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VOLUME 13 FLIGHT STANDARDS DESIGNEES

CHAPTER 3 DESIGNATED AIRCRAFT DISPATCH EXAMINER

Section 2 Duties and Responsibilities of the Designee

13-171 PROGRAM TRACKING AND REPORTING SUBSYSTEM (PTRS) ACTIVITY 

CODES. None.

13-172 OBJECTIVE. This section outlines the duties and responsibilities of a Designated 

Aircraft Dispatch Examiner (DADE).

13-173 GENERAL. When the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determines there is a 

need in accordance with Title 14 of the Code of Regulations (14 CFR) part 183, § 183.11, a local 

Flight Standards office (Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) or certificate management 

office (CMO)) can authorize a DADE to leverage the FAA workforce and provide certification 

services on behalf of the Administrator. Volume 13, Chapter 3, Section 1 provides detailed 

guidance on the process of selecting and authorizing a DADE. DADEs must exercise the 

privileges of their designation within the limitations set forth in their letter of authority (LOA).

DADEs are Technical Personnel Examiners (TPE) in accordance with § 183.25(f), and are 

subject to all pertinent FAA policies and procedures, and guidance in FAA orders, including this 

one, while exercising the privileges of their authorization.

NOTE: Former FAA employees are subject to the same processes as any other 

applicant or designee.

13-174 DESIGNATION IS A PRIVILEGE. Designation is a privilege, not a right, and as 

such may be terminated at any time. In accordance with Title 49 of the United States Code 

(49 U.S.C.) § 44702, the Administrator may rescind a designation at any time for any reason he 

or she considers appropriate.

13-175 SPECIFIC PRIVILEGES. In accordance with § 183.25(f), a DADE may:

 Accept FAA Form 8400-3, Application for an Airman Certificate and/or Rating,

 Conduct the Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test, and

 At the discretion of the local Flight Standards (AFS) inspector (FAA managing 

specialist), issue temporary Aircraft Dispatcher Certificates to tested applicants who 

have qualified for the certificate.

13-176 LIMITATIONS. In accordance with FAA AFS policy:

A. A DADE May Not Test Outside of the Geographic Area of the 

Certificate-Holding District Office (CHDO). A DADE may not administer Aircraft Dispatcher 

Practical Tests at locations outside the geographic area of his or her supervising CHDO unless 

approved by the Air Transportation Division (AFS-200) on a case-by-case basis (if AFS-200 

determines that it is in the public interest). If AFS-200 determines their approval is warranted, 

they will verify that there are no conflicts with other FAA offices and ensure the FAA’s ability to 
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conduct oversight of the DADE outside of his her geographic area of responsibility. (See also 

Volume 13, Chapter 3, Section 1, subparagraph 13-148B.)

B. A DADE May Not Administer More than One Test at a Time.

1) A DADE may not administer more than one Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test at 

a time.

2) A DADE may not administer any portion of the practical test to more than one 

applicant at the same time. Staggering testing (i.e., conducting the oral portion of the practical 

test with one applicant while at the same time allowing another applicant to complete the skill 

portion of the test) is not permitted.

C. A DADE May Not Administer More than Two Practical Tests Per Day. A DADE 

may not administer more than two Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Tests per day. An FAA 

managing specialist may authorize a DADE to administer a retest on the same day as two 

practical tests, on a case-by-case basis. Prior to granting such authorization, the specialist will 

take into account how great a portion of the test (e.g., how many Areas of Operation and/or how 

many tasks) needs to be readministered and how many hours in total the DADE might spend 

testing applicants in a single day. Prolonged periods of time spent administering multiple 

practical tests in a single day could contribute to fatigue, which could lead to degradation of the 

quality of testing.

D. A DADE May Not Allow Observers During the Test. A DADE may not allow 

anybody to observe while he or she is administering the Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test, 

except as described in Volume 13, Chapter 3, Section 4, subparagraph 13-223D.

E. A DADE May Not Be Affiliated With or Employed by a Part 65 Dispatcher 

Certification Course Operator. A DADE may not be an instructor, owner, or contract 

employee of an FAA-approved part 65 dispatcher certification course operator concurrent with 

their DADE authorization, unless approved by the FAA managing specialist and AFS-200 (if 

AFS-200 determines it is in the public interest).

1) This limitation is necessary due to the potential for a conflict-of-interest, which 

could occur based on the requirement under part 65, § 65.63(c)(1) for a course operator to

maintain an 80 percent pass rate of its graduates, on the first testing attempt, as a condition for 

renewal of a course. The FAA is concerned that a DADE employed by such course operator 

might not be objective when administering a test to an applicant who has graduated from the 

DADE’s employer or affiliate.

