Sec. 65.51 Certificate required

1. No person may act as an Aircraft Dispatcher (exercising responsibility with the pilot in command in the operational control of a flight) in connection with any civil aircraft in air commerce unless that person has in his personal possession an Aircraft Dispatcher certificate issued under this subpart.

Sec. 65.53 Eligibility requirements: General.

1. To be eligible to take the Aircraft Dispatcher knowledge test, a person must be at least 21 years of age.
2. To be eligible for an Aircraft Dispatcher certificate, a person must--
   1. Be at least 23 years of age;
   2. Be able to read, speak, write, & understand English;
   3. Pass the required knowledge test prescribed by 65.55;
      
   4. Pass the required Practical test prescribed by 65.59; &
      
   5. Comply with the requirements of 65.57.

Sec. 65.55 Knowledge requirements.

1. A person who applies for an Aircraft Dispatcher certificate must pass a knowledge test on the following:
   1. Federal Aviation Regulations that relate to Airline Transport Pilot privileges, limitations, flight operations (ops);
   2. Meteorology, including knowledge of fronts, clouds, icing, & upper air data;
   3. General system of weather & NOTAM collection, dissemination, interpretation, & use;
   4. Interpretation & use of weather charts, maps, forecasts, sequence reports, abbreviations, & symbols;
   5. National Weather Service functions as they pertain to ops in the National Airspace System;
   6. Wind shear & microburst awareness, identification, & avoidance;
   7. Principles of air navigation under instrument meteorology conditions in the National Airspace System;
   8. Air Traffic Control procedures & pilot responsibilities as they relate to enroute ops, terminal area & radar ops, & instrument departure & approach procedures;
   9. Aircraft loading; weight & balance; use of charts, graphs, tables, formulas, & computations on aircraft performance;
   10. Aerodynamics relating to an aircraft's flight characteristics & performance in normal & abnormal flight regimes.
   11. Human Factors;
   12. Aeronautical Decision-making & judgment;
   13. Crew Resource Management, including crew communication & coordination;
2. The applicant must present documentary evidence satisfactory to the Examiner of having passed an Aircraft Dispatcher knowledge test within the preceding 24 calendar month

Sec. 65.57 Experience requirements.

An applicant for an Aircraft Dispatcher certificate must present documentary evidence satisfactory to the Examiner that he has the experience prescribed in par (a) of this section or accomplished the training prescribed in par (b) of this section as follows:

1. A total of at least 2 years experience in the 3 years before the date of application, in any 1 of, or combination of:
   1. In military aircraft ops as a--
      1. Pilot;
      2. Flight navigator;
      3. Meteorologist.
   2. In aircraft ops conducted under Part 121 as--
      1. An assistant in dispatching air carrier aircraft, under the direct supervision of a certificated Dispatcher;
      2. A pilot;
      3. A flight engineer;
      4. A meteorologist.
   3. In aircraft ops as--
      1. An Air Traffic Controller; or
      2. A Flight Service Station Specialist.
   4. In aircraft ops, performing other duties that the Examiner finds provides equivalent experience.
2. A statement of graduation issued or revalidated under 65.70 showing that he has successfully completed an approved Aircraft Dispatcher course.

Sec. 65.59 Skill requirements.

An applicant for an Aircraft Dispatcher certificate must pass a practical test given by an Examiner, with respect to any 1 type of large aircraft used in air carrier ops. The practical test must be based on the Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test Standards on items in App A of this part.