Hello, in this video I will go over 10 questions that test your knowledge on the
national airspace system using sectional charts for the FAA Part 107 commercial drone exam.
Most of the questions are coming from the study guide I used to prepare for the exam,
which I passed with 90% in 2022. Check out the video on how I prepared for the exam in the link
above and in the description. Take a look at the study guide I used in the description, too.
The questions will use the airmen knowledge testing supplement.
I included links in the description if you do not have the supplement.
The first question asks you to identify the floor of the Class B airspace overlying Hicks
Airport north-northwest of Fort Worth Meacham Field. First, locate the airport in area 4 and
identify the boundaries of the class B airspace that overlies Hicks Airport. The Class B airspace
typically has the floor and ceiling denoted by one number over a second number in hundreds of feet above
mean sea level or MSL. Sometimes, the floor number is denoted by the letters
SFC, which mean that the floor starts at the surface, such as this segment of the
class B airspace. In this case, the floor is 4,000 feet MSL. Thus, the answer is choice C.
The next question asks you to identify the airspace overlying within 5 miles of Barnes County
Airport. The shaded magenta line surrounding the Barnes County airport is represented by the class
E airspace. In case you cannot remember what the shaded magenta line means, always refer to the
legend in the airmen knowledge testing supplement, which will tell you the airspace class. This class
E airspace starts at 700 feet above ground level and extends up to but not including
18,000 feet. Because there are no other airspace classes visible within the shaded magenta circle,
that means that class G is the only uncontrolled airspace that overlies this airport from surface
level up to but not including 700 feet above ground level. Hence, the answer is choice C.
The third question asks you to identify the airspace that Hayward Executive airport is located
in. Looking at the airport location, we can count four controlled airspace classes that surround
Hayward Executive airport, namely class B, class C, class D and class E. However, we must focus on
the airspace where the airport is located on the surface. First is class B airspace, however, its
floor starts at 3,000 feet MSL. The next is class C airspace, but it starts at 1,500 feet MSL and
goes all the way to the bottom of the overlying class B airspace (this is what letter T denotes).
And there is class D airspace, which starts at the surface and goes all the way to, but not including
1,500 feet MSL. We know this because this is how class D airspace floors and ceilings are denoted
per the legend. Note, that there is also class E airspace denoted by the magenta dashed line.
What is interesting is that it also starts at the surface. However, this note says that this class
E airspace has certain effective hours. So, this is potentially an answer, but because this class
is not enforced 24/7 and is not part of the multiple choices, we can rule it out. Thus,
because class D airspace starts at the surface and is enforced 24/7, the answer is class D.
The fourth question asks you to identify the type of flight being conducted as indicated by
the IR678 route. For this question, it is not even necessary to look at the map to give the answer.
Anytime you see the letters IR or VR with numbers, you can immediately tell that they denote
military training routes, or MTRs. IR means that there is a military training route conducted
in accordance with instrument flight rules. The instrument means various electronic equipment that
allow flying without a visual reference. VR means that there is a military training route conducted
in accordance with visual flight rules. If you see three numbers in the name of IR or VR route,
it means that military operations are conducted higher than 1,500 feet AGL, while four numbers
denote operations conducted at or below 1,500 feet AGL. Since we have IR678, the answer is A, because
it is the only answer that references an IFR military training route with above 1,500 feet AGL.
The fifth question asks about any authorization or permits you need when flying your drone around the
tower under construction near Jamestown Regional airport. You are also given the coordinates that
help you locate the tower. First, identify the longitude and latitude. 46.9N represents the
latitude coordinate. You have 46 degrees and each degree consists of 60 minutes. The additional 0.9
means 54 minutes, or 46 degrees and 54 minutes north latitude. 98.6W means 98 degrees and 36
minutes west longitude. The sectional charts show coordinates in rectangle grids with each
mark on the grid representing one minute. Also remember, that latitude increases going northward,
while longitude increases going westward. Identify the closest degrees first. Here, we can see 47
degree north latitude. Count 6 minutes to the south and you have the 46.9N latitude coordinate.
Next, find the closest longitude, which is 98 degrees west. Then, count 36 minutes to get to
98.6W longitude. This is the tower you will be dealing with and it is located in the class E
airspace. While the magenta shaded line means that the class E airspace starts at 700 feet
above the surface, there is also a dashed magenta line, which indicates the class E airspace that
starts at the surface. The tower legend indicates the height of 1,727 feet above MSL. It does not
matter in this case what its height is above the ground, because we will be operating in the
controlled airspace with the floor at the surface. Thus, the answer is choice B, meaning you need
authorization from the ATC of the airport to operate your drone there.
The sixth question asks you to identify the floor of the Class E airspace above Georgetown
Airport. On the map, we can see that there is no identifiable airspace surrounding this airport.
In this case, you will be dealing with class G uncontrolled airspace, which starts at the ground
and extends to but does not include 1,200 AGL, while the class E airspace starts at
1,200 AGL. If we look at the answers, we do not see the choice of 1,200 AGL. However, we know
that this airport is located at an altitude of 2,623 feet MSL by looking at the airport data.
If we add 1,200 to 2,623, we will get 3,823 feet MSL for the class E airspace or answer C.
The seventh question asks you to identify the type of airport for Card airport. Looking at the map,
we can see that the airport data is written in magenta. All airports written in magenta are
non-towered airports, while airports marked in blue indicate the presence of the tower.
This makes Card airport non-towered. Also, there is an R in a circle. Looking at the legend, we
can see that it is a private non-public airport. Hence, the answer is C or private non-towered.
The eighth question asks you to locate an airport based on known coordinates.
First, identify the latitude. We can see that there is a 48 degree north latitude line. Because
latitude increases to the north, we can subtract 20 minutes to the south to arrive to 47 degrees
and 40 minutes. Next, identify the longitude line, which is 101 degrees west. Because longitude
increases going westward, add 26 minutes going west to arrive to 101 degrees and 26 minutes.
The airport located at these coordinates is Garrison Airport, which is answer C.
The ninth question asks you about the height of the lighted obstacle approximately 6 nautical
miles southwest of Savannah International airport. Locate the airport on the map first. Next,
you will always have the scale for nautical and statue miles
indicated above the chart in the supplement. By measuring approximately 6 miles southwest
from the airport, we arrive to this lighted structure. We know it is lighted,
because referring to the legend we see this is how obstructions with high intensity lights are marked
on sectional charts. The top number indicates elevation of the top of the tower in feet above
mean sea level, or 1,548 feet MSL, while the number in the parentheses indicates the height
in feet above the ground level, or 1,534 AGL. In case you forgot this, refer back to the legend.
Looking at the choices, the only matching answer is C, which is 1,548 feet MSL.
The tenth question asks about the maximum altitude in feet above mean sea level you are allowed
to fly from the hills overlooking Lake Pend Oreille. The first thing to remember is that
drones are permitted to fly 400 feet above ground level in uncontrolled airspace without any prior
authorization. Looking at the sectional chart, we see a hill east of Cocolalla with a marked
altitude of 4,960 feet MSL. Note, that altitude markings for terrain are always in feet above MSL.
We can see that this hill is located in the class G uncontrolled airspace
from the surface up to 1,200 feet AGL. Adding the allowed maximum altitude of 400 feet
AGL to the altitude of 4,960 feet MSL for the hill, we arrive at the maximum altitude of 5,360
feet MSL in class G airspace that you will be able to fly. This makes B an answer to this question.
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