Course Introduction: instructor, study method, reference library, and the exam
The short version
- This is positioned as a GROUND SCHOOL, not a test-prep course. The stated aim is understanding, not memorising a question bank.
- The exam - 65 multiple-choice questions (5 unscored, so 60 count), 3 options each, 2 hours, 70% to pass, IN PERSON at an FAA testing centre, NO instructor endorsement required.
- The single most important study instruction, repeated forcefully - do NOT retake quizzes or practice exams back to back. Wait 12 hours and study in between.
- The instructor's readiness bar is higher than the FAA's - 80% on two practice exams on two DIFFERENT days, versus the FAA's 70% pass mark.
- You may sit the written exam at 14, but cannot apply for the certificate until 16. The test result is valid two years.
The concepts
Ground school, not test prep 0:00:37
The course teaches underlying concepts so the student can answer any question, rather than drilling a known question bank to a minimum passing score.
The instructor explicitly rejects the "get to 90% and stop" approach.
No prior aviation experience assumed.
Not aimed at - people wanting minimum effort, or current Part 61 pilots (who can instead complete an ONLINE course and test via the FAA certification page, provided they have a current flight review).
The FAA recommends at least 20 hours of study; the videos alone are about half of that.
The instructor notes the FAA over-weights some topics for drone pilots and under-covers others, so the course deliberately exceeds the ACS in places.
Our course is not a test prep course. It's a ground school. And there is a very important nuance in these two words.0:00:37
The FAA reference library 0:08:47
The set of free FAA publications used throughout the course.
PHAK (Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge) - the primary reference and the one to buy on paper if buying only one.
Airplane Flying Handbook - flying technique rather than ground knowledge.
Risk Management Handbook - chapter-specific.
Aviation Weather Handbook - the main weather reference; very large.
ACS (Airman Certification Standards) - defines what the FAA expects you to know and what topics your exam report will cite. It lists topics but provides NO content.
Advisory Circulars - non-regulatory guidance, numbered AC 60-22 style.
FAR/AIM - regulations plus the Aeronautical Information Manual. The instructor prefers digital - ecfr.gov for regulations.
BUYING WARNING - ignore the year printed on a reprint cover. The LAST LETTER of the FAA reference number indicates the revision (no letter = first, then A, B, C). Publishers put current-looking years on old editions.
How to study - and the quiz-repetition trap 0:15:52
The prescribed method - watch, re-watch, ask, then evaluate with quizzes used sparingly.
Expect roughly 65% comprehension on a first pass; re-watching is normal and expected.
Score at least 90% on a section quiz before moving on - but do NOT simply retake it until you hit 90.
WAIT AT LEAST 12 HOURS between attempts, and study the missed topics in between.
Quizzes are an EVALUATION tool, not a teaching tool. Take them after watching, not instead of.
The instructor states 90% of the students who fail did exactly this - memorised the course question database rather than learning the material, then met different questions on the real exam.
Doing this also voids the money-back guarantee.
Readiness bar - 80% on two consecutive practice exams taken on two DIFFERENT days.
Support routes - video comments, the Copilot AI assistant trained on aviation content, and email.
They were just ready for our database of questions. And the questions on the FAA exam are going to be different.0:15:52
Platform, community and Quizbank 0:22:29
The Pilot Institute LMS, the separate community platform, and the Quizbank quizzing platform - one sign-on, three surfaces.
LMS at pilotinstitute.com with iOS and Android apps supporting OFFLINE video download.
Community is a SEPARATE app and platform (Circle-based) - you can reach the community from the course, but not the course from the community.
Community hosts instructor OFFICE HOURS and the 'Zero to Remote Pilot in Two Weeks' guided programme (1-2 hours a day for two weeks).
Quizbank at quizbank.ai holds quiz history, missed questions with explanations, and FLASHCARDS.
Lecture notes are per-chapter PDFs with slide thumbnails and space for notes - deliberately small thumbnails so they supplement rather than replace the video.
A cheat sheet covers the main points but may NOT be taken into the FAA exam.
The FAA knowledge exam 0:30:15
The Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG) knowledge test.
IN PERSON at an approved FAA testing centre - about 700 sites nationally. No exceptions.
NO instructor endorsement required - unlike other FAA certificates. Proctors occasionally get this wrong; be ready to correct them politely.
65 multiple-choice questions, 3 options each, ONE correct. FIVE are unscored trial questions, so 60 count.
TWO HOURS. 70% required to pass.
AGE - you may take the WRITTEN at 14; you may not APPLY for the certificate until 16. The test result is valid for two years.
