FAA new rules: test for recreational flyers???

[nscaler2]

that's great to hear. what happens when the government decides there are too many drone flyers out there and they make the test triple hard and they institute a retest date to august 1, 2019. how convenient.

shouldn't be required to take a government test to be a hobby recreational flyer.
ok if you are a commercial drone pilot.

i don't have to take a test to own and fire guns.

I guarantee you if there were no NRA, you would have to take proficiency and knowledge tests in order to own and use a firearm. We just don't have a huge money machine backing us up like gun owners do..

 

[Rangerider]

I just took the Part 107 initial test and did very well. I prepared by enrolling and completing the FAA's initial course online at their web site and it was helpful. The other benefit of taking that course as I see it, is that you get a course completion certificate from the FAA which might be an easy and free way to comply with the FAA's new rule for recreational drone pilots to fulfill the knowledge test requirement which as far as I know is still unclear. Take the course, it is easy and free and gives you a record of completing a knowledge test with a record.

Also, I used the free Youtube Part 107 prep course here:

I also used this free training aid of 21 questions which is also very well done: 21 Questions You’ll See on Your Part 107 Exam (with Detailed Explanations)
Unfortunately, the Part 107 test costs $150 to take which is a ripoff in my opinion. There are three entities dividing up the test fee. The FAA, CTS ( I think that is the scheduling contractor for the FAA) and the testing facility giving the test. The testing facility gets very little of the big fee with the FAA getting most of it! I believe all written tests used to be free if memory serves me correctly. What a racket!

 

[sar104]

Unfortunately, the Part 107 test costs $150 to take which is a ripoff in my opinion. There are three entities dividing up the test fee. The FAA, CTS ( I think that is the scheduling contractor for the FAA) and the testing facility giving the test. The testing facility gets very little of the big fee with the FAA getting most of it!

Who told you that the fee is split and goes mostly to the FAA? It was incorrect information - the FAA doesn't get anything.

 

[Terry63]

A good portion of Manned Aircraft is done below 700', 500' etc for reasons.

I can verify that. On the club where I hunt deer some of the military pilots have flown so close to my watch that I could see them face to face. I started studying Sectional maps recently and found out my club is in an MOA military operations area. The floor is one hundred feet AGL. most of the land there has trees 75 to 80 feet tall. These guys are amazing flyers. They fly down in the valleys and then pop up over the ridge and they are going so fast you can only hear them coming for 3 or 4 seconds and then they are right over head.

 

[Rangerider]

I can verify that. On the club where I hunt deer some of the military pilots have flown so close to my watch that I could see them face to face. I started studying Sectional maps recently and found out my club is in an MOA military operations area. The floor is one hundred feet AGL. most of the land there has trees 75 to 80 feet tall. These guys are amazing flyers. They fly down in the valleys and then pop up over the ridge and they are going so fast you can only hear them coming for 3 or 4 seconds and then they are right over head.

If you ask me those guys are just goofing off flying that low. They are the Top Gun types that get off on buzzing houses etc. It is hard not to do that being young and feeling invulnerable. It has to be fun but think of one bird getting in their engine! Explain that to your XO after you hit the silk, land in the dust and watch your jet burn! Fun until it's not.

 

[Rangerider]

Who told you that the fee is split and goes mostly to the FAA? It was incorrect information - the FAA doesn't get anything.

The guy running the testing facility! Who told you the Feds don't get anything? Prove it please. I trust the man giving the tests more than the FAA. See post #45

 

[sar104]

The guy running the testing facility! Who told you the Feds don't get anything? Prove it please. I trust the man giving the tests more than the FAA. See post #45

Both the local FSDO rep and the testing facility where I took the initial and recurrent tests told me that. "Prove it please"? Really - what a ridiculous statement. I could equally well ask you to prove it.

 

[razoraerial]

I'll go on record and take that bet. I bet you a solid $10 that the Recreational Test, if done online (in person testing is always a fee but the FAA doesn't make anything from it) there will be no fee for testing. I'll send you a $10 bill in the mail if the Recreational test (NOT in person) costs anything.

A good portion of Manned Aircraft is done below 700', 500' etc for reasons.

Everyone wants to change the rules when they get their new R/C toys and that's not how it works. We're lucky we get to use the airspace at all and not regulated to Fixed Sites forever.

Ok so your saying. They “FAA” Charged me 5 for having a drone but won’t charge me to test to fly it ?

 

[razoraerial]

I guarantee you if there were no NRA, you would have to take proficiency and knowledge tests in order to own and use a firearm. We just don't have a huge money machine backing us up like gun owners do..

Yep your probably right the constitution doesn’t help at all there. Lol

 

[BigAl07]

Ok so your saying. They “FAA” Charged me 5 for having a drone but won’t charge me to test to fly it ?

If the test is online that's exactly what I'm saying. The $150 for the in-person test is for the Testing Facility not for the FAA. And, it's important to note that the Part 61 "Current" Operators Part 107 test and recurrent test are both FREE and are ONLINE tests. See the pattern here?

With the above information I would fully expect an online Hobby test to be free. If it's not I'm only out $10 so no big deal. I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong many times going forward.

