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.
25episodes
Episodes
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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
Transcribe →FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 34, Effects of Exceeding Maximum Weight
1w ago00:03:22Tap 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 absolute, non-waivable maximum takeoff weight for a small UAS under FAA Part 107 is less than 55 pounds. - How increased weight negatively impacts key performance areas like takeoff distance, climb rate, and maneuverability. - The direct relationship between aircraft weight, increased power consumption, and reduced flight endurance. - Why the FAA tests concepts like increased stall speed, even for multirotor drones, in relation to operating at higher weights. - A common exam trap involving cold weather operations and how reduced battery output compounds the dangers of flying a heavy aircraft. 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 33, Center of Gravity and Why It Matters
2w ago00:03:44Tap 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: - The definition of Center of Gravity (CG) and its role as the aircraft's balance point. - How a forward CG increases a drone's stability but decreases its maneuverability and performance. - The significant dangers of an aft CG, which leads to instability and makes stall recovery extremely difficult. - That any change in payload requires the Remote Pilot in Command to verify the CG remains within the manufacturer's specified limits. - A simple mnemonic: 'Forward is forgiving, Aft is frightening,' to recall the handling characteristics for 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 32, Microbursts, Wind Shear, Fog, and Icing
2w ago00:04:46Tap 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 to identify a microburst by its intense, localized downdraft and why you must stay at least 20 nautical miles away from thunderstorms that could produce them. - The critical difference between various types of wind shear and where to expect this hazard during low-altitude drone operations. - The specific temperature and dew point spread that creates fog and how to differentiate between radiation, advection, and upslope fog on the exam. - The two essential conditions required for structural icing on a drone and why below-freezing temperatures alone are not enough. - A simple mnemonic to remember the relationship between temperature, dew point, and fog formation. 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 31, Density Altitude and Drone Performance
2w ago00:03:05Tap 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: - What density altitude truly means: it's the altitude your drone "feels" like it's at, not its actual height. - The three factors that increase density altitude and hurt performance: high elevation, high temperatures, and high humidity. - How high density altitude negatively impacts drone capabilities, leading to reduced climb rates and shorter flight times. - A common exam trap: high humidity makes air less dense, which worsens drone performance. - The mnemonic "HOT, HIGH, HUMID = HARD" to remember the causes and effects of high density altitude. 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 30, Visibility, Cloud Clearance, and the 3 SM / 500 ft Rule
2w ago00:03:18Tap 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: - The absolute minimum weather requirements for Part 107 operations: 3 statute miles of visibility, 500 feet below clouds, and 2,000 feet horizontally from clouds. - How the FAA exam tests the critical rule that visibility is measured from the Remote Pilot's control station, not the drone's camera. - Common exam traps involving official weather reports versus a pilot's subjective assessment of visibility. - Why Part 107 weather minimums are stricter and remain constant compared to the more lenient rules for manned aircraft in certain airspace. - A simple mnemonic, "3-5-2, from the pilot's view," to retain the core visibility and cloud clearance rules for your 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 29, Decoding TAFs
2w ago00:04:04Tap 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 to correctly interpret a TAF's valid time period (e.g., 1212/1318) for flight planning. - The critical difference between a rapid change (FM) and a gradual change (BECMG) in weather conditions. - How temporary conditions (TEMPO) are tested against prevailing conditions on the exam. - The meaning of probability forecasts (PROB30/PROB40) and how they apply to your go/no-go decision. - Why a TAF is a forecast limited to a 5-statute-mile radius around an airport and not a real-time report. 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 28, Decoding METARs
2w ago00:03:05Tap 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 wind direction in a METAR is always reported in True North, a common exam trap. - Cloud base heights are given in feet Above Ground Level (AGL), not Mean Sea Level (MSL). - A ceiling is defined only as the first cloud layer reported as Broken (BKN) or Overcast (OVC). - The spread between temperature and dew point indicates moisture levels, with a small spread suggesting high humidity and potential for fog. - A SPECI report is a special, unscheduled update issued due to significant weather changes between routine METARs. 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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