107 testing

[Mike_Flys]

They have to cover all the bases. Phantoms - and quadcopters in general - are only some of the sUAVs out there. Fixed wing aircraft are a different beast, and have different implications with temperature on their lift and control surfaces than rotary wing. Some people live close to airports and some more than others will have a greater need to understand how to determine where the different classes of airspace are. Here in Florida, you can't throw a rock without hitting an airport, heliport, or seaplane base, so there's lots of Class D and higher airspace to be aware of. One of the places I want to fly one day is a marina lined up perfectly with a small nearby airport's runway, so being able to look up the CTAF frequency and listen for aircraft coming in to land or takeoff would be important. Am I worried about frost? No. But that doesn't mean that the information is not useful.

I agree and appreciate everything you said except "Fixed wing aircraft are a different beast, and have different implications with temperature on their lift and control surfaces than rotary wing"
While rotor craft are a different beast they are not immune to physics. Temperature affects Density Altitude (DA) so it effects lift of a rotor wing just like it does a fixed wing... Ask any Helicopter pilot.
While on the subject of DA it will also affect the cooling of our little electric motors. The higher the DA the hotter they run.

 

[Mike_Flys]

Appears to be multiple choice so I'm studying everything I can from the FAA web site and figure if one of the answers is A, B, or C I should be able to get it right. Also, I can miss 18 and still pass. I know that's not the way to go about it but conversely I won't need to know 75% of the stuff on the test.

I will not be flying my drone in inclement weather, nor near airports, nor will I be carrying a load. So far in my study guide these topics were heavily covered. Why do I need to know metar info? Don't get me wrong I understand there are more expensive and more heavily used drones than mine that would need this info. Just not me.

While translating the weather coding may be a bit much since your phone can do it for you, it is a great idea to pre-plan your flight, and part of that is checking the weather.
FAA or not it is the prudent (Safe) thing to do especially if you will be flying commercial.

Once you start flying with an FAA certificate in your pocket you will be representing all of us. It may not mean much to you but it does to most of us that you be as professional and safe as possible.
When 107 goes live we will all be under the microscope, and our attitudes and behaviors will influence future regulations.

 

[Huskerfan]

While translating the weather coding may be a bit much since your phone can do it for you, it is a great idea to pre-plan your flight, and part of that is checking the weather.
FAA or not it is the prudent (Safe) thing to do especially if you will be flying commercial.

Once you start flying with an FAA certificate in your pocket you will be representing all of us. It may not mean much to you but it does to most of us that you be as professional and safe as possible.
When 107 goes live we will all be under the microscope, and our attitudes and behaviors will influence future regulations.

I understand but shucks I could even look up in the sky and see what the weather's doing. Especially since the license still says LOS the drone will not leave my sight. I don't mean to diminish this by any means but us Phantom owners won't be flying in the rain or thunderstorms. I predict there will eventually be 3 categories of licenses. One for someone like me who casually fly's, another one for the next level, and a 3rd one for extreme UAV's that could fly thousands of feet. I personally think that's what this test is all about, the latter. and I understand right now they need to cover all their bases. I get it.

 

[trevsdad]

Why do I need to know metar info? Don't get me wrong I understand there are more expensive and more heavily used drones than mine that would need this info. Just not me.

...A wise CFI once told me; "...better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

METAR's are useful hourly snapshots of weather conditions in your immediate area. Let's say down the line, you had a job that required you to pull a COA for flight way over 400' (...possibly a tower inspection) where you were concerned about the possibility of icing aloft (something you can't see from the ground) ...than you'd want to check the latest METAR for that area. Sure, you could get the translation but what if it wasn't available? You'd have to know how to read the Raw.

Same thing in SCUBA...with the proliferation of dive computers, everyone always wants to know, "...why do I have to learn to use dive tables?" Because you want that skill if your computer crashes 70' below surface.

 

[Huskerfan]

I agree with everything you guys said. I look at it this way: Say I want to get a drivers license but the state is going to make me get a commercial drivers license. I have no intent of ever driving a 10 ton dump truck but hey, I have the license to do it if I ever want to! And so if and when I need that extra license I should be able to go take a test to drive the dump truck. Likewise with the UAV testing procedures...

