Flight Planning & Route Selection
Flight Planning & Route Selection is a core knowledge area on the Aircraft Dispatcher FAA written exam. This hub collects our 8 in-depth, ACS-aligned flight planning & route selection articles — each written in plain English and grounded in the official FAA handbooks. Work through them below, then drill the topic with practice questions.
Building a Computerized Flight Plan: Inputs the Dispatcher Controls
Aircraft dispatchers build computerized flight plans by managing key inputs—route, altitude, fuel loads, weight, and weather—to produce a legal, efficient, and safe release package. Understanding each variable empowers dispatchers to optimize flights and meet regulatory requirements.
Selecting Optimum Cruise Altitudes for Fuel Burn and Winds
Aircraft dispatchers select cruise altitudes by balancing engine efficiency, aircraft performance curves, and wind forecasts to minimize fuel burn and flight time—skills tested on the ADX exam and critical to safe, economical operations.
Reading and Applying the High-Altitude Wind and Temperature (FB) Forecast
The Winds and Temperatures Aloft Forecast (FB) gives dispatchers and pilots predicted wind direction, speed, and temperature at key flight levels, enabling optimum route selection, fuel planning, and altitude selection for high-altitude operations.
Preferred IFR Routes, TEC Routes, and Coded Departure Routes for Dispatch
Preferred IFR routes, TEC routes, and Coded Departure Routes streamline IFR flight planning by providing pre-approved, ATC-compatible paths that reduce coordination workload and rerouting delays for dispatchers and pilots alike.
Cost Index and Its Effect on Dispatch Route and Speed Selection
Cost Index (CI) balances fuel cost against time-related operating costs to optimize cruise speed and route selection, directly shaping how dispatchers file flight plans for airline operations.
Great Circle Routing, Track Messages, and the North Atlantic Organized Track System
Great circle routes minimize oceanic flight distance, but the North Atlantic Organized Track System (NAT OTS) structures daily tracks around weather, winds, and traffic—dispatchers must understand both geometry and the daily track message to plan efficient, legal transatlantic operations.
Step Climbs and Optimum Altitude Planning on Long-Haul Flights
Step climbs allow long-haul flights to operate at progressively higher altitudes as fuel burns off, keeping the aircraft near its optimum cruise altitude and maximizing fuel efficiency throughout a flight.
Filing the ICAO Flight Plan: Equipment Codes and PBN Descriptors for Dispatchers
ICAO flight plans require dispatchers to accurately code aircraft equipment, surveillance, and PBN capabilities in Fields 10 and 18; errors can result in routing denials, ATC miscoordination, or loss of preferred altitudes.
More Aircraft Dispatcher subjects
Articles are original summaries grounded in the public-domain FAA handbooks and cite their source. ACS-aligned study aids — not a substitute for the official handbooks or regulations.