How do I do ground school?

"Ground school" is everything you learn out of the airplane — regulations, weather, aerodynamics, navigation, performance. It culminates in the FAA written (knowledge) exam, which you must pass before your checkride.

Your three options

• •Online self-paced courses — the most popular route today. Sporty's, King Schools, Pilot Institute, Gold Seal and friends run $200–$300, include practice exams, and issue the written-test endorsement when you finish (see our Resources page).
• •In-person classes — community colleges and some flight schools run evening courses over several weeks. Great if you want structure and classmates.
• •One-on-one with your CFI — flexible and personalized; usually billed at their ground rate, so it's the priciest per hour but tailored exactly to you. Many students mix this with an online course.

How it flows into the written exam

• •Finish the course (or get your CFI's sign-off) → you receive the endorsement to take the FAA written.
• •Book the test at a PSI testing center (faa.psiexams.com) — about $175.
• •Score 70% or better to pass. Your result is valid for 24 calendar months, so time it to land inside the window before your checkride.

When to do it

Start early and run it alongside your flying — what you study shows up in the cockpit the same week. Most students aim to knock out the written around the time they start cross-country training, so it's done and not looming over checkride prep.