ALLOWED - government photo ID, a basic calculator, a plain ruler with no markings, a NON-electronic magnifying glass (though some centres refuse it - the proctor has final authority), and an E6-B or CX-3.
NOT ALLOWED - notes of any kind including the course cheat sheet, dictionaries, recording devices. Pockets emptied, bulky clothing left outside.
Cheating means a stopped exam and a permanent ban.
Figures increasingly appear ON SCREEN rather than only in the printed supplement.
Scratch paper is provided and shredded afterwards.
Accommodations for learning or reading disabilities can be requested.
Exam-day tactic - every question is worth ONE point regardless of difficulty. Answer the quick ones, bookmark the slow ones, come back.
Every single question in there is worth one point.0:30:15
Exam topic weighting 0:30:15
The exam is weighted across subject areas, with the breakdown published in the ACS.
The instructor shows the percentage split on a slide and tells students to PAUSE and note it.
Regulations and airspace/charts dominate - consistent with the two chapters he calls the most important.
The ACS is also what you consult AFTER the exam, to decode the topic codes on your results report for any questions you missed.
Every concept, three clicks deep
The same concepts as a quick reference: the closed row is the glance, open is the study card, and every timestamp jumps into the recording.
01Ground school, not test prepThe course teaches underlying concepts so the student can answer any question, rather than drilling a known…0:00:37›
The course teaches underlying concepts so the student can answer any question, rather than drilling a known question bank to a minimum passing score.
The instructor explicitly rejects the "get to 90% and stop" approach.
No prior aviation experience assumed.
Not aimed at - people wanting minimum effort, or current Part 61 pilots (who can instead complete an ONLINE course and test via the FAA certification page, provided they have a current flight review).
The FAA recommends at least 20 hours of study; the videos alone are about half of that.
The instructor notes the FAA over-weights some topics for drone pilots and under-covers others, so the course deliberately exceeds the ACS in places.
02The FAA reference libraryThe set of free FAA publications used throughout the course.0:08:47›
The set of free FAA publications used throughout the course.
PHAK (Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge) - the primary reference and the one to buy on paper if buying only one.
Airplane Flying Handbook - flying technique rather than ground knowledge.
Risk Management Handbook - chapter-specific.
Aviation Weather Handbook - the main weather reference; very large.
ACS (Airman Certification Standards) - defines what the FAA expects you to know and what topics your exam report will cite. It lists topics but provides NO content.
Advisory Circulars - non-regulatory guidance, numbered AC 60-22 style.
FAR/AIM - regulations plus the Aeronautical Information Manual. The instructor prefers digital - ecfr.gov for regulations.
BUYING WARNING - ignore the year printed on a reprint cover. The LAST LETTER of the FAA reference number indicates the revision (no letter = first, then A, B, C). Publishers put current-looking years on old editions.
03How to study - and the quiz-repetition trapThe prescribed method - watch, re-watch, ask, then evaluate with quizzes used sparingly.0:15:52›
The prescribed method - watch, re-watch, ask, then evaluate with quizzes used sparingly.
Expect roughly 65% comprehension on a first pass; re-watching is normal and expected.
Score at least 90% on a section quiz before moving on - but do NOT simply retake it until you hit 90.
WAIT AT LEAST 12 HOURS between attempts, and study the missed topics in between.
Quizzes are an EVALUATION tool, not a teaching tool. Take them after watching, not instead of.
The instructor states 90% of the students who fail did exactly this - memorised the course question database rather than learning the material, then met different questions on the real exam.
Doing this also voids the money-back guarantee.
Readiness bar - 80% on two consecutive practice exams taken on two DIFFERENT days.
Support routes - video comments, the Copilot AI assistant trained on aviation content, and email.
04Platform, community and QuizbankThe Pilot Institute LMS, the separate community platform, and the Quizbank quizzing platform - one sign-on,…0:22:29›
The Pilot Institute LMS, the separate community platform, and the Quizbank quizzing platform - one sign-on, three surfaces.
LMS at pilotinstitute.com with iOS and Android apps supporting OFFLINE video download.
Community is a SEPARATE app and platform (Circle-based) - you can reach the community from the course, but not the course from the community.
Community hosts instructor OFFICE HOURS and the 'Zero to Remote Pilot in Two Weeks' guided programme (1-2 hours a day for two weeks).
Quizbank at quizbank.ai holds quiz history, missed questions with explanations, and FLASHCARDS.
Lecture notes are per-chapter PDFs with slide thumbnails and space for notes - deliberately small thumbnails so they supplement rather than replace the video.
A cheat sheet covers the main points but may NOT be taken into the FAA exam.
05The FAA knowledge examThe Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG) knowledge test.0:30:15›
The Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG) knowledge test.
