Yes In the USA You can Bring Your Own Magnifying Glass to the UAG Exam…
This posting only affects those members in the United States…
Some Members have been denied the use of their own Magnifying Glass and it was Wrong!
When I took my part 107 Exam, I was advised to bring my own Magnifying Glass. I called before showing up to ensure that it would be OK and I was told it can’t have any electronic in it… When I arrived, they check the magnifying glass over and approved it.
I am active on several Web Sites including MavicPilots, DronePilots, DJI Forum, and most recently the Pilot Institute’s Web Site “Community 101.”
Where I tested, the test facility was wonderful and I could not have asked for better. I did bring my own Magnifying Glass, a simple $2.00 one from Harbor Freight (no lights). I was glad I did as the one I was provided might have come out of box of Cracker Jacks; it was small and very low quality with a scratched plastic lens…
With so many of the members of the Community being students who are studying for the Certification or have recently taken the exam, it has come up numerous times that the member was not allowed to bring in their own Magnifying Glass.
I have tried to researched this and the only reference that is an FAA document is the Advisory Circular, Subject: Test Aids And Materials That May Be Used By Airman Knowledge Testing Applicants, dated 4/26/99.
https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC%2060-11c.pdf
This document lists many items that an applicant may bring to and use during the exam, but makes no mention of a Magnifying Glass.
Paragraph 5.g. says, “The test proctor makes the final determination relating to test materials and personal possessions that the applicant may take into the testing area.”
And this seems to be the point that these facilities is using to deny the use of a personal Magnifying Glass…
So I wrote to the FAA at [email protected] and asked them this questions…
“Can an Applicant bring a personal Magnifying Glass (no lights, electronics etc…) to take the Unmanned Aircraft General (UAG) Examination for the Part 107 Certification?”
And the FAA UAS Support Center told me the UAG Exam is administered exclusively by PSI Services and to direct my inquiry to them…
So I wrote to the To PSI Services at [email protected] and this is their response…
So, there you have it, you are allowed to use your own Magnifying Glass while taking the UAG Exam…
However, in spite of them saying it is OK, I would still advise you to call ahead to ensure that the Testing Facility is following this understanding…
Additionally, I reviewed the instructions provided to the applicants on the PSI’s Web page, “Test Taker Support,”
In the Frequently Asked Questions, Paragraph 10. PSI Test Center Regulations - live proctored: No prohibition of a personal Magnifying Glass is mentioned, However: paragraph 4, under this subheading does state: “4. Personal items are not permitted in the testing room.”
Therefore, I do see a contradiction in the instructions, the rules, the regulations, and the application and permissibility of the applicant not being allowed to bring in their own Magnifying Glass.
So Call ahead and ask if your personal Magnifying Glass is permitted, and get the person’s name. You would be surprised how many times you would be asked, “Who told you that?”
And you might mention that you have a vision problem that might include cataracts, color blindness, astigmatism, presbyopia as well as other vision weaknesses that do not prohibit nor inhibit you flying a Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drone), but can create difficulties for you to distinguish details on a map without a quality Magnifying Glass.
Good Luck to you and post if you were allowed to use your own Magnifying Glass or you were denied the use of you own…
LoudThunder Signing Off…