FAA Ground Instructor study guide
FAA Ground Instructor · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The FAA Ground Instructor certificate is an airman certificate that allows the holder to provide ground training to applicants for pilot certificates and ratings. Three ratings exist - Basic, Advanced, and Instrument - and each differs in the scope of ground instruction it authorizes, so candidates should confirm current privileges and eligibility in the regulations before applying. The FAA Ground Instructor study guide has 8 sections and about 2,517 words.
01Regulations and Publications
The Regulations domain is not about memorizing 14 CFR line by line; it is about knowing which document answers which question. Part 61 governs pilot certification and privileges, Part 91 governs operating rules, Part 43 governs maintenance, Part 39 issues Airworthiness Directives, and NTSB Part 830 defines accidents and incidents.
320 words, about 2 min02Airspace and Air Traffic Control Procedures
For every airspace question ask: what communication is required, what equipment is required, and what weather minimums apply? Class A is IFR only.
365 words, about 2 min03Aerodynamics and Aircraft Performance
Lift = one-half rho V-squared S C-L, so lift varies with air density, airspeed squared, wing area, and angle of attack. The wing always stalls at the same critical angle of attack regardless of weight, airspeed, or attitude; weight changes the speed at which that angle is reached.
344 words, about 2 min04Weather and Weather Services
The standard atmosphere at sea level is 15 C and 29.92 in Hg, with a lapse rate near 2 C per 1,000 ft. Air that cools faster than standard with height is unstable and supports cumuliform clouds, turbulence, and gusty surface winds.
300 words, about 2 min05Navigation and Flight Planning
Pilotage uses ground references, dead reckoning uses heading, time, and wind, and radio navigation adds VOR, GPS, and WAAS. A VOR radial is a line extending FROM the station, so the CDI centers with a TO/FROM flag that tells you which side you are on.
291 words, about 1 min06Weight and Balance
Weight and balance is moment arithmetic: moment equals weight times arm, and center of gravity equals total moment divided by total weight. The datum is a reference plane with no physical meaning, and arms forward of it are negative.
308 words, about 2 min07Flight Operations, Safety, and Aeronautical Knowledge
91.103 requires the PIC to become familiar with all available information before flight: weather, fuel, alternatives, runway lengths, and takeoff and landing performance. Performance changes quickly with density altitude, wind, slope, and runway contamination, so use the POH charts conservatively and add margins.
289 words, about 1 min08Instructional Techniques and Teaching Methods
Learning is purposeful, results from experience, is multifaceted, and is an active process. In the cognitive domain, learners move from rote to understanding to application to correlation; a student who can only recite a VFR minimum has not learned it.
300 words, about 2 min