DJI Mavic, Air and Mini Drones
Friendly, Helpful & Knowledgeable Community
Join Us Now

Rusty aeronautical knowledge

Drone on

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2017
Messages
844
Reactions
462
I have the Part 107 certification.

I have had the certification for a little over a year.

When I prepared for the exam, I studied hard for about 2-3 months. I took practice exams a multitude of times until I was consistently getting 90+%. Some of the answers, I had to just memorize. Most, of the answers I genuinely thought through the logic of why that rule matters.

When I began, I knew absolutely nothing about airspace. Indeed, I didn't even know we thought of it that way. I just bought my ticket, and took a seat.

I studied for free, and so I had to find all the resources and piece them together. Free is good, but a paid comprehensive program is organized; purposefully. Suffice it to say, the differences between class E and G airspace through me for a loop. Class A is easy.

While it is hard to argue that consistent studying for 2-3 months is cramming for an exam, it is true that if you don't use it, you lose it. What is Zulu time, exactly? I knew it at one time; albeit briefly.

So, my aeronautical knowledge is completely covered in rust. Not thick, but rust just the same.

Mostly, I fly my drone in scarcely populated class G airspace, so I don't really worry about the airspace around airports. Why do I need 107? I upload my video for sale. I'm commercial though I mostly fly in class G. That last statement may demonstrate how rusty my aeronautical knowledge has become, but I don't know because I'm rusty.

I've begun studying, again. I have 10 months before I have to take the test, again. This time I only have to take the recurrent exam; less questions, more concentrated. Still, I don't want to just pass the exam. I want to genuinely understand what is at stake.

While I have just begun, it occurs to me that I may suffer from one or two of the attitudes pilots may exhibit. On the one hand, it's hard for me to believe a drone could take down an airliner; especially since a pink balloon is it's mortal enemy. And, it's a battery operated camera/toy, right? So, the test pilot in me thinks that if Chuck Yeager flew a drone, he'd fly it any **** where he pleased. Who's going to stop him, anyway? The law is one thing, enforcement is another. Am I right?

On the other hand, a drone canon can be convincing, and not all accidents involve airplanes. Do I really want to be that guy? Pompous Pilot? At one time in my life, maybe yes. A younger version of me is out there. He has a different name, now. He is not likely reading this, but he's out there.

I've grown up. I can share. I can share airspace. I need to learn what of that airspace is mine, and which rights I have in that airspace for any time being.

My understanding is the recurrent exam has a sharp focus on sectionals. Sectionals are a cluster F*** of airspace data. In some locations, it is BIG data. BIG confusing data with lots of symbols that may or may not be applicable to my flight plan, but they may be. So, if I'm going to do this, I need to do it right, and right by everybody including me.

Flying a drone for two and a half years, is not a long time. However, it has been a looooong road with a steep learning curve. How to fly? Where to fly? Has the home point been recorded? What is a frame rate? How do I cut the video? Do I have to color grade? Maybe I should use music without a beat. Is anybody watching this? How in the H*** did I allow myself to spend so much money on video of a train bridge?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a do gooder. I'm not a do badder, either. I simply need to refine the calculation of my risk, and to do that, I need to dust off the rust to relearn and understand the who, what, where, when, and why of risk at stake, or sell the S***, and let somebody else have a try.
 
Last edited:
If flying a drone/filming with it gives you more anxiety (the bad kind) then joy, maybe it is time to sell it and move on.
Find your joy-joy hobby.
Fishing, hunting? many find joy in silently letting the time pass.

(I meant this with good intention, not sarcasm)
 
  • Like
Reactions: mereflyer
If flying a drone/filming with it gives you more anxiety (the bad kind) then joy, maybe it is time to sell it and move on.
Find your joy-joy hobby.
Fishing, hunting? many find joy in silently letting the time pass.

(I meant this with good intention, not sarcasm)
Hi,

Well, that post did not go as planned. I enjoy flying a drone, filming, editing, etc...

In starting this thread, I was trying to inspire others to become familiar with the laws of the air by stating that even though I have the 107, there is still a lot to learn/re-learn. However, I did not want to come off as being above it all because I have the 107.

I suspect the "What's wrong with me?", and "How old am I?", which were intended to be humorous, did not resonate as intended. I have edited these out.

I'm getting ready to fly, later today, and looking forward to all of it. Class G of course.

I do appreciate your sincere consideration, though.

Cheers
 
Lycus Tech Mavic Air 3 Case

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
130,593
Messages
1,554,208
Members
159,599
Latest member
jordy