In-Person Private Pilot Ground School 23/24

Course Syllabus

Summary

  • Hybrid class with weekly online activities and a weekly in-person class session.
  • In-person sessions held Saturdays 2-5 PM at Wittman Regional Airport Terminal in Oshkosh. First meeting is January 6, 2024.
  • Significant at-home study required including reading, quizzes, and final exam.
  • Instructor help available via learning portal during the week and during office hours before and after class.
  • Endorsement to take the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test given with acceptible attendance and final exam score.
  • Online activities open late December.
  • Some online activities are required to complete the course. If you are unable to use the online learning center, email me at aaron@hizlabs.com and we can talk through possible ways for you to complete the requirements.

Content Format

The material is divided into topics. Each topic has a reading assignment, workbook assignment, in-person lecture/discussion, and a quiz. The in-person class meetings will start with a question and answer session, followed by working through material content. Since topics have some widely ranging sizes, we will end up covering a different number of topics each week and may split topics across weeks. You are free to decide whether to complete a topic's homework before or after the lecture component based on what works for you.

Quizzes and exams will be conducted online via the learning center. Each topic also has a question and answer board where you can interact with the instructor and other students outside of class to improve your understanding of each week’s topics. 

About the question bank

Quiz and exam questions come from a different source than the textbook and workbook. They may present things differently, use unfamiliar verbiage, cover information that is part of another section, or possibly even cover information that is not directly covered by the course.

I apologize in advance for any frustration this might cause, but I encourage you to take a positive view on it. The quizzes and exams use a random selection of questions from a database of hundreds of questions that are very similar to those you will find on the real exam. When you retake a quiz, you will get a new set of questions, with possibly none that you have seen before.

The question database is pre-categorized, and quizzes are constructed by selecting the categories that match the topic for the week. There could be cases where the questions are miscategorized, or where the question is somewhat applicable to multiple categories. This is the biggest reason for why you may encounter questions for material we haven't covered yet.

The question database big enough that I really can't review every question. If you have concerns with specific questions, let me know.

Supplies/Materials

The course requires several items that you will need to procure yourself. These items are listed on the Required Materials page and cost up to around $300 depending on the options you select (many items have an electronic option that costs less, sometimes free, even).

You will also need an internet-connected device to use the learning center. The learning center works best on a computer, but is usable from a phone or tablet.

Grades and Endorsement

Your grade in the course will come from 3 components: knowledge checkpoints (quizzes), class attendance, and a final exam. Each are worth a third of your grade. You need an overall grade of 80% or higher and final exam grade of 80% or higher to receive an instructor’s endorsement to take the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test. This endorsement will expire 1 month after you pass the final exam.

You can retake any knowledge checkpoint or the final exam as many times as you wish, and the highest grade of any attempt will be used. If you have to miss class sessions, you may receive alternate credit by demonstrating you have sufficiently studied the material. I don’t know exactly what this looks like yet, but completing the workbook activity is a good start. Best not to miss class.

Ultimately, the grade is only a loose indication of how prepared you are to take the FAA knowledge test. You will get out of the course what you put into it. If you use the book or the Internet to find answers for the quizzes or the final exam, I won’t know. But when you sit down at the testing center to take the real test, you won’t have that option.

In-Person Sessions

2-5 PM; January 6, 13, 20, 27; February 3, 10, 17; March 2, 9, 16

Office Hours

The instructor will be available in the classroom from 1:15 to 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 5:45 PM to answer questions about coursework.

Inclement Weather

In the event of inclement weather, the class will be notified of cancellation via the learning center. We have the option of either holding class online via Zoom or taking the week off and shifting the schedule by a week. 

Class Schedule

Topics for each week are approximate--we will cover as much as we can each week, but some topics are much larger than others.

Week 1: Airplane Components and Aerodynamics
  • Read chapters 1 & 2 (78 pages) and complete workbook
  • In-person class session January 6, 2:00 PM
  • Knowledge checkpoints
Week 2: Engines and Electrical Systems
  • Read chapters 3 & 4 (56 pages) and complete workbook
  • In-person class session January 13, 2:00 PM
  • Knowledge checkpoints
Week 3: Flight Instruments and Federal Aviation Regulations
  • Read chapters 5 & 6 (112 pages) and complete workbook
  • In-person class session January 20, 2:00 PM
  • Knowledge checkpoints
Week 4: Airport Operations and Radio Operations
  • Read chapters 7 & 8 (56 pages) and complete workbook
  • In-person class session January 27, 2:00 PM
  • Knowledge checkpoints
Week 5: Airspace and Aviation Maps
  • Read chapters 9 & 10 (58 pages) and complete workbook
  • In-person class session February 3, 2:00 PM
  • Knowledge checkpoints
Week 6: Radio Navigation and Weather Theory
  • Read chapters 11 & 12 (98 pages) and complete workbook
  • In-person class session February 10, 2:00 PM
  • Knowledge checkpoints
Week 7: Weather Charts/Briefings and Flight Planning
  • Read chapters 13 & 14 (96 pages) and complete workbook
  • In-person class session February 17, 2:00 PM
  • Knowledge checkpoints
Reading/Catch Up Week
  • No class February 24 - classroom unavailable
  • Use the time to catch up on reading, workbook exercises, or quizzes
Week 8: Performance Charts and Weight and Balance
  • Read chapters 15 & 16 (54 pages) and complete workbook
  • In-person class session March 2, 2:00 PM
  • Knowledge checkpoints
Week 9: Miscellaneous Topics
  • Read chapter 17 (48 pages) and complete workbook
  • In-person class session March 9, 2:00 PM
  • Knowledge checkpoints
Week 10: Review/Test Prep and Pilot Life
  • Complete any outstanding reading and workbook assignments and knowledge checkpoints
  • In-person class session March 16, 2:00 PM
    • Final review
    • FAA exam booking walkthrough and IACRA introduction
    • Flight instructor panel
    • Next steps in your aviation adventure
  • Final exam
  • Endorsement delivered via email after successful completion of coursework

Refund Policy

Class fee is 100% refundable until 2:00 PM January 13th, then 50% refundable until 2:00 PM February 3rd. Refunds will be issued via PayPal and you will lose access to the course on the learning center.

Reminder: At-Home Study Required

We will cover all topics in-class, but fairly substantial at-home study will be required to keep up with and complete the course requirements. Expect to spend at least as much time studying outside of class each week as you spend in class.

  • Weekly reading and workbook assignments
  • Weekly online quizzes
  • Online final exam
  • Any additional test prep/practice tests you would like to do on your own

Reminder: You get out what you put in.

I will do my best to present the information in a digestible format and order, and to work with you to help you understand the material as best as I can. And again, nothing will stop you from using any resource at your disposal to find answers for the quizzes and exam. But ultimately, the grade you receive at the end of this class is a only loose indication of how ready you are to take the FAA knowledge test. If you feel you are lacking understanding on a topic, reach out to me. If you are tempted to look up answers or just retake a test until you get a passing score, nothing will stop you, but the FAA knowledge test will not be fooled.

Also, a passing grade in this course doesn't get you out of any certification requirements or convey any piloting privileges--you will need to apply the knowledge you gain in this class and combine it with additional instruction in order to obtain a pilot's license. However, command of this knowledge will absolutely improve and expedite your certification journey.

Thank you!

I’m looking forward to talking about airplanes with you this winter!

Aaron Heise, Instructor

Last modified: Thursday, 7 December 2023, 10:03 AM