 

[joet]

I agree and appreciate everything you said except "Fixed wing aircraft are a different beast, and have different implications with temperature on their lift and control surfaces than rotary wing"
While rotor craft are a different beast they are not immune to physics. Temperature affects Density Altitude (DA) so it effects lift of a rotor wing just like it does a fixed wing... Ask any Helicopter pilot.
While on the subject of DA it will also affect the cooling of our little electric motors. The higher the DA the hotter they run.

I was thinking more about icing on the control surfaces and did a terrible job of verbalizing it. That's what I get for posting while eating.. Not enough attention on either task.

Part 107 exam scheduled for Monday morning, BTW.

 

[Huskerfan]

Mine's scheduled for Tuesday at noon.

I've been pouring over the 79 page document labeled Remote Pilot - Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Study Guide (FAA-G-8082-22) and looked over several sample tests and a couple other documents from FAA web site. The above guide is really comprehensive. You guys think I should study anything else? btw, I'm only half way through! It is truly a great learning experience but just seems overkill.

 

[joet]

I agree with everything you guys said. I look at it this way: Say I want to get a drivers license but the state is going to make me get a commercial drivers license. I have no intent of ever driving a 10 ton dump truck but hey, I have the license to do it if I ever want to! And so if and when I need that extra license I should be able to go take a test to drive the dump truck. Likewise with the UAV testing procedures...

In this case, the "extra" test is to fly manned aircraft.

Let's also remember that this is new ground for the FAA and there are bound to be hiccups of various varieties for those of us on the bleeding edge. For example, the FAA's SUAS Study Guide has a chapter on radio communications that says (in part):

[A] remote pilot is not expected to communicate with other aircraft in the vicinity of an airport, and should not do so unless there is an emergency situation.
​

However, it never discusses how you might identify and communicate effectively in an emergency situation. Further, you would presumably require a station license (since you are not flying an aircraft with a radio installed), and there is seemingly no category of license that would include sUAS operators - too new of a concept. It could fall under the same category as balloon handlers, but the regulation doesn't read that way. Of course, in an emergency, you talk first and are asked questions later, but this is a legal quagmire of sorts. If I am flying near an uncontrolled airport and I hear an aircraft announcing a departure from a runway that my flyaway drone is about to cross, does that constitute an emergency? The FAA and FCC might disagree on it.

 

[joet]

Mine's scheduled for Tuesday at noon.

Good luck! Hopefully Invest 99 won't turn into a full tropical system and head this way... Although I might have just jinxed the whole region by scheduling the test.. Oooops.

I've been pouring over the 79 page document labeled Remote Pilot - Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Study Guide (FAA-G-8082-22) and looked over several sample tests and a couple other documents from FAA web site. The above guide is really comprehensive. You guys think I should study anything else? btw, I'm only half way through! It is truly a great learning experience but just seems overkill.

Depending on what you are doing and what you are flying, it may be. However, they have to account for the operator who is flying fixed wing aerial surveys on routes through Class B airspace as well as the dude filming rock formations in the middle of nowhere with a Phantom. Gotta cover all the bases, even if you won't be getting to them all.

 

[Richard R]

Even for a small drone pilot, this material can be important. For example, 107 says that you have to stay 500 feet below clouds. How high are those clouds over you? Do you know where to get a weather briefing or a Metar report and how to read it? That information would be there.

 

[Richard R]

Well, sort of. We do know precisely what the test will cover based on FAA documents. We know precisely which sectional charts, METARs, etc. will be used. So although we may not know the exact wording, those of us who have been in the FAA testing world for a long time can get it pretty close.

If you go with a training program, just make sure it is developed and conducted by FAA certificated flight instructors. It's great that a drone person wants to help you with an FAA test, but if he's never taken one before, that's probably not the best choice for you.

Curious on how you obtained the 'actual' sectional and METARs that the FAA will be using? Was there a general release or only one to certain 'educators'?

 

[N42742]

Not curious at all, Richard. I have a copy of the actual Knowledge Testing Supplement that is used in the test. These are available for purchase in hardcopy and can be downloaded as PDFs for anyone who knows about it.

Gold Seal has been in the pilot testing business for over ten years. We use the same figures in our quizzes and exams that the FAA does. (And most of their questions, too.)

Every student who studies using Gold Seal becomes extremely familiar with the KTS that they'll use on the FAA exam. It's part of the training.

 

[Mike_Flys]

Curious on how you obtained the 'actual' sectional and METARs that the FAA will be using? Was there a general release or only one to certain 'educators'?

