Private Pilot Ground School

Take your first step into the world of aviation with our 10-hour video course. It brings ground school to life through dynamic flight simulator demonstrations.

Learn the fundamental principles that help you fly safely - whether you fly a Cessna 172 or a Boeing 777.

Through dynamic flight simulator demonstrations and expert instruction, this course will help you build a solid foundation for your aviation journey.

Is This Course For You?

This is an introductory-level course, perfect for:

• Student Pilots: Build a foundation before flight training or more detailed written exam study.
• Flight Simmers: Take your simulation to the next level by learning realistic fundamental concepts.
• Rusty Pilots: Refresh your knowledge with visual learning of basics you might have forgotten.

You don’t need a simulator (or any interest in them). We use simulation during the presentations because it provides an immersive and flexible way for us to clearly demonstrate various topics.

Our course is unique because it gives you an approachable entry point into your studies. While most ground school courses might require an intimidating 30-40 hour commitment, ours will let you get a quality introduction to key topics in just 10 hours.

Note: This is not a complete written exam prep course. With only 10 hours, it's impossible to cover all topics in depth or cover practice exam questions.

A few examples: The airspace class does not cover class B or special use airspace. Only a subset of FAA regulations are covered. During flight planning, we do not cover manual calculations using an E6B and plotter, but rather the overall progression of the planning process.

However, it will still provide you with a solid foundation for deeper study. For a full-scale ground school experience and written exam sign-off, we recommend one of these other ground school options.

What will you learn?

See the syllabus tab for a detailed breakdown of each class.

Our emphasis is on safety and fundamental concepts. Once we reach the flight planning section, you’ll understand how everything fits together to help pilots plan a safe and legal flight.

What is the Course Like?

Each class is 1 hour long. The recordings are taken from previous live classes (you may occasionally hear responses to student questions throughout).

There is a mix of slides, whiteboard content, and simulator demonstrations. Note that some classes lend themselves to more simulator demonstrations than others.

The course is taught by Flight Sim Coach founder Mike Catalfamo (CFI, CFII, ATP). Mike is a former airline pilot & engineer who is passionate about helping pilots and enthusiasts use flight simulation to achieve their goals.

FAQ

Do I need any prior knowledge? No prior aviation knowledge is required. The course is suitable for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Do I need my own simulator? No, it’s not necessary to have a simulator.

Is the course US/FAA-specific? Most of the information is generally applicable to pilots flying anywhere in the world. However, certain terminology used may be US-specific (such as "pattern" instead of "circuit"). The regulations and airspace classes have the most US-specific information, as regulations differ between countries. Other classes are largely unaffected by regional differences.