FAA 107 Emergency Procedures & Contingency Planning 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A remote PIC operating in Class D airspace receives no response after three attempts to contact the tower. The correct action is to:
- Enter the airspace since attempted contact fulfills the requirement
- Do not enter the airspace — authorization requires two-way communication with the tower (Correct answer)
- Enter at reduced altitude and try again once inside
- Switch to the CTAF frequency and proceed
Correct answer: Do not enter the airspace — authorization requires two-way communication with the tower
Part 107 requires actual two-way communication authorization from ATC before entering Class D airspace; failed contact attempts do not substitute for authorization.
Question 2: During a commercial inspection flight, a sudden medical emergency affects the only visual observer. The remote PIC is 0.3 miles from the sUAS. What is the first priority?
- Call emergency services while maintaining flight control
- Land the sUAS immediately, then assist the visual observer (Correct answer)
- Ask a bystander to watch the aircraft while assisting the VO
- Activate return-to-home and attend to the visual observer
Correct answer: Land the sUAS immediately, then assist the visual observer
The aircraft must be landed immediately to prevent it from operating without required oversight before the remote PIC can address the medical emergency.
Question 3: A remote PIC's ground control station (GCS) loses power mid-flight. What outcome is most dependent on the aircraft's pre-programmed failsafe settings?
- The aircraft will always land immediately at its current position
- The aircraft will hover indefinitely until the GCS is restored
- The aircraft will execute whatever failsafe behavior was configured (hover, land, or RTH) (Correct answer)
- The aircraft will automatically contact ATC for emergency assistance
Correct answer: The aircraft will execute whatever failsafe behavior was configured (hover, land, or RTH)
When GCS power is lost, the aircraft acts on its pre-programmed failsafe, which varies by configuration — making proper failsafe setup a critical pre-flight task.
Question 4: What minimum property damage threshold requires a remote PIC to report an sUAS accident to the FAA under Part 107.9?
- Any property damage, regardless of cost
- Property damage exceeding $500 to property other than the sUAS (Correct answer)
- Property damage exceeding $500 to the sUAS itself
- Property damage exceeding $1,000 to any property
Correct answer: Property damage exceeding $500 to property other than the sUAS
Part 107.9 requires FAA notification when an sUAS accident causes serious injury OR property damage exceeding $500 to property other than the sUAS itself.
Question 5: A remote PIC planned a flight corridor but upon arrival finds a farmers' market has set up directly below the planned path. The correct action is to:
- Proceed at maximum altitude of 400 feet to stay above the crowd
- Obtain verbal consent from the market organizer and proceed
- Abort or significantly modify the flight plan to avoid flight over the crowd (Correct answer)
- Reduce speed and fly through the corridor quickly to minimize exposure time
Correct answer: Abort or significantly modify the flight plan to avoid flight over the crowd
Part 107 prohibits flight over moving vehicles and people without a waiver; the PIC must abort or reroute to avoid operating over the unexpected crowd.
Question 6: Which radio frequency should a remote PIC monitor when operating near an uncontrolled airport to maintain situational awareness of manned aircraft?
- 121.5 MHz (emergency frequency)
- 122.75 MHz (air-to-air frequency)
- CTAF/UNICOM frequency published for that airport (Correct answer)
- 123.45 MHz (pilot discretion frequency)
Correct answer: CTAF/UNICOM frequency published for that airport
The Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) or UNICOM for the specific airport is where manned aircraft announce their positions and intentions near uncontrolled airports.
Question 7: A remote PIC's pre-flight weather check shows forecast winds of 12 knots, but upon arriving at the site finds actual gusts to 28 knots. The aircraft is rated to 25 knots. What should the remote PIC do?
- Fly at reduced altitude where wind speeds are typically lower
- Launch quickly and land before a stronger gust arrives
- Cancel the operation — actual conditions exceed the aircraft's rated wind limit (Correct answer)
- Reduce the planned operating radius to stay near the launch point
Correct answer: Cancel the operation — actual conditions exceed the aircraft's rated wind limit
When actual wind conditions exceed the aircraft's rated limit, operating would be unsafe and outside the manufacturer's approved flight envelope — the operation must be cancelled.
FAA 107 Emergency Procedures & Contingency Planning 5
A remote PIC operating in Class D airspace receives no response after three attempts to contact the tower.
The correct action is to: