Ground School Pilot Briefings

[Evan Reiter]

Ground School is a 10-week long program that will run every second Sunday from 7pm ET beginning on July 6 and will run for 10 sessions (there is no session scheduled on July 20 as we have a Pilot Meeting that night). The program is designed to help pilots of all skill levels share their knowledge and experience.

 

Sessions will be held in the Member TeamSpeak. Connection information is posted on the Server Information page.

 

Each session will focus on a specific component of flying within the ATC system; the course outline is listed below (subject to change).

 

At the end of each session, ATC will be staffed beginning at 8pm ET in order to allow pilots the opportunity to practice the items discussed.

 

The ground school is entirely optional and drop-in. Join for as many or as few sessions as you wish. Voice recordings from each session will be available online.

 

Ground School – Curriculum (subject to change):

1. [*]July 6: Flight Planning: Overview

[*]August 3: Radio Communications

[*]August 17: Weather

[*]August 31: End-to-End Flight Planning

[*]September 14: VFR Departure and Arrival Procedures

[*]September 28: IFR Clearances

[*]October 19: IFR and Visual Holding Patterns

[*]October 26: Approach Plates – Part 1

[*]November 23: Approach Plates – Part 2

[*]December 7: RNAV (Area Navigation): Departures, Arrivals, and Approaches

[Guest Danny Rice]

Great idea. I assume you will use TeamSpeak for the classes? This should be fun and a good refresher as well.

 

Thanks for doing this.

 

Regards,

 

RCFlyer - Danny

[Larry Coleman]

This looks like an interesting set of topics for ground school. The various types of training provided at BVA for pilots and controllers is simply amazing. I will look forward to taking part in as many of these sessions as I can. I echo Danny's sentiments as well--my thanks to the BVA staff for putting together another outstanding learning opportunity for members! :)

 

Larry

[Zac Ploch]

I assume you will use TeamSpeak for the classes?

 

Yes. You can find the TeamSpeak connection info on our Server Information page.

[Evan Reiter]

Thank you to those attending tonight's Ground School (covering Flight Planning). If you wish to access an audio recording of the session, please click the following URL: http://bostonvirtualatc.com/portals/0/Pilot%20Meetings/Recordings/GroundSchoolJuly6FlightPlanning.mp3. A big thanks to BVA member Jonathan (of the same BVA Username) who helped facilitate tonight's session.

 

In addition, please find links below to some of the resources that were discussed during the session:

• Flight Planning page: http://www.bostonvirtualatc.com/AllMemb ... nning.aspx
  
• SkyVector: http://skyvector.com/
  
• SimRoutes: http://www.simroutes.com/fb2/ParseRoute.aspx
  
• NFDC Preferred Routes Database: http://www.fly.faa.gov/rmt/nfdc_preferr ... tabase.jsp
  
• FlightAware Routes Search: http://flightaware.com/live/findflight

We look forward to seeing you on August 3 for a discussion on Radio Communications! Please reach out to me if you are interested in helping to lead that session.

[Evan Reiter]

Reminder: our next "Ground School" session takes place from 7-7:30pm ET tomorrow, on radio communications. The session will feature some information about radio work and several interactive examples that we will walk through together. After the session, ATC will be available on NY_A and ZBW.

[Evan Reiter]

Thank you to those attending last night's Ground School on Radio Communications. If you wish to access an audio recording of the session, please click the following URL: http://bostonvirtualatc.com/portals/0/Pilot%20Meetings/Recordings/GroundSchoolAugust3RadioCommunications.mp3. Additionally, please find the presentation we walked through during the session attached.

 

Thank you to Riley ('RShannon') who facilitated tonight's session and put together the attached materials.

 

For more information about Radio Communications, including transcripts and audio recordings, please view our Radio Communications page.

 

The next session takes place at 7pm ET on Sunday, August 17.

