If this happens, you may want to consider going up for an hour of dual instruction with a CFI who specializes in the area you had difficulty in—like crosswinds or short field landings.

Provided the mistake wasn’t something egregious, resulting in bent metal or broken FARs, go out and practice that particular maneuver on your own—and hold yourself accountable to assigned metrics.

Anatomy of a Proficiency Flight

A proficiency flight should always begin with a pre-brief. If you are on your own, it can be self-talk with “this is what I want to accomplish on this flight; these are the metrics I seek to achieve.” And then hold yourself accountable to those metrics, and if they are not met, determine what changes need to happen to fix the situation.

For example, “I want to land on the first third of the runway with full flaps, but I keep landing long and slightly fast. I need to pay more attention to achieving a stabilized approach. I can do this by calling out my airspeeds on each leg of the pattern as I adjust the configuration of the aircraft.”

If you are flying with a CFI, the pre-brief can be the most important part of the flight. Describe the challenge you had in detail. Saying you “had a bad landing” doesn’t really help because there are so many variables that can result in that. Were you too fast? Behind the airplane?

• READ MORE: Separation Anxiety: When Your Instructor Moves on, Your Logbook Tells the Story

Was your pattern altitude all over the place? The CFI can’t help you fix it unless we know what it is we’re fixing.

Insist the CFI verbalize the procedure to correct the problem before you get in the airplane. Airplanes are terrible classrooms, and that can add to the frustration. If it’s the pattern and landings that are the issue, for example, try diagramming the pattern on a whiteboard, paying special attention to the required airspeeds, altitude, and aircraft configuration. Using a model aircraft to fly a tabletop pattern while reciting these metrics can also be helpful.

Let the instructor know what you expect of them during the flight. If you want them to be quiet and simply be there as a safety measure just in case things start to go sideways, let them know. If you want the instructor to offer real-time suggestions, say so, and be ready to accept their input.

Are You Knowledge Proficient?

You have to remember so many things as a pilot that it is easy for your knowledge to get a little soft. When was the last time you reviewed something in the FAR/AIM or read a chapter from the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge or Airplane Flying Handbook—without it being part of a check ride or flight review?

Just as we make time to fly those takeoffs and landings in excess of the three within 90 days for currency, a good pilot should make the time to review the knowledge required to hold their certificate.

Normalization of Deviance

Pilots sometimes make excuses for soft spots that can result in greater issues known as normalization of deviance, a psychological term for deviation from proper behavior or a rule becoming culturally normalized. In aviation these can be shortcuts or avoidance that pilots rationalize—and they can come back to bite you. We’ve all read those accident reports where the pilot was significantly out of currency, and therefore proficiency, but went ahead with the technically challenging flight with disastrous results.

• READ MORE: Make Flight Reviews for CFIs Worthwhile

Rationalization is dangerous in aviation. For example, some pilots fall into a pattern of avoidance of airspace, flying elaborate zigzag routing because they don’t want to ask for a clearance through controlled airspace. They rationalize it by saying, “I don’t go into Class D airspace because I don’t want to talk to the tower” or “The tower is too busy.” The request to transition the airspace is often a less than 10-second conversation.

Another example is the pilot who avoids nontowered airports because “it is too much work to see and avoid and self-announce at the same time.” This is very limiting, because the majority of airports in the U.S. are nontowered, and that is not likely to change.

Commit to Proficiency: The CFI Perspective

One of the challenges of the normalization of deviance is trying to determine what was lost in translation: Where did the pilot pick up this bad habit? Was it from a CFI? Flying with a buddy? Something they read online? “My instructor told me…” is the aviation version of “they said” and definitely should signal the need to find another source of that information, preferably FAA-approved material such as the FAR/AIM.

