FAQ
Questions people ask us
Straight answers about eligibility, the course, the FAA tests, cost and what comes after graduation. If yours is not here, ask us.
Eligibility
How old do I have to be?
You must be 21 to take the FAA knowledge test and 23 to hold the certificate. If you pass the practical test before 23, the FAA issues a Letter of Aeronautical Competency that you exchange for the certificate when you turn 23.
Is there a maximum age?
No. The FAA sets a minimum age, not a maximum.
Is the course taught in English?
Yes. The FAA requires you to read, speak, write and understand English to hold the certificate.
Do you give credit for prior training or experience?
No. Every student completes all 200 hours.
Can I work while I take the course?
The course runs full time, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., for about five weeks, so most students arrange time off. Evenings and weekends are yours.
The course
Is the course online?
No. It is taught in person at our Miami facility, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
How big are the classes?
Classes have up to 25 seats, and never more than 25 students per instructor.
Do you cancel classes if enrollment is low?
Classes run with at least six students. If a class does not reach six, you move to the next class or receive a full refund of what you have paid.
Where can out-of-town students stay?
The school is next to Miami International Airport, with hotels nearby at a range of prices.
Do all schools teach the same material?
The FAA sets the subjects and the 200-hour minimum for every approved course, so the outline is similar everywhere. What differs is how it is taught: how much is done by hand, how much time is spent dispatching, and who is in the room.
Do you offer flight simulators or flight training?
No. This is an aircraft dispatcher course. Dispatchers work on the ground, and the course covers flight planning, weather, regulations and operational control, not flying.
The FAA tests
What is the ADX knowledge test?
ADX is the FAA code for the Aircraft Dispatcher knowledge test, a computer-based test given at an FAA-approved testing center. You need 70% to pass, and a passing score is valid for 24 calendar months.
Who gives the practical test?
An FAA inspector or a Designated Aircraft Dispatcher Examiner. The test is based on one type of large aircraft used in air carrier operations.
How long is my graduation certificate valid?
It is valid for 90 days. We can revalidate it once, for 90 more days, after an oral proficiency exam. After 180 days it is no longer valid for the practical test.
Are the FAA testing fees included in tuition?
Yes. The FAA knowledge test and practical test fees are included in the $7,000 tuition.
Can you promise I will get the certificate?
No school can. The FAA gives both tests and issues the certificate to applicants who pass them and meet its eligibility rules. What we can say is that the course covers the subjects the FAA tests, in the hours the FAA approved, and that you will have done the work by hand before you sit either test.
After graduating, will I know everything about dispatching?
You will be prepared for the FAA knowledge and practical tests and for an airline's own initial dispatcher training, which every carrier gives its new dispatchers on its aircraft and procedures. The course is the foundation; the airline builds on it.
Cost and payment
What does tuition include?
$7,000. It includes all 200 hours of instruction, the courseware library, charts and flight-planning forms, the E6B flight computer and plotter, ADX test-prep software, and the FAA knowledge and practical test fees.
What is the refund policy?
Refund terms are in the enrollment application you sign before paying a deposit. Ask us for a copy before you commit.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We take card payments through Stripe; a 3% processing fee applies.
After graduation
What happens after I graduate?
You take the FAA practical test while your graduation certificate is valid. The FAA, not the school, issues the Aircraft Dispatcher Certificate.
Is the FAA certificate recognized outside the United States?
It is a U.S. certificate. Each country's aviation authority decides whether and how it accepts an FAA certificate, so check with the authority where you want to work.
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