[Andrew Cofone]

Any chance of doing an aircraft specific ground school? Planning flights is heavily dependent on what you are flying. In fact IFR approach plates categorize minimums based on the type of aircraft. Also approaches departures, and all aspects of flight vary on the type of aircraft ie complex, multi engine, jet v prop, etc. I'm sure vx and vy climbs were discussed in ground school but what are they for say a c172 or a piper Seminole or a BN-2 islander? What about best glide speed should you lose your engine or if your plane has 2 engines and you lose one?

 

What I am trying to say is that a general overview of ground school is good but let's take it to the next level, to the BVA level, and add aircraft specific lessons. I would be happy to assist. My signature has the list of aircraft in my hanger

[Evan Reiter]

Please click here to listen to tonight's Ground School seminar on Weather. The materials from the session are attached.

 

Our next Ground School session, which discusses end-to-end flight planning, takes place on August 31 at 7pm ET.

[Evan Reiter]

Please click here to access the recording from our Flight Planning Ground School seminar. The materials from the session are attached.

 

Our next session takes place on September 14 at 7pm ET, and will feature VFR arrival and departure procedures at controlled and uncontrolled airports.

[Evan Reiter]

Please click here to access the recording from tonight's VFR Departure and Arrival Procedures Ground School session. The recording includes some good dialogue between the members present regarding different procedures for arriving at untowered airports. The materials are also attached.

 

Our next session takes place two weeks from tonight at 7pm ET.

[Evan Reiter]

The audio recording of our session on IFR Departures and Clearances can be accessed on our website. The materials presented during the session are also attached.

 

Our next session will discuss IFR and Visual Holding Patterns two weeks from today.

[Guest Lucas Kaelin]

So I stumbled across a few useful references for those who are interested in getting, or currently working on their private license.

 

Free Online Ground School

Practice Tests - Private Pilot

[Evan Reiter]

We've just posted audio from tonight's Holds Ground School session online. Additionally, I'm attaching the .pdf copy of materials from the session below. Unfortunately they don't include the animations that were used during the session, so the "answers" to each of the "Determine the Entry" slides are immediately visible.

 

In addition to the materials posted here, we have a recording of the live presentation available on YouTube:

 

[youtube:1qtqsey5]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eHEbeJvl7o[/youtube:1qtqsey5]

[Lantz Wagner]

I'm getting into the ground school a little late. Is there a location on the website where I can find all the recordings and handouts?

[Gilles Lagace]

You can find many previous voice recordings, a click away, in this thread above. There are also attachments linking to wonderful PDF presentations. Enjoy!

[Evan Reiter]

The materials from Part 1 of the Instrument Approach Procedures Ground School are attached.

 

Additionally, videos are available from both sessions.

 

Part 1:

[youtube:3tp9p64o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38dfmHJhYHM[/youtube:3tp9p64o]

 

Part 2:

[youtube:3tp9p64o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qtniC_X7LQ[/youtube:3tp9p64o]

[Evan Reiter]

The "Approach Plates - Part 2" and "RNAV Procedures" Ground School session dates have been modified for the Caribbean Getaway Fly Back. Each session has been moved back two weeks, with the new dates as follows:

November 23: Approach Plates – Part 2

December 7: RNAV (Area Navigation): Departures, Arrivals, and Approaches

 

These new dates are reflected in the schedule above.

[Riley Shannon]

We've just posted the .PDF copy of materials from today's Ground School Session. Due to the limitations of the .pdf, the animations are not visible and a few slides have been omitted.

 

EDIT: A recording of the presentation is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAqdbcYOHxg.

 

[youtube:2cf45m86]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAqdbcYOHxg[/youtube:2cf45m86]

[Evan Reiter]

This thread has just been updated with the four videos that were posted during the latter portion of Ground School. You can find all four on our YouTube channel.

 

With our first-ever Ground School now "in the books", we're looking forward to continuing the discussions near year. Keep an eye out for more information near the beginning of 2015.