcher Prep ADX offers 950+ practice questions across 8 ADX domains, plus a study library with regulation quick references and weather decoding and weight and balance guides. It works offline, so you can study anywhere.
Who can take the ADX: Part 65 eligibility
The rules for dispatchers sit in 14 CFR Part 65, Subpart C. Under section 65.53 you must be at least 21 to take the knowledge test. To be eligible for the certificate itself you must be at least 23, be able to read, speak, write and understand English, pass the knowledge test, pass the practical test and meet the experience or training requirement in section 65.57.
Section 65.57 gives you two ways to qualify:
- Approved course: graduate from an FAA-approved aircraft dispatcher certification course. These courses must cover the Part 65 Appendix A subjects and provide at least 200 hours of instruction. The graduation statement is valid for 90 days and can be revalidated once for another 90 days.
- Experience: at least two years, within the three years before you apply, in qualifying roles. Examples in the rule include military flight operations as a pilot, navigator or meteorologist, Part 121 work as a dispatch assistant, pilot, flight engineer or meteorologist, and air traffic control or flight service work.
The knowledge test is a separate step from the course or experience requirement. No instructor endorsement is needed for a first attempt, so once you are 21 you can book the ADX whenever you feel ready.
From knowledge test to dispatcher certificate
- Check eligibility. Confirm you are 21 or older and plan your route (approved course or qualifying experience).
- Book the ADX. Register and schedule through PSI, which runs the FAA Airman Knowledge Testing centers. Check the current fee when booking.
- Pass and keep your report. You receive an Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) showing your score and codes for any subject areas you missed. Keep it safe, as the examiner may review those areas with you later.
- Complete training or document experience. Finish the approved course or gather proof of your qualifying experience.
- Take the practical test. An FAA Aviation Safety Inspector or a Designated Aircraft Dispatcher Examiner gives the practical test, based on one type of large aircraft used in air carrier operations.
- Receive your certificate. If you pass the practical test before turning 23, the FAA issues a Letter of Aeronautical Competency instead of a certificate. It carries no privileges, but you can exchange it for a temporary certificate once you turn 23.
ADX exam format and what it covers
The ADX is taken on a computer at a testing center. The FAA’s published ADX sample questions use three answer options per question, and some questions refer to figures in the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Aircraft Dispatcher, Airline Transport Pilot and Flight Navigator (FAA-CT-8080-7D). Getting comfortable with that supplement’s charts, tables and performance data is a big part of preparing.
Section 65.55 lists 13 knowledge areas the test covers:
- Regulations on airline transport pilot privileges, limitations and flight operations
- Meteorology, including fronts, clouds, icing and upper-air data
- Collecting, distributing and using weather reports and NOTAMs
- Reading weather charts, maps, forecasts and reports, with their symbols and abbreviations
- National Weather Service functions as they affect the National Airspace System
- Recognizing and avoiding windshear and microbursts
- Navigation under instrument conditions
- Air traffic control procedures and pilot responsibilities en route, in the terminal area and on instrument departures and approaches
- Aircraft loading, weight and balance, and their effect on performance
- Aerodynamics in normal and abnormal flight
- Human factors
- Aeronautical decision-making and judgment
- Crew resource management, including communication and coordination
The aircraft dispatcher practical test
Passing the ADX gets you to the practical test, which follows the Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test Standards (FAA-S-8081-10E). It is organized into six areas of operation: flight planning and dispatch release; preflight, takeoff and departure; inflight procedures; arrival, approach and landing; post-flight procedures; and abnormal and emergency procedures. Bring your AKTR, photo identification, your graduation statement if you took a course, and your application details. Your knowledge test must still be within its 24-month window, although the rules allow some exceptions for expired results, such as under section 61.40.
How to prepare for the ADX
- Study by knowledge area. Use the 13 areas in section 65.55 as your checklist and track which ones you score lowest in.
- Learn the regulations you will apply. Parts 121 and 65 come up often, especially dispatch release, fuel, alternate and operational control rules.
- Practice decoding weather. Read METARs, TAFs and charts until the abbreviations are automatic.
- Work through the testing supplement. Performance and weight-and-balance questions depend on reading figures accurately under time pressure.
- Take timed practice tests. With 80 questions in 3.5 hours you have about 2.6 minutes per question, so practice pacing on full-length sets.
- Use the FAA sample questions. The FAA publishes ADX sample questions so you can see the style and level.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Taking the ADX too early and letting the 24-month window run out before you reach the practical test.
- Mixing up the ages: 21 for the knowledge test, 23 for the certificate.
- Counting a scattered cloud layer as a ceiling when decoding weather reports.
- Confusing domestic and flag fuel reserve rules in Part 121.
- Rushing chart and table questions and misreading a row or unit.
ADX practice questions
These original questions use four options for extra challenge; the real ADX sample questions use three.
