The digital era is very much in full swing, and has been for a while. Some things like smart phones have really taken off and been widely accepted by society. Online ground school however, seems off to a slow start, especially in Canada. While there are more and more online ground schools popping up throughout the country not all are created equal. This can turn some people off as they weigh the pros and cons of completing their Private Pilot or Commercial Pilot ground school remotely. Let’s explore 3 great reasons you should consider choosing an online ground school.
Modern Day Ground School
1 - Online ground school is green
What is one of the hottest social topics we see today? Climate Change. I think we can all agree that aviation has room for improvement on this one. In order to move the needle we all need to do what we can even if it’s seemingly insignificant. Not everyone lives in close proximity to their local flight school. One of my students lived an hour away and would drive to the airport twice a week for evening ground school in addition to her regularly scheduled flights. She was also driving a large SUV and gas prices at the time were quite high. 4 hours of driving a week just for ground school. This most certainly has an impact on the environment but also on the pocket book.. More on this later. If 5 people in a similar situation took their vehicle off of the road and took ground school online; that equates to 20 hours of driving and 20 hours of emissions that are not getting expelled into the atmosphere. Now factor in the environmental impact of paper resources such as quizzes and tests that are administered in class. Each of these little acts can all add up to make a sustainable impact on the environment and the world we live in.
2 - More economical
If you have already done your homework and looked at prices of various online ground schools in your area, or in Canada, you will notice that the prices vary quite a bit. Some are significantly more expensive than traditional ground school, while others are right in line, and some even cheaper. While this article is not focused on the reasons not to cheap out on your ground school it is important to say don’t just choose one because it’s cheap; Look for quality and value.
Tying into our going green example, imagine that student driving 4 hours a week to and from the flight school. Assuming the cost to drive each day is $30. Each week will cost you $60. A typical in-class ground school will run about 10 weeks. By the end of this you will have spent $600 in fuel alone! I can almost guarantee that this is almost as much as paying for 2 online ground schools. Let’s take this a step further. If each dual training flight costs $200 an hour, by taking ground school remotely you have just earned yourself 3 extra training flights!
3 - Flexibility
A major factor in many people not pursuing their private pilot licence is simply other commitments. Family, work and education are all major obstacles that prevent someone from making the time investment required to become a private pilot. Who can spare 6 hours a week in the evening, or on a weekend to sit in ground school? What if there was a way to learn at your convenience without sacrificing quality? Now there is!
With advancements in technology, and training providers working hard to provide quality engaging online ground schools, there’s a new option for you. Being able to take advantage of learning on your schedule does not have to mean sacrificing the quality of your education. Many online ground school platforms include discussion boards, online seminars, access to instructors and an abundance of resources available to assist you.
You know what I consider to be one of the most advantageous benefits when it comes to flexibility? Being able to review the course material as many times as you wish. By giving yourself the ability to review the course material rather than just the notes you took, you can spend more time focused on learning rather than simply writing notes.
Breaking the Mold
Wow, it’s pretty easy to see that there are some significant benefits to online ground school. Flight training is an expensive and time consuming endeavor. It is therefore important to find value everywhere you can. It is equally important to ensure that the program works for you. By saving money, maximizing the use of your time, and helping the environment you are taking the traditional mold of training and bending it to fit you and your lifestyle. If you are going to invest the time and money into learning to fly don’t you want to set yourself up for success?
Level Flight offers a variety of aviation e-learning courses from ground school to virtual flight training. Check out our courses to learn more!
FAQ's
This depends on what your goals are. If you are looking to fly recreationally then you need to decide if you can strike the right balance to ensure you don’t spend money for something you will not finish. If you are looking to fly as a career you need to decide what your priorities are. The quicker you can complete your training the quicker you can start earning those hard fought dollars back. If you just want to dip your toe in the water why not sign up for ground school and see if you like it. Even paying for a full ground school is cheaper than taking several flights.
You can choose to do your flight training at any flight school you wish. By doing this you only have to drive to the airport for your flight lessons. Take advantage of Level Flight’s virtual flight deck and you can “hangar fly” from home too!
This is a great question, I wouldn’t want to do that either. Taking some time to research and find a ground school that offers more than just a read the slide experience is important. Look for one that uses videos, audio presentations, graphics, and interactive digital training methods to deliver their content.
Take Flight Now
Level Flight is Canada’s best online ground school. It is our mandate to provide higher quality, more engaging training for Canadian Student Pilots. If you are seeking the exhilarating freedom of flight for a hobby or with aspirations of a career in the skies, Level Flight offers the best ground school experience available. Sign up for our online learning platform now and discover the adventure that awaits you at Level Flight.
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