Course Description
Provides students with foundational knowledge of aviation. Includes aircraft components, basic aerodynamics, airports, air traffic control, airspace, regulations, performance, weight and balance, aeronautical factors, aviation weather, and air navigation.
Course Objectives
- Identify aviation career opportunities
- Identify the parts of an airplane
- Explore the operating principles of aircraft powerplants, systems, and flight instruments
- Describe basic aerodynamics
- Summarize safety of flight issues, airports, aeronautical charts and airspace
- Discuss Air Traffic Control services, radio procedures, and sources of flight information
- Recall basic weather theory, weather patterns, and weather hazards
- Read and interpret printed aviation weather reports and forecasts, graphic weather products, and other sources of weather information
- Explain the factors affecting aircraft performance and weight and balance
- Discuss aviation navigation, VOR navigation, ADF navigation and advanced navigation systems
- Summarize aviation physiology and aeronautical decision-making
Week 1
Topic: Explore the Classroom and Get Acquainted
Lecture: Introduction Video
Lecture: Flying Structure of the Aircraft
Outcomes
- Discuss the Wright Brothers' contribution to aviation
- Identify the Acts that created the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Identify the different structures of an aircraft
Week 2
Topic: Flight and Aerodynamics
Lecture: Principles of Flight Aerodynamics
Outcomes
- Describe the basic makeup of the atmosphere
- Discuss the theories in the production of lift
- Describe the forces acting on an aircraft in flight
- Define the axes of an aircraft
Week 3
Topic: Flight Controls and Aircraft Systems
Lecture: Controls and Systems
Outcomes
- Name the primary and secondary flight controls of an airplane
- Identify the different aircraft systems and their components
Week 4
Topic: Flight Instruments, Manuals, and Other Documents
Lecture: Instruments, Manuals, and Documents
Outcomes
- Identify the pitot-static and gyroscopic instruments and the information they provide
- Describe the magnetic compass
- Identify the various documents that are required in an aircraft
Week 5
Topic: Aircraft Performance
Lecture: Weight and Balance
Outcomes
- Explain the concept of weight and balance
- Describe the effects of balance and stability on center of gravity
- Identify pressure and density altitude
Week 6
Topic: Weather Theory and Aviation Weather Services
Lecture: Weather Theory and Services
Outcomes
- Describe the makeup of the atmosphere
- Define atmospheric stability
- Identify the sources of aviation weather services
Week 7
Topic: Airport Operations, Sources of Information, and Airspaces
Lecture: Operations and Airspace
Outcomes
- Identify the different kinds of airports
- Identify the different types of airport lighting
- Classify the different classes of airspace
Week 8
Topic: Navigation, Aeromedical Factors, and Aeronautical Decision Making
Lecture: Navigation, Aeromedical Factors, and Decision Making
Outcomes
- Describe the different navigation techniques
- Identify the health and physiological factors affecting pilot performance
- Explain the decision-making process
The course description, objectives and learning outcomes are subject to change without notice based on enhancements made to the course. April 2015
