Private Pilot Airplane

Purpose of this Course

This course provides student pilots with the academic knowledge to pass their FAA Private Pilot Airplane Knowledge Test (PAR) and the relevant portions of the Oral Exam. Most importantly, it gives new pilots a framework for learning. Instead of merely imparting knowledge, we show students how to consult source material, think critically, and broadly evaluate and mitigate risk.

Training Philosophy

Our philosophy is simple: high quality learning is hard work, and there is no shortcut. There is no way around this truth. Our course provides the opportunity, but students must grasp it through engaged, intentional study and honest reflection of their knowledge and ability throughout the course.

The FAA defines learning as “a change in the behavior of the learner as a result of experience.” Learning isn’t reciting information from memory or passing a written test. It’s about internalizing the knowledge in a way that impacts behavior—flying better, making smarter decisions, and so on. This course should be approached with that in mind. Meaningful learning is rarely an efficient process.

We wholeheartedly embrace this. Sometimes, we direct students to relevant portions of government handbooks and ask them to read through and familiarize themselves with them. Other times, we use blackboard-style lecture videos to simplify complex topics so pilots can approach them practically on the ground and in the air. Whatever the lesson, thoroughly learning material requires that students actively engage with the material in ways that work best for them, often some combination of taking and organizing notes, studying flashcards, applying the knowledge in scenarios, asking questions, studying with others, and diving deep into the source material.

That’s challenging, but the good news is that you are not going it alone. We strongly encourage students to use our built-in messaging system to ask questions. We are here to help and look forward to answering them!

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, students should know to:

Confidently assess and mitigate risk before and during flights
Apply their understanding of aerodynamic principles to succeed in flight training
Critically and independently evaluate the quality of advice from other pilots and instructors through a firm grasp of the knowledge and by referencing source materials
Decrease flight training costs by exceeding training standards in fewer hours as a result of diligent study and practice
Pass the FAA Private Pilot Airplane Knowledge Test (PAR) through exceptional knowledge

Course Order

Ground School topics can be loosely grouped into physical and regulatory subject areas.

Our first focus is on the physical, including aerodynamics, weather, and aircraft systems. Our reasoning is simple: deficiencies in these areas have extremely high consequences in an airplane. There’s a strong tendency in ground and flight training to over-focus on regulations and neglect the pure fundamentals that make for safe flying.

The second half of our course focuses on regulatory topics, including airworthiness and airspace.

That said, the course order is merely a suggestion. Students and their instructors should feel free to review course material in a different order if they prefer.

Graduation Requirements

We issue a graduation certificate, which doubles as the written exam endorsement, after students:

Complete all lessons and topics
Complete all review quizzes
Pass both final exams with a score of 90% or better

Private Pilot Eligibility & Experience Requirements

If you haven’t already, ensure you’re eligible for a Private Pilot Certificate with an Airplane Category. To be eligible, individuals must meet the applicable portions of §61.103. For most, these are the following requirements:

Be at least 17 years old
Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English
Receive an endorsement from an instructor who reviews the person’s home study, or conducts their training, and certifies an their preparedness for the knowledge test
Pass the knowledge test
Receive flight training on the required areas of operation, and an endorsement certifying their preparedness for the practical test
Pass the practical test
Hold a student pilot certificate (or sport pilot or recreational pilot certificate)
Hold at least a third-class medical certificate issued by an FAA-authorized aviation medical examiner

You don’t need a medical certificate or student pilot certificate for a ground school course or to take the knowledge test, but you will need to satisfy this requirement prior to flight training.

Applicants must receive and log ground and flight training from an authorized instructor or complete a home-study course. This course meets the home-study course requirement.

Flight Hours

A minimum of 40 hours of flight time, which includes:

Dual Instruction: At least 20 hours of flight training with an instructor, including:
- 3 hours of cross-country flight training
- 3 hours of night flight training, including:
  - One cross-country flight over 100 nautical miles total distance
  - 10 takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower
- 3 hours of flight by reference to instruments
- 3 hours of flight training in preparation for the practical test within the preceding 2 calendar months
Solo Flight: At least 10 hours of solo flight time, including:
- 5 hours of solo cross-country time
  - One solo cross-country flight of at least 150 nautical miles total distance, with full-stop landings at three points, and one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 50 nautical miles between takeoff and landing locations
  - Three solo takeoffs and landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower

This course provides you with the knowledge and study habits to pass the knowledge test. We also emphasize practical knowledge that, while no substitute for a quality flight instructor, helps students take ownership of their education and lower total training costs by ensuring they are adequately prepared in flight training.

Aeronautical Knowledge Areas

14 CFR §61.105(b) lists the aeronautical knowledge areas that must be covered by an instructor or a students’ home study prior to the student applying for a private pilot certificate.

Several are quite broad: one, for example, is “principles of aerodynamics, powerplants, and aircraft systems.” Others are more focused, i.e., accident reporting requirements of the NTSB. Read through the list of aeronautical knowledge areas to familiarize yourself and contextualize your study.

