Part 107 certificate difficult?

[PPCPilot]

Hi All,

I used to be an ultralight flight instructor so I already have a fair amount of knowledge with respect to what a person would need to know to obtain the Part 107 certificate. However, in looking over the study guide it looks to me like it might be quite a bit of work to educate myself to pass the test.

I would like to hear from people who have obtained the Part 107 certificate. How much studying did it take? I know that's a subjective question but do you think we're talking 10 hours or 50 hours?

I'm going to be filming weddings.

 

[Aerial-Pixel]

I used an app called Prepware Remote Pilot, it only costs a few bucks, it's a great resource. I also used the FAA Remote Pilot study guide. I studied for about 10 hours, passed with an 83% but passed the recurrent test back in July with a 95%, studying again with Prepware.

 

[ColinF]

Hi All,

I used to be an ultralight flight instructor so I already have a fair amount of knowledge with respect to what a person would need to know to obtain the Part 107 certificate. However, in looking over the study guide it looks to me like it might be quite a bit of work to educate myself to pass the test.

I would like to hear from people who have obtained the Part 107 certificate. How much studying did it take? I know that's a subjective question but do you think we're talking 10 hours or 50 hours?

I'm going to be filming weddings.

I used a online course remotepilot101.com. I went through the entire course twice. I think I probably studied for 3 or 4 weeks everyday when I had free time. I passed with 98%.

 

[PPCPilot]

Okay, cool. Thanks guys! I just wanted to have some sort of sense for what I would be getting myself into and your feedback helps a lot! Thank you again for sharing your experience!

 

[aslondon]

I just took the test last week and passed with 78%. I used a youtube video prep by Tony Northrup. I watched it 4or 5 times. It was pretty thorough and he’s got a nice manner.

 

[James33]

I just took the test last week and passed with 78%. I used a youtube video prep by Tony Northrup. I watched it 4or 5 times. It was pretty thorough and he’s got a nice manner.

Was this your only resource for studying? What background did you have in flying? Thanks!

 

[Aerial-Pixel]

Was this your only resource for studying? What background did you have in flying? Thanks!

Tony's video is good but you will need to do some practicing with sectional charts, that is where some of the other study guides and apps will help you out.

 

[TBeasley]

I'm preparing also using the FAA Study guide and I have looked at a Tony Northup video a few weeks ago. I read on one of the websites that if you do not have any flying experience (which I don't) that the average study time is approximately 40 hours. I'm studying when I have a little free time. I probably have around 5 hours total but have some hugh skips between my study times. I've taken a couple of the practice tests and I'm between 70-80%. To me it's not really that hard. It's just a great deal of information.

 

[aslondon]

I have no experience flying
It was pretty much my only resource.

 

[aslondon]

There were a lot of questions on sectional charts.

 

[PhantomFandom]

Hi All,

I used to be an ultralight flight instructor so I already have a fair amount of knowledge with respect to what a person would need to know to obtain the Part 107 certificate. However, in looking over the study guide it looks to me like it might be quite a bit of work to educate myself to pass the test.

I would like to hear from people who have obtained the Part 107 certificate. How much studying did it take? I know that's a subjective question but do you think we're talking 10 hours or 50 hours?

I'm going to be filming weddings.

It's all relative to what background you have and how well you retain new material. As a fixed wing pilot, it was not difficult for me. Much of the material is very similar to that on the SEL pilot written exam. I also took a calculated risk on the studying. I read the entire FAA Study Guide from cover to cover and made sure I understood all of it. At that point I felt fairly confident, so my decision was to either find other (more in-depth) material and study for hours/days/weeks, or just schedule the exam and give it a shot.

So I downloaded, printed, and read the entire Study Guide on a Thursday afternoon and took the test the next day on Friday afternoon. Passed and only got 3 wrong. I think that once you look through the material you are the only one that has an idea of how well prepared you are. The questions are not generally trivial so you do need to know what you are doing. However they are multiple choice and quite often, one of the answers is just totally and blatantly wrong so the odds are in your favor if you go in knowing the material.

