Ground School Courses

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Excellence Through Education

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At Infinite Aviation, our theoretical knowledge courses align with the provisions and requirements of the SACAA Licensing regulations. We offer ground school courses for all license levels including PPL, CPL and ATPL, in addition to the Night Rating, Instrument Rating and Instructor Rating theoretical preparation.

Whether you prefer in person classes, live online sessions, or remedial study support, each course is structured to equip you with the knowledge, confidence, and decision making skills needed for success in the air.

Our Services

Professional Ground School for Safer Skies

Classes are held in person at one of our partner ATO venues

Study at your own pace with our comprehensive course materials.

Interactive virtual classroom training with an instructor on Zoom

Ground School Courses

Comprehensive theory. Expert Instruction.

Private Pilot License (PPL) Ground School

In Person classroom: 09:00-13:00

Live, Online Classroom: 13:00-17:00

Our PPL ground schools are designed to prepare student pilots for the 8 theoretical exams required by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). The course focuses on developing a strong theoretical foundation for confident command and safe decision making in the air.

There are 8 theoretical examinations required for the Private Pilot License:

Principles of Flight
Air Law
Meteorology
Human Performance
Engines and Airframes (ATG)
Flight Planning
Navigation
Restricted Radio Theory

These subjects form the foundation of a pilot’s knowledge and cover everything from how an aircraft flies, how weather affects flight, to navigation, aircraft systems, and aviation regulations. Understanding these areas thoroughly helps ensure that student pilots are well prepared for both their exams and their practical flight training.

Students have 18 months from the date the first exam is passed to complete all PPL theory exams, and 36 months from the date the last exam is passed to complete the license. To write any SACAA exam, a student must hold a Student Pilot License (SPL).

Most flight schools require a minimum of three theory exams to be passed before a student is released for their first solo flight. Typically, this includes subjects such as Principles of Flight, Air Law, Meteorology, Engines and Airframes (ATG), or Human Performance.

Our ground school courses run throughout the year in cycles, allowing students to join when it suits their schedule. The classes are structured to work alongside your flight training so that the theory you learn in the classroom connects directly with what you experience in the aircraft.

Infinite Aviation also offer helicopter ground school. Fixed and rotor wing students may be accommodated in the same classroom for subjects with an identical syllabus as referenced in the SACAA Technical Standards. Should differences exist, these will be covered in the class. For Flight Planning and Principles of Flight the course, is trained as a stand-alone rotor wing class due to the vast differences in the course content.

Commercial Pilot License (CPL) Ground School

In Person classroom: 13:00-17:00
Live, Online Classroom: 18:00-22:00

Commercial exams shift the focus from learning the basics of flying to understanding the professional knowledge required for commercial operations. Topics such as aircraft performance, advanced navigation, aviation regulations, and aircraft systems are explored in significantly greater detail to prepare pilots for a professional flying career. Our CPL ground schools build on the foundational knowledge and prepare the pilot for the 8 theoretical examinations required for the Commercial Pilot License by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).

There are 8 theoretical examinations required for the Commercial Pilot License:

Principles of Flight and Aircraft Technical and General (written as one exam)
Air Law and Aviation Operations
Human Performance
Meteorology
Flight Planning and Performance
Navigation and Plotting
Radio Aids
Instruments and Electronics

Students have 18 months from the date the first exam is passed to complete all CPL theory exams, and 36 months from the date the final exam is passed to complete the license. In order to write CPL exams, the applicant must already hold a full Private Pilot License (PPL).

Our CPL ground school courses run throughout the year and are structured to support pilots who are continuing their flight training while preparing for their exams. Many students choose to combine subjects strategically depending on their workload and flying schedule.

Infinite Aviation also offer helicopter ground school. Fixed and rotor wing students may be accommodated in the same classroom for subjects with an identical syllabus as referenced in the SACAA Technical Standards. Should differences exist, these will be covered in the class. For Flight Planning and Principles of Flight the course is trained as a stand-alone rotor wing class due to the vast differences in the course content.

Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL)Ground School

Live, Online Classroom: 18:00-22:00

ATPL is the highest license level attained in aviation. Our ground school prepares professional pilots for the 6 theoretical examinations required for the Airline Transport Pilot License by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) while exploring larger aircraft systems and real world applications. These subjects build directly on the CPL syllabus, but more advanced and include more complex concepts in a global context.

Most of the material is familiar to CPL graduates, with approximately 5 to 10 percent new theoretical content, focusing on high speed flight, advanced navigation systems, and modern airline instrumentation. Our ATPL courses are designed for working pilots who are continuing to build experience while studying. We offer full courses that revise the CPL foundations and introduce the ATPL material, as well as bridging courses that focus only on the new ATPL elements for pilots who have demonstrated satisfactory CPL theoretical knowledge.

Students have 18 months from the date the first exam is passed to complete all ATPL theory exams, and 36 months from the date the final exam is passed to complete the license. To write ATPL exams, the applicant must already hold a full Commercial Pilot License (CPL). A frozen ATPL remains valid provided the license holder maintains license and rating competency.

There are 6 theoretical examinations required for the Airline Transport Pilot License:

Principles of Flight and Aircraft Technical and General (combined into one exam)
Meteorology
Flight Planning and Performance
Navigation
Radio Aids
Instruments and Electronics

Helicopter (Rotor Wing) Ground School:

Infinite Aviation also offers ground school to the rotor winged market. Fixed and rotor wing students may be accommodated in the same classroom for subjects with an identical syllabus as referenced in the SACAA Technical Standards. Should differences exist, these will be covered in the class. For Flight Planning and Principles of Flight the course is trained as a stand-alone rotor wing class due to the vast differences in the course content.

In some subjects, however, there are important differences between aeroplanes and helicopters.

In Flight Planning, students learn together for the theory portion of the course, but when it comes to the graph work and performance calculations, the class is split, as helicopters and fixed wing aircraft use different graphs. The instructor will arrange these sessions so that each group receives the correct training.

Principles of Flight is the only subject that is taught completely separately. This is because the way aeroplanes and helicopters generate lift and fly is fundamentally different. Course schedules clearly indicate which class applies to each group so that students attend the correct sessions for their aircraft type.