From the FAA SUAS sample exam page that sUAS test will use the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Sport Pilot, Recreational Pilot, and Private Pilot.
Which can be downloaded for free here: http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/test_questions/media/sport_rec_private_akts.pdf
Or purchased from dam near any book store, including Barnes and Noble, Amazon,...

This is the reference material sectionals, diagrams,... that the test questions reference... available to the public and with just a bit of reading found from the links that have already been shared.

Everything you need to know is available from the FAA you just have to look. You can even email the FAA and ask questions. I have found them very responsive to email over the years.
Email for UAS questions [email protected]

I'm not trying to take away from Gold Seal. They provide a good service and would be a great choice if you wanted to pay for training/guidance to help you pass your Part 107 test.

 

[Huskerfan]

From the FAA SUAS sample exam page that sUAS test will use the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Sport Pilot, Recreational Pilot, and Private Pilot.
Which can be downloaded for free here: http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/test_questions/media/sport_rec_private_akts.pdf
Or purchased from dam near any book store, including Barnes and Noble, Amazon,...

This is the reference material sectionals, diagrams,... that the test questions reference... available to the public and with just a bit of reading found from the links that have already been shared.
.

Yep, I printed that thing out and going through those sample questions. Thank you

 

[skiptv]

WAIT: Im an instructor, The Drone Association is already in discussions to revise the test. The issues are that the test is still focused on much of the material an actual airplane pilot is going to need to know and not a drone pilot. There are changes coming for sure, making it somewhat easier since you won't have to learn subject matter that does not pertain to unmanned flight. So, what's the big deal if you get your license at the end of September, instead of August. Thats the reason its hard to find materials, flight schools are not printing up study books until this license and these rules get tweaked and finalized.

 

[N42742]

Hi, Skip. The "Drone Association" (I guess you mean AMA) has nothing to do with the tests. The FAA sponsors an advisory committee called an ARC. They make suggestions but the final determination about what appears on the test is done by AFS 630.

At this point the rules are finalized and there are plenty of study resources available.

 

[Falcon900]

WAIT: Im an instructor, The Drone Association is already in discussions to revise the test. The issues are that the test is still focused on much of the material an actual airplane pilot is going to need to know and not a drone pilot. There are changes coming for sure, making it somewhat easier since you won't have to learn subject matter that does not pertain to unmanned flight. So, what's the big deal if you get your license at the end of September, instead of August. Thats the reason its hard to find materials, flight schools are not printing up study books until this license and these rules get tweaked and finalized.

Hi Skip, I have reviewed all the available material on Part 107 and as a long time commercial aviation pilot, it all seems totally appropriate to me. There is an old saying in aviation that rings very true: "You don't know what you don't know" All of this FAA regulation is designed to prevent people from being killed or injured by drone pilots who don't know what they don't know.

 

[Timtro]

Follow @TheDroneProf for an official FAA Study guide and sample questions.

 

[tempforananswer]

Just a heads up that my company is currently developing a study aide that will incorporate all the knowledge from the 116 page "Airman Knowledge Testing Supliment for Test Pilot, Sport Pilot, Recreational Pilot and Private Pilot.

Links to the site, app and all will follow once I am an approved vendor in which to do so on this site.

Also has information gathered from various other sources pertinent to the UAS commercial and enthusiast pilot who is desiring to be properly certified to make money and also fly your fleet or single UAS.

It will be up to the user how much they want to delve in. There will be quick methods of just learning how to properly take the test and pass with the 70 percent or better requirement.

It also has deep study aides with videos and images taken from the places like the Apeendix of the above referenced guide.

Aside from the learning materials and practice tests, everything from the table of contents to actual terms in the resources will be linked so you will be able to easily bookmark your current location, save multiple bookmarks, jump to other areas temporarily, etc.

The type of studying you do will be left to you but it's almost done and will be available hopefully simultaneously for both iOS and Android platforms (depending on approval process) and eventually by website too.

Again, once we have become an approved vendor on Phantom Pilots, I will share more and give links and offerings for a couple beta testers (no pun intended) but it's fairly basic, competitively speaking.

There will also be a section to find training and test taking centers near you.

Thanks for reading.

 

[S_Plus]

Hey in case anyone hasn't found this already, the figures that they refer to on the example questions are here.

http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/test_questions/media/sport_rec_private_akts.pdf