When a pilot comes to a CFI seeking a proficiency flight, that doesn’t mean the instructor should look for opportunities to shred them. I say this because I’ve seen very skilled and experienced pilots walk out of a business because of the attitude of the CFI tasked with the proficiency flight. The CFI was almost hostile, as if flying with an already-certificated pilot was beneath them. Granted, the one or two hours of proficiency flying are not as lucrative as teaching an entire certificate or rating, but you’re being paid to teach, and it is adding hours to your logbook.

• READ MORE: Who Is Teaching? Low Time and Social Media Make for a Bad Combo

Listen to what the pilot seeking training wants. It can be very frustrating to the pilot needing dual instruction when paired with a CFI who has their own agenda. The pilot says, “I want to regain my multiengine currency and proficiency,” and the CFI or flight school desk person hears, “I want to get my multiengine rating.”

Study for Proficiency

Online ground schools, such as King Schools, Sporty’s, and Gold Seal to name a few, are also very helpful in maintaining knowledge proficiency. CFIs may find it useful to “test fly them” before being recommended to clients.

Have you ever heard of someone retaking a ground school for the sake of proficiency? I have and I applaud them for it. In one of the face-to-face courses I taught, there was a father who held a CFI certificate in the class because he wanted to teach his children to fly. But it had been so long since he exercised the privileges of his certificate, he wanted the refresher. He was an airline pilot and had been taking online flight instructor refresher clinics to keep his CFI active but realized that wasn’t enough to maintain his teaching proficiency.

It is incumbent on all instructors and pilots to embrace a culture that encourages proficiency training. Remember this warning: Be humble in aviation, or aviation will humble you.

This column first appeared in the May 2024/Issue 948 of FLYING’s print edition.

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Ground school is the first step a student pilot needs to take on the way to achieving most flight certificates and ratings, from a sport pilot certificate to an airline transport pilot certificate. If you’re already a pilot and looking to achieve your instrument rating, check out our article on the best IFR ground schools.

While most elements of aviation education need to be completed in person, there are online ground schools available to prepare aspiring pilots for the FAA knowledge test.

All of the online options have a variety of offerings, including banks of information relative to the written exam, sample test questions, and links to other resources to help pilots prepare for their knowledge and practical tests. 

Quick Look: Best Online Ground Schools to Consider

• Best For Self-paced Learning: Pilot Institute Online Ground School
• Best For Tech-savvy Pilots: Sporty’s Private Pilot Learn to Fly
• Best For Busy Pilots: Angle of Attack Online Ground School
• Best For Free Courses: Gold Seal Online Ground School
• Best For Lifetime Access to Digital Resources: Rod Machado 40 Hour Private Pilot eLearning Ground School
• Best For Future IFR Pilots: ASA Private Pilot Online Ground School
• Best For Multiple Ground School Options: Gleim Aviation Online Ground School
• Best For Money-Back Guarantee: King Schools

7 Best Online Ground School Options

Depending on your current level of aviation knowledge, your budget, and your timeframe, one of the many online ground schools may suit you better than the others. Here is a look at six of the best options.

Pilot Institute Online

If you don’t pass the written test, Pilot Institute will send you $175 cash on top of a full refund for the course. This option is also self-paced, and 99.8 percent of students do, indeed, pass their written exams. They also offer a Facebook group for online study and discussion with classmates and a 44-page study guide.

Best For: Pilots who are nervous about their ground school investment

Website: Pilot Institute Online

Course Length: Self-paced with a long list of practice examinations—20 hours, generally (courses can be sped up or slowed down to match learning style).

Subscription Access: This includes lifetime access to all materials, even those that are added after you pass your exam.

What You’ll Learn: In addition to these areas of study, the course also offers a flashcard app for your phone to help you practice for the exam.

• Airports and lingo
• Weather patterns
• How to choose a flight school
• Aircraft systems
• Flight instruments
• Aerodynamics
• Performance limitations

Pricing: $199

Angle of Attack Online Ground School

Certified Flight Instructors teach a student in the cockpit while flying, but it is important if you take online flight ground school to also have a CFI who is actively teaching. Angle of Attack is taught by Chris Palmer and features beautiful, modern videography and first-hand flight scenarios to help students become better pilots. Take these courses on the go, too, by downloading them natively to your device.  

