Podcast
Trades Exam Prep
Hosted by Ran Chen, EA, CFP® · EN
Trades Exam Prep is a free, daily podcast by OpenExamPrep covering the most in-demand skilled trades licensing and certification exams — including EPA 608 (HVAC refrigerant), FAA Part 107 (drone), Master Electrician, Plumber, General Contractor, ASE automotive, NATE, OSHA 10/30, Welder Certification, and more. Each 5-minute episode breaks down one exam topic with concrete examples, common exam traps, code references, and field-ready memory tricks to help you pass on your first attempt. No fluff, no filler — just the concepts you need to know, explained the way the exam tests them. This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation for everyone — from journeyman to master license, from apprentices to seasoned tradespeople. For free practice questions, AI-powered explanations, flashcards, and full study guides, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ Subscribe and listen daily — your license is closer than you think.
32episodes
Episodes
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FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 44, Emergency Procedures — Flyaways, Fire, Lost Link
Yesterday00:03:18Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A flyaway is an unresponsive drone; the first action is to switch to ATTI mode to attempt to regain manual control. - A lost link is a communication failure where the drone should follow its pre-set Return-to-Home (RTH) procedure. - Never use water on a LiPo battery fire; the correct response is a Class D extinguisher or smothering it with sand. - Pre-flight planning is critical, including setting a safe RTH altitude to clear all potential obstacles. - Exam questions often create scenarios to test if you can distinguish between a flyaway and a lost link and choose the appropriate response. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 43, Lost Link Procedures and Failsafe Settings
2d ago00:03:11Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A "lost link" is the loss of the command-and-control signal, and your pre-programmed failsafe setting determines the drone's action. - The three common failsafe options are Return-to-Home (RTH), hover, and land-in-place. - Your Return-to-Home (RTH) altitude must always be set higher than the tallest obstacle in your flight operation area. - The Remote Pilot in Command (PIC) is ultimately responsible for the outcome of a lost link event, even if automated procedures are active. - A lost link that results in serious injury or property damage over $500 may require an accident report to the FAA within 10 days under Part 107.9. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 42, Right of Way Rules — Yielding to Manned Aircraft
3d ago00:02:44Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Why a small unmanned aircraft must always yield right-of-way to all other aircraft under FAA Part 107.37. - The absolute responsibility of the Remote Pilot in Command to 'see and avoid' manned aircraft. - Correct procedures for handling a converging course with another aircraft during an exam scenario. - Common exam traps involving scenarios where manned aircraft appear to be operating unusually. - A memorable phrase to ensure you always remember to yield and take evasive action. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 41, Crew Resource Management for Drones
4d ago00:04:11Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - That Crew Resource Management (CRM) applies even to solo pilots through the effective use of resources like checklists and weather apps. - The Remote Pilot in Command (PIC) is responsible for conducting a thorough pre-flight briefing to ensure all crew members understand their roles and emergency procedures. - How to apply the "sterile cockpit" rule, which prohibits non-essential conversations during critical phases of flight to minimize distractions. - Why the Remote PIC always has the final authority and responsibility for the operation, even when encouraging open communication among the crew. - How to use the PAVE mnemonic (Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External pressures) as a practical tool to manage resources and mitigate risks before every flight. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 40, IMSAFE Personal Pre-Flight Checklist
5d ago00:03:51Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The specific meaning of each letter in the IMSAFE checklist: Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Emotion. - The FAA's strict "8-hour bottle-to-throttle" rule and the blood alcohol concentration limit of less than 0.04 percent. - How common over-the-counter medications, especially those causing drowsiness like antihistamines, can be disqualifying for flight. - Why the FAA considers external pressures like work-related stress or strong emotions as direct threats to flight safety. - How to apply the IMSAFE checklist to scenario-based exam questions and identify the most conservative, safety-first answer. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 39, PAVE Checklist for Risk Management
6d ago00:02:59Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The PAVE checklist (Pilot, Aircraft, enVironment, External Pressures) is a foundational risk management tool for every drone flight. - The 'Pilot' assessment hinges on the IMSAFE checklist (Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion) to determine fitness for flight. - 'Aircraft' evaluation requires a thorough pre-flight inspection to confirm the drone is airworthy, including batteries, propellers, and firmware. - 'enVironment' analysis includes checking weather, terrain, obstacles, and, critically, airspace classifications and restrictions like TFRs. - Recognizing and resisting 'External Pressures', such as client demands or 'get-there-itis', is a key decision-making skill tested on the exam. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 38, The Five Hazardous Attitudes and Antidotes
1w ago00:03:02Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - To identify the five hazardous attitudes: Anti-Authority, Impulsivity, Invulnerability, Macho, and Resignation. - The specific antidote for each hazardous attitude and how to apply it during flight operations. - How scenario-based exam questions test your knowledge of Aeronautical Decision Making. - To differentiate between similar attitudes, like Macho and Invulnerability, to avoid common exam traps. - A helpful mnemonic, I'M AIR, to easily recall the five hazardous attitudes. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 37, Aeronautical Decision Making — DECIDE Model
1w ago00:03:41Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The DECIDE model is a six-step framework for systematic Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM). - The steps are: Detect, Estimate, Choose, Identify, Do, and Evaluate. - Exam questions will test your ability to apply the correct step to a given in-flight scenario, not just recite the acronym. - A common exam trap is confusing "Choose a desirable outcome" (the goal) with "Identify actions" (the specific steps to reach the goal). - The DECIDE model is the FAA's preferred structured approach over impulsive or "gut" reactions during emergencies like lost links or sudden weather changes. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 36, Load Factor and Performance Limits
1w ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Load factor is the G-force stress on a drone's airframe during maneuvers. - A 60-degree banked turn imposes a 2 G load factor, effectively doubling the drone's weight on its structure. - Aggressive maneuvers, especially in wind, can push a drone beyond its structural load limits. - Drone performance charts assume a standard atmosphere and must be adjusted for density altitude. - High density altitude (from high elevation, heat, or humidity) reduces drone performance and its ability to handle high load factors. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 35, Battery Management and Flight Time
1w ago00:04:02Tap to summarizeThis podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How cold weather below 50°F dramatically reduces LiPo battery performance and flight duration. - The importance of landing with a 20-30% battery reserve to handle voltage sag and unexpected events. - Why you must never fly with a swollen or physically damaged battery due to extreme fire risk. - The critical difference between a manufacturer's ideal flight time and your actual, real-world flight time under load and in wind. - Proper long-term battery care, including storing LiPo batteries at a 50-60% charge level to maximize their lifespan. For more free exam prep tools, practice questions, and AI-powered explanations, visit https://open-exam-prep.com/ or YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Open-exam-prep
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