Part 107 practice questions, with worked answers

C: the small UAS is in a condition for safe operation. No one may operate a civil small UAS unless it is in a condition for safe operation, and the RPIC must check this before every flight.

The trap: Choosing an outside approval. Part 107 puts the preflight check on the remote pilot in command, before every flight.

D: Yes; the limit is 87 knots (100 mph). Part 107 caps groundspeed at 87 knots, which is 100 mph. 95 mph is within that limit.

D: 400 feet AGL. Part 107 requires at least 500 feet below clouds and caps altitude at 400 feet AGL. 900 − 500 = 400, so the limit is the lower of 400 and 400: 400 feet AGL.

A: 650 feet AGL. Section 107.51(b) allows flight above 400 feet AGL within a 400-foot radius of a structure, up to 400 feet above the structure's top. 250 + 400 = 650 feet AGL.

1. Within 400 feet of a structure: the structure rule applies.
2. Limit: 400 feet above its top.
3. 250 + 400 = 650 feet AGL.

The trap: Answering 400 feet AGL. That is the limit away from structures.

A: 150 feet AGL. You must stay at least 500 feet below a cloud (107.51(d)). 650 − 500 = 150 feet AGL, which is lower than the 400-foot limit, so 150 feet is the ceiling for this flight.

1. Cloud clearance: 500 feet below.
2. 650 − 500 = 150 feet.
3. The lower of 150 and 400 is 150 feet AGL.

The trap: Answering 400 feet. The cloud rule is stricter here.

A: Report it to the FAA within 10 calendar days. Section 107.9 requires a report within 10 calendar days of an operation that causes serious injury, loss of consciousness, or damage to property other than the small UAS of more than $500 to repair or replace. The car damage is $700.

1. Damage to property other than the drone: $700.
2. Threshold: more than $500.
3. So report within 10 calendar days.

The trap: Counting the drone. Damage to the drone itself does not count toward the $500.

C: 5 nautical miles, with a shelf from 5 to 10 nautical miles. Class C usually has a 5 NM inner core from the surface and a 10 NM shelf starting about 1,200 feet AGL, both up to about 4,000 feet above the airport.

The trap: Mixing up the radii. Class C is usually 5 nautical miles at the core and 10 for the shelf.

D: 1,400 feet MSL. The bold number is the top of the obstacle in feet MSL (2449); the number in parentheses is its height above the ground (1049). Ground elevation = 2449 − 1049 = 1,400 feet MSL.

B: 773 feet MSL. The bold number is the top of the obstacle in feet MSL (1085); the number in parentheses is its height above the ground (312). Ground elevation = 1085 − 312 = 773 feet MSL.

C: 4,000 feet MSL. The number in brackets is the Class D ceiling in hundreds of feet MSL, so [40] means 4,000 feet MSL.

A: No; you are at 1,280 feet MSL, below its 1,400-foot MSL floor. The label is ceiling over floor in hundreds of feet MSL: 4,500 down to 1,400 feet MSL. Your altitude is 900 + 380 = 1,280 feet MSL, below the floor, so you are under the shelf, not in it (check what airspace you are in there).

1. Floor: 14 × 100 = 1,400 feet MSL.
2. Your altitude: 900 + 380 = 1,280 feet MSL.
3. 1,280 is below 1,400, so you are under the shelf.

The trap: Reading 14 as 1,400 feet AGL. Shelf altitudes on a sectional are MSL.

A: 1,462 feet MSL. The bold number is the top of the obstacle in feet MSL; the number in parentheses is its height above the ground. Ground = 1,874 − 412 = 1,462 feet MSL.

1. Top: 1,874 feet MSL.
2. Height: 412 feet AGL.
3. Ground: 1,874 − 412 = 1,462 feet MSL.

The trap: Adding the two numbers. The parentheses show height above ground, which is already part of the MSL top.

D: Its propellers produce less thrust, so climb and endurance suffer. Thinner air means less lift and thrust from each propeller turn, so the aircraft works harder, climbs slower and drains the battery faster.

The trap: Thinking thin air helps. Less dense air means less thrust from every turn of the propeller.

C: 5,700 feet AGL. The ceiling is the lowest broken (BKN) or overcast (OVC) layer. Heights are in hundreds of feet above ground. Here the layers are FEW at 3,000 feet and OVC at 5,700 feet, so the ceiling is 5,700 feet AGL.

C: 46.7 pounds. Load = weight × load factor = 33 × 1.414 = 46.7 pounds. Steeper banks raise the load factor, and with it the stall speed.

A: 1,400 feet AGL. The ceiling is the lowest broken (BKN) or overcast (OVC) layer. FEW008 is a few clouds and does not count; BKN014 is broken at 1,400 feet AGL.

1. FEW008: few clouds, not a ceiling.
2. BKN014: broken at 1,400 feet.
3. So the ceiling is 1,400 feet AGL.

The trap: Taking the lowest layer (800 feet). Only broken or overcast layers make a ceiling.

A: Temperature 18°C, dew point 16°C: the air is close to saturation, so fog or low clouds may form. The temperature and dew point group is in degrees Celsius. A spread of 2°C means the air is nearly saturated; with mist (BR) already reported, fog or lower clouds are likely.

1. 18/16 is temperature/dew point in °C.
2. Spread: 2°C, which is small.
3. Small spread: fog or low clouds likely.

The trap: Reading the group as Fahrenheit. METARs use Celsius.

C: Mike. M is Mike in the phonetic alphabet.

The trap: Picking a name that sounds right. The phonetic alphabet is fixed: M is Mike.

C: 280°. Runway numbers are the magnetic heading divided by 10: runway 28 is about 280° magnetic.

A: 340°; runway 16. Runway numbers are the magnetic heading divided by 10, rounded. Runway 34 points about 340°; the other end points 180° away, about 160°, which is runway 16.

1. 34 × 10 = 340°.
2. 340 − 180 = 160°.
3. 160 ÷ 10 = runway 16.

The trap: Adding 180 without wrapping around 360. Headings go from 001° to 360°.

A: 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EDT. Local time = Zulu (UTC) + the offset. EDT is UTC−4: 1800Z − 4 hours = 1400 (2:00 p.m.), and 2200Z − 4 = 1800 (6:00 p.m.).

1. EDT is UTC−4.
2. 1800 − 4 = 1400, 2:00 p.m.
3. 2200 − 4 = 1800, 6:00 p.m.

The trap: Adding the 4 hours. Local Eastern time is behind Zulu.