Best For: Busy Pilots

Website: Angle of Attack Online Ground School

Course Length: There are 10 sections, with multiple courses in each section. 

Subscription Access: Lifetime Access, with a subscription offering for only the ground school or include the Checkride ACE Course for only $70.

What You’ll Learn:

• Orientation & Aerodynamics
• Human factors
• Aircraft Systems
• Weather Theory
• Aviation Weather
• Performance
• Airports
• Airspace
• Flight Planning
• Next Steps

Pricing: $279 for lifetime access (Bundle with the Checkride ACE for $349)

Sporty’s Private Pilot Learn to Fly 

Pilots who want an easy-to-follow, deep-knowledge course to prepare them for their written test. They offer a TV app so you can watch your instructional videos on a large screen, and offer a phone app that allows access to their training resources at any time. 

Best For: Self-Paced Learning

Website: Sporty’s Private Pilot Learn To Fly  

Course Length: The course is self-paced and is expected to take about 15 hours of study and practical time in order to be prepared for the written test.

Subscription Access: Lifetime access—even to updated materials

What You’ll Learn: The Sporty’s course offers a very extensive outline and you can customize your areas of focus based on your weaknesses and strengths. Here are some key points:

• Maneuvers
• Faa Regulations
• Aircraft Familiarity
• Weather Patterns
• In-Cockpit Feel Via Their Video Catalog 

Pricing: $299

Gold Seal Online Ground School

Future pilots who want to take some free classes to test the waters first, and also for “rusty pilots” as they offer a “flight review” course similar to ground school that helps current pilots brush up on their skills. 

Best For: Tech-Savvy Pilots

Website: Gold Seal Online Ground School

Course Length: There are 6 modules, and each can be completed in a few hours. 

Subscription Access: There is a lot of free content, but subscription access grants you a lot more and is good for life. 

What You’ll Learn:

• Getting Started
  • Pilot Qualifications
  • Aircraft Parts
  • Aerodynamics
  • Instrument Panel
• Your First Few Hours
  • Zulu Time/Phonetic Alphabet
  • Charts
  • Airport Operations
• Skill Building
  • Engine Systems
  • Ground Maneuvers
  • Turns
  • Recoveries
• Aviation Weather
• Real World Flying
  • VOR
  • GPS
  • Night Flight
  • Flight Plans
• Passing Your Test

Pricing: $229 for full access (about ⅓ of materials are free to access)

Rod Machado 40-hour Private Pilot eLearning Ground School

Aspiring pilots looking to gain knowledge in a light-hearted atmosphere with plenty of one-on-one availability for questions and confirmations. The videos are as fun as they are educational, and the lessons can be customized to ensure there is more focus on areas of weakness. 

Best For: Lifetime Access to Digital Resources

Website: Rod Machado 40-hour Private Pilot

Course Length: Self-paced—40 hours are recommended

Subscription Access: Lifetime access to all training materials is included in the price. 

What You’ll Learn:

• Aerodynamics (Parts 1 and 2)
• Airplane Engine
• Electrical System
• Flight Instruments
• FAR
• Airport Operations
• Radio Operations
• Understanding Airspace
• Aviation Maps
• Radio Navigation
• Understanding Weather
• Cross Country Flight Planning

Pricing: $279

ASA Private Pilot Online Ground School

Pilots who want an extensive library of information that can help them learn well beyond the study requirements for the exam. They also offer an instrument pilot ground school for a few more dollars, and if you’re planning on pursuing an IFR rating and/or becoming a commercial pilot, this is a great option to get ahead early.