My biggest issue was the extremely dim lighting at the testing center and having to read the the sectional charts. If allowed, I would totally bring a mini flashlight with me the next time.

 

[aslondon]

It's all relative to what background you have and how well you retain new material. As a fixed wing pilot, it was not difficult for me. Much of the material is very similar to that on the SEL pilot written exam. I also took a calculated risk on the studying. I read the entire FAA Study Guide from cover to cover and made sure I understood all of it. At that point I felt fairly confident, so my decision was to either find other (more in-depth) material and study for hours/days/weeks, or just schedule the exam and give it a shot.

So I downloaded, printed, and read the entire Study Guide on a Thursday afternoon and took the test the next day on Friday afternoon. Passed and only got 3 wrong. I think that once you look through the material you are the only one that has an idea of how well prepared you are. The questions are not generally trivial so you do need to know what you are doing. However they are multiple choice and quite often, one of the answers is just totally and blatantly wrong so the odds are in your favor if you go in knowing the material.

My biggest issue was the extremely dim lighting at the testing center and having to read the the sectional charts. If allowed, I would totally bring a mini flashlight with me the next time.

I brought a magnifying glass

 

[Drone on]

sectionals, metars, tafs, then when in doubt...Remote pilot in command

I studied for free using this FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Practice Tests - Page 1 | 3DR, and other free resources; particularly YT videos on how to read sectionals.

I scored a 90 on the exam, at $0 cost, but did spend approximately 25 hours over a 2 1/2 month period.

I took the test for the sole purpose of having access to LAANC, which, a year after passing the exam, is still not available for this area.

Would I do it again? No

I would write, "if you don't have regular weddings lined up, but are instead going to do the odd job, then consider accepting donations, and skip the 107", but the hate mail from this forum would be overwhelming, so I won't write that.

 

[BRDVPRA]

I'm preparing also using the FAA Study guide and I have looked at a Tony Northup video a few weeks ago. I read on one of the websites that if you do not have any flying experience (which I don't) that the average study time is approximately 40 hours. I'm studying when I have a little free time. I probably have around 5 hours total but have some hugh skips between my study times. I've taken a couple of the practice tests and I'm between 70-80%. To me it's not really that hard. It's just a great deal of information.

Where did the practice exam come from?

 

[neggy]

If you were a light sport or Private, it should be a breeze.

If you were "current" you could take the Readers Digest version

 

[Turn11]

Other thoughts on Part 107

 

[Maviac]

It's all relative to what background you have and how well you retain new material. As a fixed wing pilot, it was not difficult for me. Much of the material is very similar to that on the SEL pilot written exam. I also took a calculated risk on the studying. I read the entire FAA Study Guide from cover to cover and made sure I understood all of it. At that point I felt fairly confident, so my decision was to either find other (more in-depth) material and study for hours/days/weeks, or just schedule the exam and give it a shot.

So I downloaded, printed, and read the entire Study Guide on a Thursday afternoon and took the test the next day on Friday afternoon. Passed and only got 3 wrong. I think that once you look through the material you are the only one that has an idea of how well prepared you are. The questions are not generally trivial so you do need to know what you are doing. However they are multiple choice and quite often, one of the answers is just totally and blatantly wrong so the odds are in your favor if you go in knowing the material.

My biggest issue was the extremely dim lighting at the testing center and having to read the the sectional charts. If allowed, I would totally bring a mini flashlight with me the next time.

Agreed. I have my SEL certificate but hadn't flown in a while (not BFR current) so I was just going to take the test. Took a practice test with no studying whatsoever and scored an 80 or so. Spent about 2 hours studying TAF/METAR and read through part 107, and missed only a single question when I did another practice. If you've got airspace down and can read a sectional (or at least know how to read the legend), you're at least 2/3 of the way there.

I ended up just getting my BFR and did the quickie method for 107.

 

[bobfa100]

There are several Part 107 prep course on Udemy. Very inexpensive. I paid $13.

 

[aslondon]

All told I think I spent a total of 10 hrs studying.

 

[PPCPilot]

Wow...you guys are the best! Thank you so much for all the replies. The study materials you referenced as well as sharing your experience are a tremendous help. Thank you!