Trades Exam Prep

Ran Chen, EA, CFP®
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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.

  1. 5H AGO

    FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 25, Airport Markings, Beacons, and Wind Indicators

    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 resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to identify civilian (white/green) versus military (white/white/green) airport beacons. - The critical difference between a wind sock, which points downwind, and a tetrahedron, which points into the wind. - How to interpret runway numbers as magnetic headings by adding a zero (e.g., Runway 27 equals 270°). - The function of a segmented circle and its L-shaped indicators for determining traffic pattern direction. - When to expect an airport's rotating beacon to be operational: from dusk until dawn and during daytime instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). 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

    3 min

  2. 1D AGO

    FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 24, Stadium TFRs, DC SFRA, and No-Fly Zones

    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 resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The absolute prohibition of drone flights within the 15-nautical-mile Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) of the Washington DC SFRA. - How to apply the '3-3-1-1' rule for Stadium TFRs: a 3 NM radius, up to 3,000 feet AGL, from 1 hour before to 1 hour after an event. - The jurisdictional difference between the FAA (airspace) and the National Park Service (land use) regarding flights in National Parks. - The critical importance of checking for dynamic TFRs, such as those over wildfires, before every single flight. - Your responsibility as a Remote Pilot in Command to check NOTAMs and use tools like the B4UFLY app for pre-flight planning. 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

    4 min

  3. 2D AGO

    FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 23, NOTAMs and TFRs

    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 resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - A NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions) is a time-critical advisory about hazards or changes in the National Airspace System. - A TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) is a specific type of NOTAM that legally prohibits aircraft, including drones, from operating in a defined area for safety or security reasons. - Violating a TFR is a serious offense; always check official FAA sources for active TFRs before every flight. - Stadium TFRs apply to specific major sporting events, restricting flight within a 3 nautical mile radius and up to 3,000 feet AGL, from one hour before to one hour after the event. - The Part 107 exam tests your ability to differentiate a NOTAM's informational role from a TFR's restrictive power and to apply the specific parameters of stadium TFRs. 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

    3 min

  4. 3D AGO

    FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 22, Special Use Airspace — Prohibited, Restricted, MOAs

    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 resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The absolute prohibition of flying in Prohibited Areas (P-) for Part 107 operators and why there are no exceptions. - How to determine if a Restricted Area (R-) is active by checking sectional chart notes and the requirement to get permission from the controlling agency. - The critical exam distinction between MOAs and Restricted Areas: entry into an MOA is allowed but requires extreme caution, while entry into an active Restricted Area is forbidden without permission. - How to identify these five types of Special Use Airspace on a sectional chart using their hatched borders and alphanumeric identifiers. - The mnemonic "Please Remember Why My Alerts matter" to recall the rules for Prohibited, Restricted, Warning, MOA, and Alert Areas. 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

    3 min

  5. 4D AGO

    FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 21, LAANC — Automatic Authorization

    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 resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - What LAANC is and which specific types of controlled airspace it applies to (Class B, C, D, and surface E). - How UAS Facility Maps (UASFM) dictate the pre-approved altitude ceilings for automatic authorization. - The critical difference between an automatic LAANC authorization and a request requiring further coordination. - Common exam traps, such as misapplying LAANC to Class G airspace or misunderstanding a '0' altitude grid. - The process of using an approved third-party application to submit a LAANC request for near-real-time approval. 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

    3 min

  6. 5D AGO

    FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 20, Latitude, Longitude, and Chart Scale

    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 resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - To differentiate latitude (flat, east-west lines measuring north-south) from longitude (long, north-south lines measuring east-west). - The method for reading degrees and minutes on a sectional chart to pinpoint a location's coordinates for an exam question. - To understand the 1:500,000 scale on a VFR sectional chart and its real-world translation to nautical and statute miles. - The practical steps for measuring distance between two points using the plotter scale provided in the FAA testing supplement. - How to avoid common exam traps, such as confusing nautical miles with statute miles when answering distance questions. 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

    3 min

  7. 6D AGO

    FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 19, Reading Sectional Charts — Symbols and Colors

    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 resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Solid blue lines represent Class B airspace, while solid magenta lines represent Class C airspace. - Dashed blue lines indicate Class D airspace starting at the surface; dashed magenta lines show Class E airspace starting at the surface. - A fuzzy, shaded magenta vignette means Class E airspace begins at 700 feet AGL, with Class G airspace below it. - Blue airport icons signify an airport with a control tower, whereas magenta icons denote an airport without one. - The mnemonic 'Blue is for Busy' helps recall that blue symbols relate to the busiest, most controlled airspaces and airports. 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

    3 min

  8. MAY 16

    FAA Part 107 Drone Exam Prep 18, Class E and Class G Airspace

    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 resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to identify Class E airspace starting at 700 ft AGL (magenta vignette) versus 1,200 ft AGL on a sectional chart. - The critical difference between a fuzzy magenta border and a dashed magenta line, and when LAANC authorization is required. - Why most Part 107 flights occur in Class G airspace and what that means for authorization. - The specific weather and cloud clearance minimums (3 statute miles visibility, 500 feet below clouds) that apply even in uncontrolled Class G airspace. - A simple mnemonic to avoid common exam traps related to Class E and G chart symbols. 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

    4 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Ran Chen, EA, CFP®
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Ran Chen, EA, CFP®
  • Show Website
    Trades Exam Prep