 

[razoraerial]

If the test is online that's exactly what I'm saying. The $150 for the in-person test is for the Testing Facility not for the FAA. And, it's important to note that the Part 61 "Current" Operators Part 107 test and recurrent test are both FREE and are ONLINE tests. See the pattern here?

With the above information I would fully expect an online Hobby test to be free. If it's not I'm only out $10 so no big deal. I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong many times going forward.

Reply makes sense. I can believe it in that perspective. I think we all have hit the been wrong deal once or twice. Lol

 

[Rangerider]

that's great to hear. what happens when the government decides there are too many drone flyers out there and they make the test triple hard and they institute a retest date to august 1, 2019. how convenient.

shouldn't be required to take a government test to be a hobby recreational flyer.
ok if you are a commercial drone pilot.

i don't have to take a test to own and fire guns.

Coming soon. FAA requires license to fly a kite! Balsa wood gliders need special training and testing also. Wind-up rubber band planes need registration and licensing.

 

[Rangerider]

thanks for posting. i believe we heard that question and it was answered during the recent FAA webinar where they confirmed that the 107 pilot can fly recreationally as long as the pilot followed all the rules. all the rules are 107 rules plus recreational rules. when they said you can't pick and choose, i took that to mean the 107 pilot cannot fly recreational and thus skip the 107 rules and then fly 107 and skip the recreational rules (as one example); that would be picking and choosing (the latter in and of itself is fine because flying recreationally is an exemption). conversely, the recreational pilot flys only under the recreational rules (ie cannot fly commercially).

it was also said the 107 pilot may or may not have to take the recreational test in order to fly recreationally (not a big deal) but i guess it's leaning towards more likely than not based on someone of the more recent replies.

anyway, none of this is my own, the faa or someone else said it, i'm just repeating it. therefore, i'm not taking "questions" on it; thanks. make what you will of it. who knows, i still could be wrong. in an earlier thread, i've already admitted that i was wrong when i insisted that 107 pilots cannot fly under the recreational rules. clearly they can.

The FAA has been picking and choosing for a long time. A pilot could fly part 61/91/135/121 etc. There are rules for each that differ. An airline pilot employed by any airline could fly recreationally anytime without having to comply with Part 121 regs. So why the mixed signals now from the FAA? Sounds like they are trying to push as much control as possible into the drone flying which is par for the course with the FAA. They won't be satisfied until they own all the airspace above ground level and have full control of every flight operation.
Along the same line of thinking, I saw a TV commercial which depicted NASA drones flying everywhere a few weeks ago. I don't recall the channel but I believe it was an ad. It was kind of Orwellian to say the least. I see drone flying becoming just like the manned flying rules. It will offer fully instrument rated option to be IFR rated to fly in the weather and drones becoming capable of flying in all kinds of weather including icing conditions just like 'real' airplanes. VFR flying will be almost relegated to the dustbin. Anyone can see this coming, just look at your smart controller and imagine it being set up in a small mock cockpit with bigger screens and better instrumentation, joystick, etc. Maybe even an attendant to bring you coffee?

 

[johnnieq]

I hope so. SO far I've gotten most of the answers correct in the practice questions that follow each chapter in the book I'm reading.
I was just wondering regarding that new test whether or not current rec. flyers will have to take it to continue to fly, or will it only be required for NEW flyers?? I know this is just a "what do you think" question. THANKS.

You mention a book with practice questions. What is it titled and where can I find a copy?

 

[skiptv]

You mention a book with practice questions. What is it titled and where can I find a copy?

Go online to Sports Pilot Shot and Pay $29. for course and practice tests or go to Gleim online and pay $59 for their course and practice tests.

 

[FoxhallGH]

If the FAA 'Recreational Drone Pilot' test is anything like the CAA has just introduced here in the UK, it's very straight forward, and simply looking to ensure that you have a working knowledge of the rules and regulations that are in place to make your flying safe. The CAA 'Flyer Registration' test is 20 multi-choice questions, in the usual A, B or C format where you have one very stupid answer, an answer that sort-of looks right, and the sensible answer. We are required to get 16 out of 20 to pass, but you do have to try hard to do that badly!

 

[DanMan32]

Note that this topic was dormant since July until these recent posts. FAA has not issued the hobbyists knowledge test yet.

 

[GGehret]

You mention a book with practice questions. What is it titled and where can I find a copy?

THe one I have is "Remote Pilot" FAA Knowledge TEst Prep. by Gleim Aviation, 2nd. edition

 

[DanMan32]

From some research, that seems to pertain to the 107 test. The detailed description says it prepares you for the Unmanned Aircraft – General (UAG)

 

[Steven Georges]

In my military career I used to be one of those guys that spent a lot of time flying below 500'. However, I predict that if UAS are ever going to proliferate in a commercial sense then the airspace occupied by manned aircraft has to shrink, and raising the floor makes most sense. I'd go even further and say that existing controlled airspace needs to be reviewed and in many cases shrunk; for example, I live 2 miles away from an airport that has Class D around it, and that airfield does almost nothing but recreational flying. If the volume of traffic at any airport is low, especially if it has no scheduled commercial traffic, it shouldn't have any controlled airspace at all.

It sounds like your airport has a part-time tower. Find out when the tower is closed down and the airspace reverts to Class G airspace so you know when you can fly up to 400 feet.

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