Question 1
What is the minimum age to take the FAA aircraft dispatcher knowledge test?
- A. 18
- B. 21
- C. 23
- D. 25
Answer: B. Under 14 CFR 65.53 you may take the knowledge test at 21. You must be 23 to be issued the certificate.
Question 2
A METAR reports: SCT006 BKN012 OVC025. What is the ceiling?
- A. 600 feet AGL
- B. 1,200 feet AGL
- C. 2,500 feet AGL
- D. There is no ceiling
Answer: B. The ceiling is the lowest broken or overcast layer (or vertical visibility into an obscuration). The scattered layer at 600 feet does not count, so the broken layer at 1,200 feet AGL is the ceiling.
Question 3
An airplane weighs 95,000 lb with its CG at 650.0 inches aft of datum. You load 5,000 lb of cargo at 850.0 inches. What is the new CG?
- A. 650.0 inches
- B. 655.0 inches
- C. 660.0 inches
- D. 750.0 inches
Answer: C. Total moment is 61,750,000 + 4,250,000 = 66,000,000 in-lb. Dividing by the new weight of 100,000 lb gives a CG of 660.0 inches.
Question 4
For a Part 121 domestic operation, after fuel to reach the destination and then the most distant required alternate, what additional fuel does 14 CFR 121.639 normally require?
- A. 30 minutes at holding speed
- B. 45 minutes at normal cruising fuel consumption
- C. 10% of the total flight time
- D. 2 hours at normal cruising fuel consumption
Answer: B. Domestic rules add 45 minutes at normal cruising fuel consumption (with a shorter reserve only for authorized day VFR operations). The 10% en route allowance is a flag operation rule, a common mix-up.
Question 5
In the International Standard Atmosphere, what is the approximate temperature at 8,000 feet?
- A. 15°C
- B. 7°C
- C. -1°C
- D. -9°C
Answer: C. ISA starts at 15°C at sea level and cools about 2°C per 1,000 feet. Over 8,000 feet that is a drop of about 16°C, giving roughly -1°C.
Practice for the FAA Aircraft Dispatcher on your phone
Aircraft Dispatcher Prep ADX by Studyforge Labs. Aircraft Dispatcher Prep ADX offers 950+ practice questions across 8 ADX domains, plus a study library with regulation quick references and weather decoding and weight and balance guides. It works offline, so you can study anywhere.
- 950+ practice questions across 8 ADX domains
- Study library with regulation quick references
- Weather decoding and weight and balance guides
- Works offline
Free to download for iPhone and iPad. Full access is unlocked with an in-app purchase; the price is shown in the App Store before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is the FAA aircraft dispatcher knowledge test?
The ADX is challenging because it covers the same wide range of knowledge areas as the ATP knowledge test, from regulations and weather to aerodynamics and crew resource management. You need 70% on 80 questions within 3.5 hours. Candidates who study each area systematically and practice with the testing supplement’s charts are best placed to pass.
How long should I study for the ADX?
The FAA does not set a study time for the knowledge test itself. Approved dispatcher courses must provide at least 200 hours of instruction, which gives a sense of the material’s depth. Plan a steady schedule over several weeks, and book the test once you consistently pass timed practice sets with a comfortable margin.
How long is the ADX knowledge test result valid?
Under 14 CFR 65.55, you must show that you passed the aircraft dispatcher knowledge test within the preceding 24 calendar months. Time your test so you can finish your course or experience and pass the practical test inside that window. Limited exceptions exist for expired results, so check the regulation if yours has lapsed.
Can I retake the ADX if I fail?
Yes. According to the FAA testing matrix, you normally wait 30 days before retesting and must present your failed test report. You can retest sooner if you bring a signed statement from a certificated aircraft dispatcher confirming they gave you extra instruction in the failed areas and consider you ready.
How much does the aircraft dispatcher knowledge test cost?
You pay the testing fee to PSI when you book at an FAA Airman Knowledge Testing center, and the amount can change, so check the current fee during registration. Remember to budget separately for an approved dispatcher course and any examiner fee for the practical test.
Can I become an aircraft dispatcher before I turn 23?
You can take the ADX at 21 and then the practical test, but the certificate itself requires you to be 23. If you pass the practical test earlier, the FAA issues a Letter of Aeronautical Competency, which carries no privileges. Once you turn 23 you can exchange it for a temporary certificate at an FAA office.
Official resources
- 14 CFR Part 65, Subpart C: Aircraft Dispatchers (eCFR)
- FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Authorization Requirements Matrix
- FAA ADX sample questions (PDF)
- FAA Advisory Circular 65-34A: Aircraft Dispatcher Certification Courses (PDF)
This guide is published by Studyforge Labs Ltd for study purposes and was last reviewed on 6 November 2026. Studyforge Labs and its apps are independent and are not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Exam details, fees and dates can change, so always confirm them with the official sources above before you book.
