FAA Aircraft Dispatcher Practice Exam 2025 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

A special ATIS (SPECI) is typically issued in response to significant changes in weather conditions or relevant operational information that could impact flight safety or aircraft operations. These changes can include variations in weather parameters such as visibility, cloud cover, wind direction, and wind speed. The purpose of issuing a SPECI is to provide pilots and flight crews with the latest, critical information that may affect their flight plans, particularly in rapidly changing weather conditions.

Normal hourly updates typically do not qualify for a SPECI; instead, they pertain more to routine and scheduled updates of the ATIS information. Conditions like visibility greater than 5 miles do not necessitate a SPECI, as this metric is often used to determine whether a situation is stable enough for regular updates. Minor runway adjustments also do not warrant immediate notification through a SPECI; such changes usually fall under standard procedural updates unless they significantly impact operations.