Ground School Instructors

[smithgd]

Hi

I was browsing the web and I came accross the "AOPA Ground Instructor" course, which got me thinking what do you need to teach PPL ground school?

Looking at LASORS and ANO an FI rating is only needed if you intend to teach the flying aspect, no mention of the ground school.

Would doing a AOPA Ground Instructors course allow me to teach ground school for a JAA PPL? But would schools prefere the same person to teach ground school and then do the flying lesson?

Would it be a waste of money doing the ground instructor course?

Cheers
smithgd

[the oxygen thief]

Personally I would say ground school at PPL level is best left to the flying instructor to brief before taking the exercise into the air. There is nothing worse than having to explain something in the air that should be done on the ground. Preferably with a whiteboard.

It also means that they only have themselves to blame when they inevitably miss out some of the more discrete (but vital) points!

My opinion, for what it is worth: save your pennies and go flying!

[Whopity]

Unfortunately most instructors are not too keen to give ground instruction, possibly because they seldom get paid for it! There is a shortage of enthusiastic ground instructors at PPL level and the AOPA ground instructor certificate is a good way to train non flight instructors to teach the theoretical subjects.

No qualification is needed to teach PPL groundschool but, you need to gain the knowledge somewhere and the AOPA course is conducted by the same FIC instructors who teach flight instructors. The time spent on such a course can subsequently be counted towards a Flight Instructor rating.

[windriver]

The AOPA Ground Instructor Cert was the single best investment I ever made. I signed up for it when it was first introduced... but it's still the same idea.

It's nothing to do with flight briefings... I made far more £ per hour as a PPL Ground Instructor than I ever did as a QFI...

It's an extremely enjoyable course and you will be well rewarded.

Go for it...

[hpcock]

Having been a Ground Instructor at PPL through to ATPL level, I have to say that I think it's been one of the most rewarding aspects of my aviation career so far.

Ok, so you don't clock up those hours as quickly as FI's - which tends to be the argument from other sides, but it didn't stop me from getting a really good job on a great a/c, with a full service carrier. Infact, it really paid dividends when it came to technical interviews & written tests. One company offered me the position purely on the strength of my previous teaching experiences, & from where I had been teaching.

Personally, most of my work was at ATPL level & we had to be asessed by the CAA in order to be compliant with JAA standards, & therefore I am not too sure about the AOPA cert. However, I would still think its a good investment in the long run, if not for the CV alone.

Good luck
HPC

[smithgd]

So do you need a JAA FI rating to be able to teach CPL/ATPL ground school? Or is it some other JAA recognised course?

[hpcock]

So do you need a JAA FI rating to be able to teach CPL/ATPL ground school? Or is it some other JAA recognised course?

No you don't.

What you will go through is a period of approx 6 months conducting shadow lectures & a series of your own classes. These will be disected in detail to highlight areas that need to be adressed in order to meet CAA standards.

Usually a senior bod from licensing will come to your school to appraise you on the day. He will already have a copy of your CV, which would have been sent along with a whole host of other forms prior to appraisal. A set of Standard Instructor Reports about you over the last 6 months will be handed to him for perusal. Finally he will give you a small brief, & then it's into any lecture that you are scheduled for on that particular day.

In my case it was an exam de-brief that lasted approx 2hrs with a small break in between. He will sit at the back of the room, along with a senior member of staff, & will not be affraid to ask qu's relating to the exam.

Once everything is done - debrief, coffee & whether you are up to scratch or not & a load of paperwork to fill out & sign.

During my 3yrs as a Ground Inst. I never bothered to get an FI rating - Primarily because I didn't have the time - G.Instructing keeps you mega busy.

Sorry to go on, but hope this helps
HPC

[BroomstickPilot]

Hi Guys,

I am aware that On-Track Aviation run courses for the AOPA Ground Instructor Course, but does anybody please know if there are any more establishments offering this course?

On-Track is the only one I know of that actually advertises it.

Broomstick.

[cheeky10]

Hello Broomstick
Contact AOPA themselves and they will provide a list of schools that run the course:)
cheeky10

[BroomstickPilot]

Hi Cheeky10,

I wrote to AOPA a year ago. They merely sent me a list of their corporate members and told me this was the list of places where I would find the course.

I approached two of these organisations and asked for details of their ground instructor course. The response I got was one of;

"Ground instructor course! What ground instructor course?"

I said "the AOPA ground instructor course; they told me you ran one". The response was just shrugged shoulders and something like; "first I've heard of it."

Yesterday, I spoke again to the proprietor of one of these establishments. I had to offer to provide details of the course syllabus myself because this establishment didn't even possess a copy (they cost £35).

Best regards,

Broomstick.

[chrisbl]

Does not surprise me, but do come back here and let us know how you got on.

[cheeky10]

Hi Broomstick

I spoke to AOPA at the end of January and they sent me a list of training organisations that are running the course, I haven't followed any of them up yet, so I cannot comment on their response!
They sent me details via e-mail including an enrolment form which has to be completed and returned. You may have to sit a pre-entry examination but depending on your qualification you may be exempt from this.
Included in your £35 enrolment fee will be a guide to the AOPA G/I course and a syllabus of instruction (is this so your teacher knows what he is supposed to be teaching you!) Once your money is firmly in the hands of the fat controller and been used to buy sweets and baby cakes you receive your package!!!

[BroomstickPilot]

Chrisbl,

I'll certainly report back if I do indeed pursue this course to a conclusion.

cheeky10,

I have aleady gone through the process you describe, got the AOPA bumper fun pack and have been exempted from the entrance exam.

So far as I can discover, On Track Aviation is the only outfit actually offering this course and even they do so only when approached with a request for it.

Don't be fooled by that list AOPA gives you of establishments allegedly providing the course. What you will find is that it is just a print off of all their corporate members. Almost all of the establishments will be surprised to learn that their name has been given out in this connection. The only ones that won't be surprised will be the ones I have already approached!

Good luck,

Broomstick

[Capt Pit Bull]

PM your way Broomstick.

pb

[smithgd]

That makes sense from what I have read, I understood that any corporate member of AOPA could teach the course. However I am only aware of one that advertises it !

I have yet to ask my local club if they could do the course, or indeed if they would find it useful if I then offered them my services! They run FI courses so I guess the AOPA course would be a sub set of the FI ground school?

smithgd