Private Pilot Syllabus
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Ground Lesson 1 - Introduction
o Private Pilot Requirements
o Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations
o Medical Certificates
o Part 61 vs. Part 141
o Aircraft Category and Class
o Airmen Category and Class
o Single-Pilot Resource Management
ïƒ Situational Awareness
ïƒ Risk Management
ïƒ Task Management
ïƒ Aeronautical Decision Making
ïƒ Controlled Flight into Terrain
ïƒ Hazardous Attitudes
ïƒ IMSAFE checklist
o Motion Sickness
o Fatigue
o Atmospheric pressure effect on the body
o Alcohol and Drugs
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Ground Lesson 2 – The Airplane
o The Body
ïƒ The Fuselage
ïƒ The Empennage
ïƒ The Wing
ïƒ Landing gear
ïƒ Trim
o Powerplant
ïƒ Reciprocating engine
ïƒ Supercharging and Turbocharging
ïƒ Ignition system
ïƒ Induction system – Carburetor vs. Fuel injection
ïƒ Abnormal combustion
o Fuel system
ïƒ Fuel types
ïƒ Refueling
o Electrical system
o Oil system
o Cooling system
o Exhaust system
o Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH)
ïƒ Reference your airplanes specific systems in the POH (Fuel, Electrical, Oil…etc)
o Pilot’s Information Manual (PIM)
o Propellers
ïƒ Fixed pitch vs. Constant-speed.
o Flight Instruments
ïƒ Pitot-Static Instruments
ïƒ Gyroscopic Instruments
ïƒ Magnetic Compass
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Ground Lesson 3 - Fundamentals
o Forces of flight
ïƒ Lift
ïƒ Weight
ïƒ Thrust
ïƒ Drag
ïƒ Airfoils
ïƒ Ground Effect
o Stability
ïƒ Lateral Stability
ïƒ Longitudinal Stability
ïƒ Directional Stability
ïƒ Stall
ïƒ Spin
o Aerodynamics
ïƒ Climbs, Turns, Descents
ïƒ Adverse yaw
ïƒ Centrifugal force
ïƒ Horizontal / Vertical components of lift
ïƒ Left Turning Tendencies
ïƒ Center of Gravity
ïƒ Center of Pressure
ïƒ Load Factor
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Ground Lesson 4 Airport / Airspace
o Scanning for Traffic
o Airport Operations
ïƒ Uncontrolled vs. Controlled
ïƒ Runway Orientation
ïƒ Runway and Taxiway Markings
ïƒ Traffic Pattern
ïƒ Runway Incursion
ïƒ Airport Lighting
 Visual Glideslope Indicators
 Approach Lights
 Pilot Controlled Lighting
ïƒ Airport Security
o Right-of-Way Rules
o Wind Corrections for Taxi
o Minimum Safe Altitudes
o Positive Exchange of Flight Controls
o Terminal, Sectional, World Charts
ïƒ Latitude and Longitude projections
ïƒ Chart Symbology
o Airspace
ïƒ Uncontrolled vs. Controlled
ïƒ Class A
ïƒ Class B
ïƒ Class C
ïƒ Class D
ïƒ Class E
ïƒ Class G
ïƒ Special Use Airspace
ïƒ Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)
ïƒ Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR)
o Intercept Procedures
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Ground Lesson 5 – Air Traffic Control
o Radar
o Transponder
o The role of a Flight Service Station
ïƒ Weather Briefings
ïƒ Flight Plans
o Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS)
o Types of Controllers
ïƒ Tower
ïƒ TRACON
ïƒ Center
o Flight Following
o Traffic Advisories
o ADS-B
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Ground Lesson 6 – Communication
o Talking on the Radio
ïƒ 5 W’s of Communication
ïƒ Phonetic Alphabet
ïƒ Numbers on the Radio
o VHF / UHF Radios
o Reading Back Clearances
o Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF)
o Lost Communication
o Emergency Squawk Codes
o Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)
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Ground Lesson 7 – Weather
o Atmosphere
ïƒ Composition
ïƒ Pressure
ïƒ Circulation
ïƒ Stability
o Wind Patterns
ïƒ Local
ïƒ Global
o Coriolis Force
o Temperature Inversion
o Relative Humidity
o Moisture
ïƒ Effect on Performance
o Dewpoint
o Clouds and Fog
o Fronts
o Thunderstorms
o Windshear
o Icing
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Ground Lesson 8 – Weather Charts
o METAR
o Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF)
o Pilot Weather Report (PIREP)
o Winds and Temperature Aloft
o AIRMET/SIGMET/CONVECTIVE SIGMET
o Surface Analysis Chart
o Weather Depiction Chart
o Radar Summary Chart
o Significant Weather Prognostic Chart
o Satellite Weather Photos
o Airborne Weather Radar
ïƒ NEXRAD
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Ground Lesson 9 – Supplemental
o Charts
ïƒ Terminal, Sectional and World Aeronautical Charts
 Chart Symbology
 Expiration
o Chart Supplemental
o Notices to Airmen (NOTAM)
ïƒ D
ïƒ Local
ïƒ FDC
ïƒ Military
ïƒ Pointer
o Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) / Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)
o National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
o Advisory Circulars (ACs)
o Airworthiness Directives (ADs)
o Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)
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Ground Lesson 10 – Physiology
o Hypoxia
o Hyperventilation
o Vision
ïƒ Rods / Cones
 Day vs. Night
ïƒ Visual Illusions
o Spatial Disorientation
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Ground Lesson 11 – Navigation
o Pilotage
o Dead Reckoning
o Lost Procedures
ïƒ 5C’s
o VOR Navigation
ïƒ Types of VORs
ïƒ Range Information
ïƒ Intercepting and Tracking
ïƒ Cone of Confusion
ïƒ Line of Sight Limitations
ïƒ VOR Receiver Checks
 Logging Errors (D.E.P.S)
o GPS Navigation
ïƒ Basic Functionality
ïƒ RAIM vs. WAAS
ïƒ Waypoints
 Flyby vs. Flyover
ïƒ Standard / Precise Positioning Service
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Ground Lesson 12 – Performance
o Factors that affect Performance
o Performance Calculations
ïƒ Takeoff Roll and Distance over a 50ft obstacle
ïƒ Climb
ïƒ Cruise
ïƒ Descent
ïƒ Landing Roll and Distance over a 50ft obstacle
o Weight and Balance
ïƒ Importance
ïƒ Terms
ïƒ Weight-Shift Formula
ïƒ Aircraft Performance
 Forward CG vs. Aft CG
o Flight Computer
ïƒ Manual vs. Electronic
ïƒ Calculations
 Time
 Fuel
 Distance
 Groundspeed
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Ground Lesson 13 – Flight Planning
o Weather Briefing
o Route Planning
o Altitude Selection
o Emergency / Diversion Considerations
o Weight and Balance
o Performance Calculations
o Complete Navlog
o File Flight Plan
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Ground Lesson 14 – End of Course
o Summary of Ground lessons 1-13
o Review ACS Standards