Ground School training consists of two complementary streams for Cadets who are interested in pursuing a pilots license. The two streams are:
SQUADRON ONLINE GROUND SCHOOL
The Squadron Ground School course is available to all cadets in any level wishing to pursue the Glider Pilot Scholarship (GPS) and the Power Pilot Scholarship (PPS) courses. It is highly recommended that any cadet interested in pursuing the flying scholarships should participate actively in ground school every year of their cadet career, up to and including the year in which they prepare for the entrance exam.
The ground school runs from October to December, however only those who meet the requirements, and are selected, will be eligible to write the entrance exam in January. Generally offered online through TEAMS on Wednesdays from 18:00 to 21:00 but check the Squadron Website Announcements and Calendar for information on changes to dates and times.
Ground School consists of many different subjects that include meteorology, navigation, theory of flight, propulsion, and a lot more.
Instructors for the Squadron Ground School are qualified pilots and are supervised by the Squadron Training Officer.
Times and Dates The Squadron Ground generally occurs on Wednesdays between 18:00 and 21:00. Changes to these timings are found on the Squadron Website Calendar and Announcements.
Location of the Squadron Ground School is online at this TEAMS link.
Required Materials You will need to follow the course using a textbook titled “From the Ground UP (FTGU)”, either the 29th or 30th edition. The book can be found on Amazon Here
The Squadron has a few copies of the FTGU that we can lend out to cadets on a first come, first serve basis. If you are interested in borrowing a Squadron FTGU book for the course, please contact the Assistant Training Officer on MS Teams.
NATIONAL ONLINE GROUND SCHOOL
The National Online Ground School is required for any cadet meeting the requirements to apply for Glider Pilot or Power Pilot Scholarship for the summer after the current training year. This course and its successful completion is mandatory for all flying scholarship applicants.
Registration deadline via TEAMS is October 30.
Location, dates, times and instructor information are made available to cadets after they have registered for the course. For further information please email Lt. Lebrun.
Requirements to apply for the Glider Pilot Scholarship and Power Pilot Scholarships
Glider
- Must not hold any TC pilot license
- Must turn 16 by the 1st of September of the year you would be in scholarship training
- Be physically fit
- Be certified medically fit (Category 3) by a Canadian Civil Aviation Medical Examiner
- Have completed Level Three training by 30 June and grade 9 by the application deadline
- Must obtain a minimum passing score of 50% on the qualifying exam
Certain height and weight restrictions are made necessary by the gliders used:
- Height: minimum 5’0”/152.4 cm, maximum 6’3”/190.5 cm;
- Weight: minimum 90 lbs/40.82 kg maximum 200 lbs/90.72 kg.
Power
- Must be 17 by the 1st of September of the year you would be in scholarship training
- Be physically fit
- Be certified medically fit (Cat 3) by a Canadian Civil Aviation Medical Examiner
- Have completed Level Four training by 30 June and grade 10 by the application deadline
- and must obtain a minimum passing score of 50% on the qualifying exam.
Certain physical limitations are made necessary by the aircraft used:
- Weight maximum of 245 lbs/111.13 kg.