Best For: Future IFR Pilots

Website: ASA Private Pilot Online Ground School

Course Length: 2-4 weeks (self-paced)

Subscription Access: 24-month access to all materials including prepware.com

What You’ll Learn:

• Aerodynamics
• Aircraft Systems
• Flight Instruments
• Regulations
• Airport Operations
• Weather
• Aircraft Performance
• Enroute Flight
• Navigation
• Communication
• Test Tips

Pricing: $180

Gleim Aviation Online Ground School

Gleim has a lot of ground school options. In addition to their basic private pilot ground school, they also offer ground school training for aspiring sport pilots as well as classes for future instructors, airline transport pilots (ATP), flight engineers, and more. 

Best For: Multiple Ground School Options

Website: Gleim Aviation Online Ground School

Course Length: Self-paced; average of 35 hours

Subscription Access: 12 months

What You’ll Learn:

• Airplanes and Aerodynamics
• Airplane Instruments, Engines, and Systems
• Airports, Air Traffic Control, and Airspace
• Federal Aviation Regulations
• Airplane Performance and Weight and Balance
• Aeromedical Factors and Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM)
• Aviation Weather
• Aviation Weather Services
• Navigation: Charts and Publications
• Navigation Systems
• Cross-Country Flight Planning

Pricing: $160

King Schools

If you’re on the fence about online pilot courses and want one with a good guaranteed return, look no further than King Schools. They not only offer a 30-day full refund, they also promise you’ll get your money back if you fail your FAA test within one year of purchase. On top of a great guarantee, King Schools courses are well-known for their lighthearted tone and effective teaching style. Course access includes an app to make learning and studying easy on the go.

Best For: Money-Back Guarantee

Website: King Schools Private Pilot Online Ground School

Course Length: Self-paced; 15 hours of video lessons

Subscription Access: Lifetime access, including future updates

What You’ll Learn:

• Aerodynamics
• Aircraft performance
• Airspace
• Communications & Radar Services
• How to read & understand sectional charts
• Flight Operations
• FAA Regulations
• Safe Flight Operations
• Navigation
• Weight and Balance
• How to Ace Your Test

Pricing: $299

What Is an Online Ground School?

Ground school is the first thing all aspiring pilots need to take in order to prepare them for the FAA written exam that will prove their competency, ultimately allowing the pilot to get a student’s certificate. This certificate is the gateway to all types of pilot certification. 

Some ground schools are in-person, but with so much technology available to make the online classroom seem more like the brick-and-mortar one, online flight schools hold a similar level of accreditation as their in-person counterparts—but can be completed at home and generally on the student’s own schedule. 

How Do Online Ground Schools Work?

No certification can actually be earned via online ground school (or in-person ground school, for that matter), but preparation for the FAA knowledge exam is very important, as the test is expensive and can only be attempted a limited number of times per calendar year. 

Online ground schools use video and text to educate aspiring pilots on everything they could be asked on their exams to get their student pilot certificate. 

What to Consider With an Online Ground School

As the FAA exam is the same no matter your prior education level, most ground schools will offer the same basic package. Depending on your areas of expertise, bank account, flexibility, and learning style; however, it’s a good thing that there are multiple school options to choose from. Before enrolling in an online training program, you should consider the following. 

Instructor Expertise

In order to apply for the FAA knowledge exam, aspiring pilots must have an endorsement from a CFI stating that they are ready to take the test. Knowing this, you should first be sure your online ground school offers a path to this endorsement. 

Some courses have single instructors while others have multiple, but as long as there is an option to ask qualified instructor questions, the ability to ask a single instructor versus multiple ones has a pretty even mix of pros and cons. 

Easy Course Access

If you’re very busy, online ground school is almost certainly your best option. Furthermore, some of these courses offer apps for phones and tablets, as well as downloadable content that you can study while not connected to the internet. 

Quality of Course Materials

All of these courses offer a preview of their course materials, and it’s up to you to decide which style you prefer. Some are more video-based, and others are more text, but all of the options on this list offer quality knowledge. 

Strong Community Support

If you’re someone who likes to learn in a group setting, the online option may be a bit off-putting, but some of these courses offer real-time support with an instructor, as well as group meetings via Zoom (or similar) so you can interact with fellow classmates. 

