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Scanning for aircraft near a non-towered airport

Remote Pilot (Part 107) practice question 18 of 22 on Operations / Airport Operations. ACS element UA.V.B.K2 · difficulty: standard. Want to answer it in a timed quiz? Use the Remote Pilot (Part 107) practice mode.

Question bank updated 2026-09-22

QUESTIONA remote pilot near a non-towered airport hears no radio traffic on the common frequency. Why does the study guide say the pilot must still look for other aircraft?

  1. ASmall UA radios cannot receive the frequencies manned aircraft use
  2. BRadio broadcasts by manned aircraft there are not mandatory
  3. CThe common frequency is reserved for control tower transmissions only
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. Radio broadcasts by manned aircraft there are not mandatory

  • A — incorrect The study guide recommends using a radio precisely because it can receive those frequencies and add a layer of situational awareness.
  • B — correct The study guide notes that although radio broadcasts near a non-towered airport are good operating procedure for manned aircraft, they are not mandatory by regulation, so a remote pilot must always look for other aircraft.
  • C — incorrect A Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) is used for airport advisory practices at airports without an operating control tower; it is not reserved for tower use.

BACKGROUND

The study guide stresses that there is no substitute for alertness in the vicinity of an airport. At an airport without an operating control tower, other aircraft may not have communication capability, or their pilots may not announce their presence or intentions. While it is good operating procedure for manned aircraft to make radio broadcasts near a non-towered airport, the study guide points out that by regulation it is not mandatory. For this reason a remote pilot must always scan the area where the small unmanned aircraft (UA) is operating and use a radio only as an extra layer of situational awareness, never as a substitute for looking.

STUDY TIP

Remember the two-part rule: always look, and use the radio as a supplement. Silence on the frequency never means the sky is empty.

KEY POINTS

  • Manned aircraft are not required by regulation to broadcast at a non-towered airport.
  • Some aircraft may have no radio at all.
  • A remote pilot must always scan the operating area and treat the radio as extra awareness.

SOURCES

  • remote_pilot_study_guide.txt ch7 "Recommended Traffic Advisory Practices"
  • remote_pilot_study_guide.txt ch7 "Airport Operations without Operating Control Tower"
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SkyDrill is not affiliated with the FAA. This is an original practice item based on 14 CFR part 107, 14 CFR part 89, and the FAA Remote Pilot – Small UAS Study Guide (FAA-G-8082-22). Regulations and handbooks are revised; confirm details against the current edition.