Another area is the “applicable portions of the Aeronautical Information Manual and FAA Advisory Circulars”. This is vague, but we’ve provided a comprehensive list of suggested references below. We also link to this material throughout the course.

The FAA Private Pilot Airplane Knowledge Test (PAR)

The FAA Private Pilot Airplane Knowledge Test (PAR) is a 60-question computer-based exam with a 2-hour time limit. A minimum score of 70% is required to pass.

One eligibility stipulation in §61.103 is that applicants receive a written endorsement from an instructor prior to attempting the PAR. This endorsement verifies that the applicant has trained or studied sufficiently and that they are prepared for the test.

Your graduation certificate meets this endorsement requirement.

Source Material & Recommended Reading

FAA publications are sometimes a bit boring, but they are phenomenal sources of technical information and it behooves pilots to become intimately familiar with the source material. For this reason we frequently cite source material throughout the course. Links to many of these publications are provided on our Resource Library.

FAA-S-ACS-6, the Private Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards (ACS) details the practical test requirements. The minimum standards are just that—minimums. Pilots should not use the ACS as a goal, but should be familiar with it and use it to direct their efforts to ensure they consistently exceed standards prior to their Practical Exam.

Throughout the ACS, the FAA lists references of which all applicants should be familiar. It’s important to read through the ACS in its entirety and understand expectations and source documents specific to your pursuit. Source documentation will vary depending on if you pursue certification in one category and class versus another (e.g. ASEL vs. AMEL or Helicopters).

Per the ACS, all Private Pilot applicants should be familiar with the following resources:

14 CFR Part 39 (Airworthiness Directives)
14 CFR Part 43 (Maintenance, Preventative Maintenance, Rebuilding, Alteration)
14 CFR Part 61 (Certification)
14 CFR Part 68 (BasicMed)
14 CFR Part 71 (Airspace)
14 CFR Part 91 (General Operating and Flight Rules)
14 CFR Part 93 (Special Air Traffic Rules)
AC 61-67: Stall & Spin Awareness Training
AC 68-1: BasicMed
AC 91-73: Parts 91 & 135 Single Pilot, Flight School Procedures During Taxi Operations
AC 91-78: Use of Class 1 or Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)
AC 91-92: Pilot’s Guide to a Preflight Briefing
AC 120-71: Standard Operating Procedures & Pilot Monitoring Duties for Flight Deck Crewmembers
Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)
Chart Supplements
FAA-H-8083-1: Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook
FAA-H-8083-2: Risk Management Handbook
FAA-H-8083-3: Airplane Flying Handbook
FAA-H-8083-15: Instrument Flying Handbook
FAA-H-8083-25: Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
FAA-H-8083-28: Aviation Weather Handbook
NOTAMs
POH/Flight Manual
VFR Navigation Charts: Sectional/Terminal Aeronautical Charts

We strongly encourage students to additionally familiarize themselves with the following materials:

14 CFR Part 1 (Definitions and Abbreviations)
14 CFR Part 23 (Airworthiness Standards: Normal Category Airplanes)
14 CFR Part 67 (Medical Standards and Certification)
49 CFR Part 830 (NTSB Reporting & Preservation)
AC 60-22: Aeronautical Decision Making
AC 90-48: Pilot’s Role in Collision Avoidance
Aeronautical Chart User’s Guide
NAVAIR 00-80T-80: Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators

Aeronautical Information Manual

The FAA does not delineate which chapters of the AIM are directly applicable to Private Pilot certification and operation. In essence, the entire AIM is “fair game”. However, the following is a suggested list of those sections most applicable to most pilots’ operations.

Chapter 1

VOR Check
Doppler Radar
GPS

Chapter 2

PAPI/VASI
Pilot Controlled Lighting
Airport Beacons
Runway Markings
Taxiway Markings
Hold Position Markings
Mandatory Instruction Signs
Location Signs
Direction Signs
Destination Signs

Chapter 3

Basic VFR Weather Mins
VFR Cruising Altitudes
General Airspace
B, C, D, E
G
SUA
Airport Advisory Information Services
Military Training Routes
TFRs
Parachute Jump Operations
Published VFR Routes

Chapter 4

Approach Control Service for VFR Arriving Aircraft
Traffic Advisory Practices at Airports Without Operating Control Towers
Designated UNICOM/MULTICOM Frequencies
ATIS
Radar Traffic Information Service
Terminal Radar Services for VFR Aircraft
Transponder and ADSB-Out Operation
Contact Procedures
Phonetic Alphabet
Altitudes and Flight Levels
Communications with Tower when Aircraft Transmitter or Receiver or Both are Inoperative
Traffic Patterns
Visual Indicators at Airports without Control Towers
Intersection Takeoffs
Pilot Responsibilities During LAHSO
Communications
Taxiing
Use of Aircraft Lights
Special VFR Clearances
Visual Clearing Procedures