Student pilots are always excited for the first moment they can fly an aircraft. But, long before a pilot can leave the runway, foundational work must be done on the ground. Ground school training sets the stage for everything that happens in the cockpit.
What Is Ground School?
Ground school is the required classroom education student pilots receive before ever flying an aircraft. In a Part 141 program, this is conducted using an FAA-structured curriculum. In a Part 61 program, this is conducted following an FAA-approved syllabus.
The goal of ground school is to prepare students with essential aeronautical knowledge they need to understand when they get in an aircraft. With the concepts they learn in ground school, student pilots get in the cockpit for the first time prepared for their first flying lesson.
Ground School Curriculum
The FAA requires student pilots to demonstrate aeronautical knowledge across a wide range of subjects before earning a pilot certificate:
- Aerodynamics: how and why aircraft fly, including the four forces of flight (lift, drag, thrust, and weight), how wings generate lift, and how aircraft respond to control inputs
- Aircraft systems: how the engine, fuel system, electrical system, avionics,, and flight instruments work, and what to do when they don’t
- Weather and meteorology: how to read weather reports and forecasts, recognize hazardous conditions, and make go/no-go decisions based on weather data
- Navigation: pilotage, dead reckoning, VOR navigation, and GPS, as well as how to read aeronautical charts and plan cross-country flights
- FAA regulations: the rules of airspace, including airspace classifications, right-of-way rules, flight visibility requirements, and pilot currency requirements
- Radio communications: how to communicate with ATC and other aircraft using proper procedures and terminology
- Aeronautical decision-making (ADM): how to think like a pilot, assess risk, and make the right decisions under pressure
These subjects are taught to all student pilots, as required by the FAA, to ensure no critical knowledge gaps exist as a student advances.
How Ground School Prepares Students for Flying Lessons
Ground school and flight lessons are designed to work together, whether in Part 61 or Part 141. Every concept introduced in ground school training is directly applied to lessons in the aircraft. With ground school, students understand key concepts and theory first followed by hands-on training to make those lessons more effective.
For example, students learn how the airspeed indicator works before getting in an aircraft. When they have flying lessons, they can focus on flying rather than decoding how the instrument panel works.
After having gone through ground training, students arrive at each flight lesson prepared, which translates to better performance, fewer repeated lessons, and a more efficient path to a certification.
How Long Does Ground School Take?
The time it takes to go through ground school depends on whether a student is in a Part 141, Part 61, or accelerated (fast track) training program. For a Private Pilot License (PPL) through Part 141, the FAA requires a minimum of 35 hours of ground school training as part of the approved course curriculum.
Another factor is each individual student’s learning pace and capabilities. Some students may benefit from additional study time beyond the minimum hours of ground school required for each license.
What Types of Pilots Need Ground School?
Every pilot needs ground school. The amount of ground school required depends on the type of pilot license or rating that a student is training to obtain.
Ground school begins with private pilot courses. The first license that a student pilot can obtain is a private pilot license. Those who want to become a pilot for an airline will require the most amount of ground school training.
For those who are looking for more preparation material outside of in-person ground school training to continue studying on their own time, online ground school courses offer supplemental study material to help students pass their written exams.
At Superior Flight School, ground school training is woven into every stage of the Part 141, Part 61, and accelerated flight training programs. No matter what a student’s aviation career goals are, ground school is where it all begins.
