I’ll probably regret saying this but here goes:
Unless you’re paying money for a class to physically show/teach you how to fly a drone... you don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars for somebody to gather all the free FAA info and show it to you.
That’s my view. However, gold seal does have a guarantee that you’ll pass so if you’re worried about passing than I guess that is a good course.
I’m not sure what learning the subject matter
means... as opposed to learning to pass the test. If you can pass the test, you got the material.
Keeping the knowledge requires using what is learned often.... that’s the problem!
I doubt many 107 pilots are referring to sectional charts to check which frequencies they need to contact ATC before they land their drone at a airport. Or to see what airports offer jet fuel, or .... you get my point.
I use my 107 almost daily, haven’t once looked at a sectional chart. That doesn’t mean I don’t comply with 107 rules, I check for TFRs, check NOTAMs, use LAANC to get authorization to fly, use AirMap and Kittyhawk for that. The apps show you the airports around you, and other important info. FAA’s website has everything else you need.
Set your drone to max altitude of 400’, keep it within visual sight, have maintenance schedule (check your drone before every flight) don’t fly over people or at night or out of sight w/o waivers...
I’m not intending to knock the online courses, everybody has got to make a buck I guess, but it’s bad enough I have to pay $150 ever 2 years to test...
I keep those 2 books with me, have a check list of what I have to do daily, have the drone settings written down (to include format SD every first flight if day to purge the files I already downloaded).
We are not flying full size aircraft here guys, and landing at airports. At least I’m not. But if anybody here is a manned airmen, they’d be exempt from this anyway.
Sorry for the rant. The FAA wants to give you the knowledge for free, but you have got to want to find it.
The test isn’t that hard. The testing material does get you thinking and I guess that is the main point of it all. Be aware of your surroundings and that you’re not the only thing in the air.... and if you even think a manned craft is near you, get out of the way as fast as you can, anyway you can. Just because you’re allowed to be at 400’ doesn’t give you the right to play chicken with a manned aircraft that might be experiencing trouble...
Okay, back to work editing my pics and video from earlier... and here is a good FAA site to check daily:
www.faa.gov
Unless you’re paying money for a class to physically show/teach you how to fly a drone... you don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars for somebody to gather all the free FAA info and show it to you.
That’s my view. However, gold seal does have a guarantee that you’ll pass so if you’re worried about passing than I guess that is a good course.
I’m not sure what learning the subject matter
means... as opposed to learning to pass the test. If you can pass the test, you got the material.
Keeping the knowledge requires using what is learned often.... that’s the problem!
I doubt many 107 pilots are referring to sectional charts to check which frequencies they need to contact ATC before they land their drone at a airport. Or to see what airports offer jet fuel, or .... you get my point.
I use my 107 almost daily, haven’t once looked at a sectional chart. That doesn’t mean I don’t comply with 107 rules, I check for TFRs, check NOTAMs, use LAANC to get authorization to fly, use AirMap and Kittyhawk for that. The apps show you the airports around you, and other important info. FAA’s website has everything else you need.
Set your drone to max altitude of 400’, keep it within visual sight, have maintenance schedule (check your drone before every flight) don’t fly over people or at night or out of sight w/o waivers...
I’m not intending to knock the online courses, everybody has got to make a buck I guess, but it’s bad enough I have to pay $150 ever 2 years to test...
I keep those 2 books with me, have a check list of what I have to do daily, have the drone settings written down (to include format SD every first flight if day to purge the files I already downloaded).
We are not flying full size aircraft here guys, and landing at airports. At least I’m not. But if anybody here is a manned airmen, they’d be exempt from this anyway.
Sorry for the rant. The FAA wants to give you the knowledge for free, but you have got to want to find it.
The test isn’t that hard. The testing material does get you thinking and I guess that is the main point of it all. Be aware of your surroundings and that you’re not the only thing in the air.... and if you even think a manned craft is near you, get out of the way as fast as you can, anyway you can. Just because you’re allowed to be at 400’ doesn’t give you the right to play chicken with a manned aircraft that might be experiencing trouble...
Okay, back to work editing my pics and video from earlier... and here is a good FAA site to check daily:
NOTAMS, TFRs, and Aircraft Safety Alerts
![www.faa.gov](https://www.faa.gov/favicon.png)
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