Private Pilot Ground School question

Banjo33

Banjo33

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Banjo33
Assuming you have a solid syllabus and 7 hrs per day/5 days per week dedicated to classroom instruction, what's a legitimate time frame you could get an average person with a high school education comfortably prepared to pass the knowledge exam?
 
It depends on if the training is being performed under part 61 or 141. Under part 61, I would say 2-3 days. Under part 141, 35 hours of ground instruction are required so it would be 5 days.
 
Assuming zero aeronautical knowledge going in, I'd say 5-7 days, depending on how much the trainee studies at night. FWIW, we did pretty well at the university with 45 classroom hours under similar circumstances in the freshman-level PP ground school, but there was homework between classes and time taking practice tests, too.
 
I think you need to add a day or two for every ten years of age past 40. I had 60 years worth of crap stored in my brain when I was studying, so mental space for memorization was limited at best.
 
I'd much rather teach in shorter blocks to give the student more time to think about the subjects. I think that retention would be improved. But if the goal was to pass in the shortest time possible, one week, with a lot of home study required.
 
TMetzinger said:
I'd much rather teach in shorter blocks to give the student more time to think about the subjects. I think that retention would be improved. But if the goal was to pass in the shortest time possible, one week, with a lot of home study required.
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That.

Full time, written in 3 days.

Oral by the time you meet all the flight requirements.
 
Thanks for the reply all. I was thinking 10 days total. I'll have the students for 7 hrs (plus a 1.5 hr lunch), but they'll get a 10 minute break every 50 minutes. If I find 10 days is excessive, I can fill the extra time with some instrument training. I'll find a ground syllabus online and further refine the process.
 
Are you trying to teach to the test, or for them to actually learn the material?

I think 5 full days (7.5 hour/day teaching) for the latter is about right.
 
Brad Z said:
Are you trying to teach to the test, or for them to actually learn the material?

I think 5 full days (7.5 hour/day teaching) for the latter is about right.
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I want them to learn the material of course. Once I submit the POI for validation, I retain the ability to shorten the course, but there's no flexibility to extend the course. I'm just curious what an average course length is...sounds like about 5 days.
 
Banjo33 said:
I want them to learn the material of course. Once I submit the POI for validation, I retain the ability to shorten the course, but there's no flexibility to extend the course. I'm just curious what an average course length is...sounds like about 5 days.
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If you're submitting this to your POI for validation, that suggests you're doing this under Part 141, which requires a minimum of 35 hours of classroom time. See Part 141 Appendix B for details on this and the syllabus requirements.
 
Ron Levy said:
If you're submitting this to your POI for validation, that suggests you're doing this under Part 141, which requires a minimum of 35 hours of classroom time. See Part 141 Appendix B for details on this and the syllabus requirements.
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Thanks Ron...it's actually for military.
 
This doesn't have anything to do with Class Bravo, does it?
 
Banjo33 said:
Assuming you have a solid syllabus and 7 hrs per day/5 days per week dedicated to classroom instruction, what's a legitimate time frame you could get an average person with a high school education comfortably prepared to pass the knowledge exam?
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Way shorter than the number of days many aviation colleges drag it out into over a semester. LOL
 
denverpilot said:
Way shorter than the number of days many aviation colleges drag it out into over a semester. LOL
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Yea, Ohio State Univ, over a Semester, 2-3 hours per week. and they won't let you fly as a student pilot until that course is done. Talk about need for patience.

David
 
Banjo33 said:
UAS pilots.
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I gather the military wants them to actually fly and earn a PP ticket before controlling drones? That would be nice.

In any event, I would suggest using a good 141 PP-Airplane syllabus as a starting point, and note the minimum 35 hours required there. By the time you add in stage tests and the final exam, the 45 classroom hours we did at the university works pretty well, and as that was a first-semester freshman course, your "average person with a high school education" status matches up nicely.
 
PPL knowledge exam for all, some flight training for the O's.

I should add that this is already a requirement. But, currently, the Army provides the PPL knowledge training for the Enlisted, the AF provides PPL knowledge prep, flight training (just short of PPL), and IR training (knowledge and sim time only) for the O's. We're looking to assume responsibility for most of this training.
 
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Guess the question, then, is whether they want you to prep them to be UAS pilots or just to pass the written. I fear that the latter is more likely.
 
Since I'm the one writing the requirements, developing the training, and standing up the schoolhouse, I assure you it's the former. ;)

Marine Corps aviation doesn't want a bunch of yahoos flying 200+ lbs unmanned planes sharing their airspace with them either. Besides, most of our O's are manned pilots and several of our E's have or are pursuing their PPCs...so, they "get" it.
 
OK, I think I've got it -- you're the government, not the contractor. I think you should be able to do this in a 2-week/10 class day course with no problem as long as they have adequate high school math/science background, for which you should be able to screen based on their induction test scores.
 
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Yes, however, I'm writing the requirements and likely administering the material initially. Looking at getting my instructor cadre AGI so that they can provide the training and sign offs in the future.
 
Banjo33 said:
Yes, however, I'm writing the requirements and likely administering the material initially. Looking at getting my instructor cadre AGI so that they can provide the training and sign offs in the future.
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They should probably also get the IGI, since you mentioned IR training, too -- AGI's aren't authorized to give instrument training.
 
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