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COURSE OUTLINE

Private Pilot Groundschool

Course Outline

 
General Information

Before an individual can receive a private pilot licence or recreational pilot permit, he or she must demonstrate both flying skill and knowledge.  Flying skill is demonstrated to a designated Transport Canada examiner on a flight test, and a specified number of dual and solo hours flight training must be completed before the flight test can be attempted.  In contrast, general knowledge of various subjects related to flying is demonstrated by successful completion of a Transport Canada multiple-choice written examination; before a student pilot can write the examination, he or she must complete the groundschool requirements, complete 10 hours of flight training, and obtain the required Medical Certificate.  The purpose of this course is to prepare the student pilot for the written examination.  By introducing the student to such subjects as the theory of flight, airframes and aero engines, meteorology and navigation, airpersonship and flight procedures and rules, he or she will acquire knowledge to successfully write the written examination and to safely enjoy the art of flying.

 

Evaluation

The determination of Final Grade is as indicated above.  To be recommended to write the Transport Canada Private Pilot or Recreation Pilot examination, students must attain a minimum course grade of 65%.  They must also have a Medical Certificate appropriate for their licence, and they must have completed 10 hours of flight instruction.

 

Additionally, before students can write the Final Examination for this course, they must complete eight Review Quizzes (each quiz consisting of five to twenty multiple choice questions).  Passing mark on the Review Quizzes is 60%.  Study review questions appear at the end of each section and these should be used in preparation for the Review Quizzes.

 

It is impossible to cover in this courseall of the material associated with the Transport Canada examination.  How well a student does depends directly on his or her efforts in reading, studying at home, and asking questions.

 

Transport Canada requires that groundschool attendance for individual students be maintained at the school in a Pilot Training Record.  Students pursuing accelerated home study must carefully record the times and dates when they study; these times and dates will then be transcribed onto their Pilot Training Record and used in place of class attendance times.

Required Equipment E6‑B Flight Computer (or equivalent)
  1. ICAO Chart Rule or Navigation Plotter

  2. Douglas Protractor

  3. Vancouver VFR Navigation Chart.

  4. Vancouver VTA Navigation Chart.

 

Required Texts

 

David L. Parry

  2020   Canadian Private Pilot Groundschool Manual   Vancouver: Paceline Pilot Training, Inc.

               (Access to theHTML version of this manual is included in the online groundschool tuition)

 

Sandy A. F. MacDonald (Originating Author)

  2011    From the Ground Up (Twenty-ninth Revised Edition)   Ottawa: Aviation Publishers Co. Limited.

 

Recommended Texts

 

Kent Johnson and John Mullock

 1996     Aviation Weather Hazards of British Columbia and the Yukon   Kelowna: Source Graphics and Print Co. Ltd.

 

Environment Canada

                Aware   Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services Canada

 

Transport Canada

  1994    Human Factors for Aviation   Ottawa: Transport Canada—Safety and Security

 

Transport Canada

  1999    Flight Training Manual (Fourth Edition)   Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services Canada

 

Communications Canada

  1988    Radiotelephone Operator Handbook   Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services Canada

 

Transport Canada

               Aeronautical Information Manual   Ottawa: Department of Transport, Canada

 

Transport Canada

               Canada Flight Supplement    Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services Canada

 

Richard L. Collins

  1977    Flying Safely   New York: Delacorte Press/Eleanor Friede

 

Wolfgang Langewiesche

  1972    Stick and Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying   New York: McGraw‑Hill Book Company

 

Outline
 
Section I          LICENSING REQUIREMENTS

Readings:

Parry, “Licensing Requirements

 

Section II        AIRFRAMES, ENGINES AND SYSTEMS—PART I

Readings:

Macdonald, “The Aeroplane

Parry, “Airframes, Engines and Systems—Part I

 
Section III       AIRFRAMES, ENGINES AND SYSTEMS—PART II

Readings:

MacDonald, “Aero Engines

Parry, “Airframes, Engines and Systems—Part II

Review Quiz #1: Licensing Requirements, Airframes, Engines and Systems.

 

Section IV       AERODYNAMICS AND THEORY OF FLIGHT

Readings:

MacDonald, “Theory of Flight” (excluding "Flight Instruments")

Parry, “Aerodynamics and Theory of Flight

 

Review Quiz #2: Aerodynamics and Theory of Flight.

 

Section V        CANADIAN AVIATION REGULATIONS

Readings:

Macdonald, “Aeronautical Rules & Facilities

Parry, “Canadian Aviation Regulations

 

Review Quiz #3: Canadian Aviation Regulations.

 

Section VI       FLIGHT OPERATIONS

Readings:

MacDonald, “Aeronautical Facilities

Parry, “Flight Operations

 

Section VII      HUMAN FACTORS AND PILOT DECISION-MAKING

Readings:

Parry, “Human Factors and Pilot Decision-Making

 

Review Quiz #4: Flight Operations and Human Factors and Pilot Decision-making

 
Section VIII    METEOROLOGY—PART I (GENERAL)

Readings:

MacDonald, “Meteorology

Parry, “Meteorology—Part I

 

Section IX       METEOROLOGY—PART II (ACTIVE WEATHER)

Readings:

MacDonald, “Meteorology

Parry, “Meteorology—Part II

 

Review Quiz #5: Meteorology—Part I and II (General and Active Weather)

 

Section X        METEOROLOGY—PART III (WEATHER INFORMATION)

Readings:

MacDonald, same as above.

Parry, “Weather Information

 

Review Quiz #6: Meteorology—Part III (Weather Information)

 

Section XI       NAVIGATION

Readings:

MacDonald, “Air Navigation

Parry, “Navigation

 

Review Quiz #7: Navigation

 
Section XII      RADIO AND ELECTRONIC THEORY (RADIO NAVIGATION)

Readings:  

MacDonald, “Radio Navigation.”

Parry, “Radio Navigation

 

Section XIII    FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS

Readings:

MacDonald, Flight Instruments in “Theory of Flight

Parry, “Flight Instruments”

 

Review Quiz #8: Radio Navigation and Flight Instruments.

 

FINAL EXAM

 

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