1. Rory Salisbury – Dispatcher/Dispatch Trainer
Mesa Airlines
Rory Salisbury – Dispatcher/Dispatch Trainer

2. Mesa Airlines
First of all, we at Mesa Airlines would like to extend a warm thank you to the National Weather Service.

3. Mesa Airlines Approx. 200 aircraft in our fleet Category one airline
Group 1 and group 2 aircraft

4. Mesa Airlines
Approx. 80 % of a dispatchers job is centered around weather and weather products.

5. Mesa Airlines
The FAA towers / centers along with other FAA programs will try to follow the NWS forecasts.
The AADC are based on forecast and traffic.

6. Mesa Airlines FAR 121.619 – Alternate airport for destination
(1) The ceiling will be at least 2,000 feet above the airport elevation; and
(2) Visibility will be at least 3 miles.

7. Mesa Airlines 121.617 – Alternate Airport for Departure
Must meet alternate weather minimums

8. Mesa Airlines FAR 121.625 – Alternate Airport weather Minimums
FAA mandates that all part 121 carriers create alternate weather minimums based on a method that is approved in the certificate holders Operations Specifications (Ops. Specs)

9. Mesa Airlines
Mesa Airlines is authorized to derive alternate weather minimums via the 1 navaid, 2 navaid rule.

10. Mesa Airlines
One navaid rules state that for airports with only one navigational aid and or one runway authorized for our operations, Mesa Airlines will add 400’ to the HAT and 1sm to the lowest authorized category 1 landing minimums for the airport in use.

11. Mesa Airlines
The two navaid rule states that if there are two separate operational navaids with two different frequencies and two separate runways suitable for our type operations, then we will add 200’ to the HAT and ½ sm to the lowest suitable category one landing minimums for the airport in use.

12. Mesa Airlines
Whenever a circling maneuver is required one navaid rule will be used.

13. Mesa Airlines
For example KPSP minimums for speed category C and D is 1936’ & 3sm. So for the sake of an alternate with only a circle to land approach the weather min’s would be 2400’ and 4sm

14. Mesa Airlines
FAR – States that no aircraft will be dispatched unless the dispatcher for that flight is thoroughly familiar with all weather conditions that are being reported or forecasted for the entire route of flight to be dispatched.

15. Mesa Airlines
Mesa Airlines lowest category one landing minimums are ½ sm and 200’ HAT

16. Mesa Airlines
Examples of go or no go decisions based on weather forecast alone

17. Mesa Airlines Exemption 3585
100% landing minimums must be forecast for the time of arrival in the main body of the forecast. If 50% of landing minimums are forecasted in a tempo or conditional statement then we may depart for destination under exemption 3585

18. Mesa Airlines
Below is an example of a “go” situation with standard alternate arrival time of 2120z;
TAF KDFW Z KT P6SM
FM KT 1SM OVC020
FM KT P6SM SCT300

19. Mesa Airlines
Below is an example of a “no” go forecast with arrival time of 0801z
Updated 1355 UTC 05 Dec
TAF KEUG Z VRB03KT P6SM
FM KT 1/4SM FG BKN001

20. Mesa Airlines
Below is an example of a “go” situation based on exemption 3585 arrival time1830z;
TAF KBWI Z G20KT 3SM -SHRA BR SCT012 OVC025
TEMPO 1821 VRB03KT 1/4SM -RA BR BKN012
FM G28KT 4SM -SHRA BKN025 OVC035

21. Mesa Airlines
Under exemption 3585 two alternates will be given. Both alternates must meet alternate weather minimums.

22. Mesa Airlines Area forecasts
It is common for a dispatcher to have an aircraft with inoperative de-ice or anti-ice equipment, area forecasts help determine “go” or “no-go” situations

23. Mesa Airlines
We at Mesa Airlines would like to, again thank the National Weather Service for allowing us the time to speak here today.

24. Mesa Airlines
Rory Salisbury