IN PERSON at an approved FAA testing centre - about 700 sites nationally. No exceptions.
NO instructor endorsement required - unlike other FAA certificates. Proctors occasionally get this wrong; be ready to correct them politely.
65 multiple-choice questions, 3 options each, ONE correct. FIVE are unscored trial questions, so 60 count.
TWO HOURS. 70% required to pass.
AGE - you may take the WRITTEN at 14; you may not APPLY for the certificate until 16. The test result is valid for two years.
ALLOWED - government photo ID, a basic calculator, a plain ruler with no markings, a NON-electronic magnifying glass (though some centres refuse it - the proctor has final authority), and an E6-B or CX-3.
NOT ALLOWED - notes of any kind including the course cheat sheet, dictionaries, recording devices. Pockets emptied, bulky clothing left outside.
Cheating means a stopped exam and a permanent ban.
Figures increasingly appear ON SCREEN rather than only in the printed supplement.
Scratch paper is provided and shredded afterwards.
Accommodations for learning or reading disabilities can be requested.
Exam-day tactic - every question is worth ONE point regardless of difficulty. Answer the quick ones, bookmark the slow ones, come back.
06Exam topic weightingThe exam is weighted across subject areas, with the breakdown published in the ACS.0:30:15›
The exam is weighted across subject areas, with the breakdown published in the ACS.
The instructor shows the percentage split on a slide and tells students to PAUSE and note it.
Regulations and airspace/charts dominate - consistent with the two chapters he calls the most important.
The ACS is also what you consult AFTER the exam, to decode the topic codes on your results report for any questions you missed.
Tools referenced
| Tool | Coverage | Moment | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| quizbank.ai | demonstrated | 0:00:00 | Quizzes, attempt history, missed-question explanations, flashcards. |
| pilotinstitute.com LMS (with iOS/Android apps) | explained | 0:00:00 | Course delivery, offline video download, comments. |
| Pilot Institute community (separate app) | explained | 0:00:00 | Office hours, announcements, the Zero to Remote Pilot in Two Weeks programme. |
| Copilot (in-platform AI assistant) | explained | 0:00:00 | Aviation-specific Q&A, generating extra flashcards, quiz questions and scenarios. |
| ecfr.gov | explained | 0:00:00 | Current regulation text; preferred over printed FAR/AIM. |
Action items
Resources mentioned
Extraction notes
This page was built from an auto-generated transcript, which garbles product and people's names. Those were corrected silently in everything above and logged here for transparency. The warnings flag claims that were true on the recording day but change fast.
Transcript corrections applied
| The transcript says | The trainer actually means |
|---|---|
| Greg Verdeo | Greg Reverdiau |
| FA / EFA | FAA |
| P hack / p-hack | PHAK (Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge) |
| Airmen Act ... one information manual | Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), giving FAR/AIM |
| pilot flying handbook | Airplane Flying Handbook |
| It's not your option, it's an off-the-shelf chat GPT model | garbled negation - the intended meaning is that Copilot is NOT an off-the-shelf model but purpose-trained |
| E6, B or a CX-3 | E6-B flight computer, or Sporty's CX-3 |
| don't over-strike | don't overthink / don't stress |
| 99.9999% of people | rhetorical emphasis; the stated failure rate elsewhere is 0.03% |
| circle | Circle - the platform hosting the community |
True on recording day — verify before relying
- 65 questions, 5 unscored, 2 hours, 70% to pass, in person, no endorsement. - STATUS: CURRENT as taught and long-standing, but confirm against the FAA testing page before booking.
- About 700 FAA testing centres nationally. - STATUS: APPROXIMATE and changes. Check the current PSI/FAA locator.
- Written exam at 14, certificate application at 16, result valid two years. - STATUS: CURRENT as taught; verify against the present rule.
- Pilot Institute pass rate over 99.9%, fewer than 100 failures, 0.03% failure rate, 55,000-plus (and elsewhere "hundreds of thousands") trained. - STATUS: MARKETING CLAIMS from the vendor, self-reported and internally inconsistent between lessons. Not independently verified.
- Magnifying glasses may be refused by proctors. - STATUS: The instructor confirms he raised this with the FAA and that PROCTOR DISCRETION is final. Plan accordingly.
- Figures increasingly shown on screen rather than in the printed supplement. - STATUS: TRANSITIONAL at time of recording. Expect on-screen figures; still practise with the supplement.
- Platform details - Copilot AI, Quizbank, community app, offline download. - STATUS: VOLATILE product features, and the lessons here (9053-9061) are visibly newer recordings than the course body. Verify against the live platform.