Airport operations — Part 107 practice questions

10 practice questions on airport operations from the FAA remote pilot knowledge test, each with the correct answer and why it is correct.

1. 01

   At an airport without an operating control tower, which direction are traffic pattern turns made unless otherwise indicated?

   • To the leftCorrect
   • To the right
   • Into the wind, whichever side that places the pattern on
   • Whichever direction the first aircraft in the pattern chooses
   Why

   Left, by default. Right-hand patterns exist but only where specifically published, and they are marked on the segmented circle and the chart. Knowing the default matters to a remote pilot because it says which side of the runway manned traffic will be descending on.

2. 02

   What information does a segmented circle provide?

   • Traffic pattern information for the airport, including nonstandard pattern directionsCorrect
   • The runway's load-bearing capacity
   • The frequency of the nearest automated weather station
   • The boundaries of the airport's controlled airspace
   Why

   Traffic pattern information, sited to be read from the air. Its extended indicators show which way the pattern turns at each runway, which is how a nonstandard right-hand pattern is advertised. It carries nothing about frequencies, airspace boundaries or pavement strength.

3. 03

   On a sectional chart, what does a magenta airport symbol indicate?

   • An airport without an operating control towerCorrect
   • An airport with an operating control tower
   • A private airport closed to the public
   • A military airfield
   Why

   Magenta means no operating control tower; blue means there is one. The colour is a fast read of whether anyone is sequencing traffic on the field — and therefore whether the airspace above it is likely to be Class E or G rather than D.

4. 04

   What colour are runway markings, and what colour are taxiway markings?

   • Runway markings are white and taxiway markings are yellowCorrect
   • Runway markings are yellow and taxiway markings are white
   • Both are white
   • Both are yellow
   Why

   White for runways, yellow for taxiways — consistent across every towered and nontowered field. The split is worth knowing because the colour tells you what a surface is for before you can read any of the markings on it.

5. 05

   What may the paved surface before a displaced threshold be used for?

   • Taxiing, takeoff, and landing rollout, but not landing touchdownCorrect
   • Landing touchdown only
   • Nothing; it is closed to all aircraft
   • Parking and aircraft storage
   Why

   Everything except touching down on a landing: taxiing, the takeoff roll, and rollout after landing are all permitted. The pavement is structurally sound — it is displaced for obstacle clearance or noise, not because the surface is unusable — which is why it is not simply closed.

6. 06

   What does a wind sock at an airport indicate?

   • Wind direction and approximate wind speedCorrect
   • The current altimeter setting
   • Which taxiways are closed
   • The class of airspace overlying the airport
   Why

   Both direction and rough strength: the large end points into the wind, and how fully it extends indicates how hard it is blowing. For a remote pilot it is the most useful instrument on an unattended field — it reports the wind where the aircraft will actually be, not at a station some distance away.

7. 07

   What does 14 CFR 107.43 prohibit?

   • Operating in a manner that interferes with airport operations and traffic patternsCorrect
   • Operating within 5 statute miles of any airport
   • Operating at any airport without an operating control tower
   • Operating within a segmented circle
   Why

   Operating in a way that interferes with airport operations or traffic patterns, phrased as a behaviour rather than a distance. There is no five-mile rule in part 107, and no blanket ban near nontowered fields — but a lawful position that puts you in the pattern still breaks this section.

8. 08

   Why should a remote pilot identify an airport's approach and departure paths before operating nearby?

   • Because manned aircraft are lowest there, and the unmanned aircraft carries the whole duty to yieldCorrect
   • Because those areas are always designated as restricted airspace
   • Because Air Traffic Control authorization is required only within them
   • Because the traffic pattern is the only area where 107.51 altitude limits apply
   Why

   Because that is where manned aircraft are lowest, slowest and least able to manoeuvre, and 107.37 puts the entire duty to yield on the unmanned aircraft. Knowing the paths in advance is what lets you keep clear of them by planning rather than by reacting.

9. 09

   What does a runway holding position marking of two solid and two dashed yellow lines mean to an aircraft approaching from the taxiway?

   • Hold short of the solid lines until cleared to proceedCorrect
   • Cross without stopping, since the dashed lines indicate a clear path
   • The runway ahead is permanently closed
   • Reduce speed but do not stop
   Why

   Hold short of the solid lines until cleared. The orientation carries the meaning: solid lines face the side that must stop, dashed lines face the runway side, so an aircraft exiting the runway crosses the dashes freely. Same marking, opposite instruction depending on which way you are travelling.

10. 10

    A runway is aligned with a magnetic heading of 176 degrees. What is its runway number?

    • 18Correct
    • 17
    • 175
    • 36
    Why

    Runway numbers are the magnetic azimuth to the nearest ten degrees, with the last digit dropped: 176 rounds to 180, which is painted as 18. The reciprocal end is 36. Answers like 17 or 175 come from truncating rather than rounding, or from not dropping the digit at all.