2) If AFS-200 grants a deviation to a DADE, allowing that individual to be 

employed by and/or affiliated with an FAA-approved part 65 certification course operator, the 

DADE may not, at any time, administer the Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test to any applicant 

the DADE has provided instruction to in any of the subjects contained in part 65, appendix A.

F. A DADE May Not Without Permission, Test Applicants Who Have Not 

Attended or Successfully Completed an FAA-Approved Dispatcher Certification Course.

Unless he or she receives approval from the FAA managing specialist prior to testing, a DADE 
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may not administer the Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test to an applicant who has not attended or

successfully completed an FAA-approved part 65 dispatcher certification course.

1) A DADE may only request approval to test an applicant who has experience in 

accordance with part 65, § 65.57(a)(1),(2) or (3), if the applicant provides satisfactory supporting 

documentation of the experience and/or training.

2) A DADE may not test an applicant based on the experience allowed by

§ 65.57(a)(4) without written approval from the FAA managing specialist who must first obtain 

approval from AFS-200.

G. A DADE May Not Conduct Competency Checks. Section 183.25(f) limits a 

DADE’s authority to testing and certification in accordance with part 65. Therefore, a DADE’s 

authority is not applicable to the administration of aircraft dispatcher competency checks in 

accordance with 14 CFR part 121.

13-177 GEOGRAPHIC LIMITS OF AUTHORITY. A DADE’s authority to administer the 

Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test is limited to the geographic area of responsibility of the 

authorizing CHDO. Any exceptions to this geographic requirement must be approved by the 

FAA managing specialist and AFS-200. (Also see subparagraph 13-176A and Volume 13, 

Chapter 3, Section 1, subparagraph 13-148B.)

13-178 PREREQUISITES AND COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS.

A. Prerequisites. This task requires knowledge of 14 CFR parts 1, 61, 65 subparts A

and C, 91, 110, 119, 121, and 183, and the requirements set forth in this order.

B. Coordination. This task may require coordination between the managing FAA 

office, the regional Flight Standards division (RFSD), and/or AFS-200.

13-179 REFERENCES, FORMS, AND JOB AIDS.

A. References (current editions):

 Title 14 CFR parts 1, 61, 65, 91, 110, 119, 121, and 183.

 Title 49 U.S.C.

 AFS-001-031, Air Transportation Designated Examiner Management Process.

B. Forms:

 FAA Form 8000-5, Certificate of Designation.

 FAA Form 8000-36, Program Tracking and Reporting Subsystem Data Sheet.

 FAA Form 8060-4, Temporary Airman Certificate.

 FAA Form 8060-5, Notice of Disapproval of Application.

 FAA Form 8400-3, Application for an Airman Certificate and/or Rating.

C. Job Aids. None.
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13-180 DADE MATERIALS.

A. Materials. During initial training, the designee will obtain the following materials 

(restocked as needed) from the FAA managing specialist (current editions):

1) FAA Form 8000-36, Program Tracking and Reporting Subsystem Data Sheet;

2) FAA Form 8060-4, Temporary Airman Certificate;

3) FAA Form 8060-5, Notice of Disapproval of Application;

4) FAA-S-8081-10, Aircraft Dispatcher Practical Test Standards (PTS);

5) FAA Form 8400-3, Application for an Airman Certificate and/or Rating;

6) Part 65, Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers, Subparts A, 

General, and C, Aircraft Dispatchers;

7) Part 183, Representatives of the Administrator; and

8) Job Aids, as appropriate.

B. Access to Other Information. Each DADE must have access to current regulations 

and other information as applicable to aircraft dispatcher certification. DADEs must have direct 

access to a computer with internet access for the purpose of obtaining current aviation safety and 

regulatory information.

C. Use of the Integrated Airman Certification and/or Rating Application (IACRA).

A DADE may not use IACRA to process airman applications without first obtaining approval 

from the FAA managing specialist. If the FAA managing specialist approves the use of IACRA,

he or she will list its use as a provision of the DADE’s LOA.

13-181 TESTING. All practical tests must be conducted in accordance with the current version 

of the Aircraft Dispatcher PTS (FAA-S-8081-10). The DADE must notify the managing CHDO 

of all scheduled tests in advance. The FAA managing specialist will establish local procedures 

concerning types of required notifications and notification timetables.

13-182 RELOCATION. If a DADE relocates outside of the CHDO geographic area of 

responsibility, the CHDO will terminate the designation in accordance with Volume 13, 

Chapter 1, Section 2, as it relates to “Termination not-for-cause,” since relocation is not a 

product of poor performance.

RESERVED. Paragraphs 13-183 through 13-200.