What is the “Online Ground School” all about?
There are two parts to learning to fly, the flying and ground school. Pilots and student pilots will cross oceans for flying. Ground School is always a pain. It’s never at the right time, right place, or with the right instructor. The online ground school is designed to change that.
What is an “online ground school”.
The online ground school is a guided self study program with the added benefit of communicating with your fellow students via forums online. Study when you want, where you want (any internet connection), and how you want. The ground school prepares you for the written exam and background knowledge all pilots need to have. Student have electronic access to a instructor via email and discussion forums.A true online ground school is not simply practice questions online. Our system uses presentations (many with sound and video), videos of actual ground school, quizzes, text books, assignments, and discussions in the forum.
How long has the online ground school been going?
We’ve been conducting online ground school since December 1999. The material is based on 40 years of running Harv’s Air Pilots Training school ground schools. Average mark is 79%.We created the online ground school to serve a need. Flight schools always have a hard time filling a ground school due to different schedules of students. The online ground school allows flexibility. The online ground school is also designed for students who are planning an intensive training course, allowing students to prepare before they commence flight training.
Is this course Transport Canada approved?
Transport Canada does not approve a ground school, they give this privilege to a Flight Training Unit. We are approved to conducted ground schools with Harv’s Air (our parent company) under the Flight Training Unit number 0172. Transport Canada monitors the quality of a schools ground school by studying the results, feedback of students, and regular audits. Poor or spectacular results (cheating) will have Transport Canada investigating a flight training unit’s ground school very quickly.
Is this course approved with my flight school?
Whether it is or not is actually irrelevant. Transport Canada approves what flight schools can and can not do. When you have completed this course you go to Transport Canada approved exam center and write the exam. I supply you with all the paperwork and recommendations. Then a flight school would have to be nuts not take you in, as all you need at that point is the flying courses (which is where they make their money). Since 1999 we’ve never had a issue with a flying school not taking the students course and examinations.Flying schools have been very supportive of our online ground school system as the schools would much rather put you into an airplane then teach you ground school (there’s very little money in ground schools as only the larger schools will have enough students to conduct a proper ground school). One exception might be a college program where the courses have to be completed for college credit and Transport Canada credit. Even in these cases we’ve had many students who are using our course material for extra preparation.
Do I need a recommendation letter from my school/instructor/cfi?
No, that comes from us. We’ll fax or email it to you at the end of the course.
What do I need for the ground school?
The following material is required for the online ground school. Material can be obtain from your flight school or we’d be glad to ship it to you.
PSTAR (PreSolo Air Regulations)
From the Ground UpFlight Training Manual
Private Pilot/Recretional Permit
From the Ground UpPlotterFlight ComputerFlight Training Manual
Ultralight Permit
From the Ground UpPlotterFlight ComputerFlight Training Manual
Commercial Pilot Licence
Computer with internet access (modem is fine)From the Ground UpPlotterFlight ComputerFlight Training ManualWeather Command Manual
Instrument Rating
Computer with internet access (modem is fine)From the Ground UpPlotterFlight ComputerFlight Training ManualWeather Command ManualInstrument Procedures Manual