Online Ground School Reviews

The aviation community is a pretty small one, so each review holds a little more weight than that of something like a restaurant, so you might take a look at reviews regarding a course. 

Course Pricing

Most of these courses hover between $250 and $300—though some are even less—but be sure to check if you have unlimited access to the materials. If not, you may want to consider a slightly more expensive option that allows you to continue accessing lessons long after you pass your FAA written exam.

Online Ground School vs Physical Ground School

With so many advancements in remote learning (many spawned out of necessity during the pandemic), the digital classroom has almost everything you would want in a physical classroom, outside of a handshake with the instructor. 

For more practical applications in aviation, like a check ride, a significant amount of hands-on training is a necessity, but for preparation for a written exam, such as that which ground school prepares you for, you may be well served by studying online. 

Study Time

With both online and in-class sessions, there are plenty of options for preparing you to pass the FAA-required exam to get your private pilot certificate. Online offers a bit more flexibility, and money saved on trips to and from a brick-and-mortar classroom. 

Online classes also offer access to materials that you can use even after your exam. If you’re tech-savvy and need a flexible schedule, online ground school is probably the best option for you.

For information on all things aviation, including flying tips and techniques, subscribe to FLYING magazine.

The post What Is the Best Online Ground School for You? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Gold Seal wants to help—and so it’s offering its comprehensive ground school courseware for private pilots for free to 100 students who have been impacted in 2020 by COVID-19 restrictions and fallout. “We started this program back in May,” said Gold Seal founder, Russ Still. “After carefully going through the stories of over 1,000 students, we selected 100 for the free scholarships. This provided full Gold Seal ground school enrollment to people who had suffered unfortunate hardship because of the pandemic.”

Now, Still is ready for another round of applicants. Because the economic challenges continue as winter sets in, he knows that the need for relief continues as well. With the program valued at $200, this translates into a $20,000 giveaway to budding pilots. Any student who has been affected adversely by the pandemic can submit their story to Still for consideration for the free training. “The company is specifically seeking people who have been forced to stop their training because of job or income loss,” Still explained in a press release. “One hundred will be selected for full free access to Gold Seal’s online ground school. This includes every bit of ground training that a student pilot needs. It takes aspiring flyers from the FAA written test all the way to the check ride.”

In order to apply, go to the website and complete the scholarship application. “It’s a difficult job picking just a hundred,” said Still. “We are looking for the most compelling stories. Tell us how COVID has impacted your training plans. We really want to keep you motivated and moving forward in aviation.”

The post Gold Seal Offers Scholarships for Impacted Pilots appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Russell Still, founder of Gold Seal and a longtime flight instructor, has already given away 50 passes to the company’s Private Pilot Online Ground School—and he’s not stopping there. Still plans to give away 50 more courses via the “Flying Relief” promotion starting on May 13. “We’re giving this to people specifically who have lost their job or income due to COVID,” said Still. “We’re trying to directly help the people who’ve been hit the hardest.”

Lisa Spencer was one student caught up in the coronavirus crisis—and she really appreciated the helping hand after she lost her job as a social media marketing agent in the tourism industry. “During this tough economic situation, I was thrilled at being given the opportunity to work with Gold Seal,” said Spencer. “I’ve learned so much since starting their ground school. This experience is helping to keep my aviation career dreams alive. They’ve really made learning fun, interactive and achievable. It’s something I look forward to every day.”

The course regularly retails for $199, with student monitoring and tracking built into the program—and flight instructors can join for free. Still notes that more than 2,000 CFIs have taken advantage of the free access to the course as well. The company guarantees that users will pass the knowledge exam and practical test after finishing the course, which automatically generates a signed endorsement following successful completion. Still has offered several webinars through the website during the past two months to help students stay on track as well. You can find more on Gold Seal and other apps in Flying’s Learn to Fly issue.

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