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Sport Pilot Online Ground School
Part Time Pilot is the Best Sport Pilot Online Ground School in America according to student pilot reviews
Part Time Pilot helps future Sport Pilots save time & money by catering to the modern day student pilot with easy to understand content that can be learned where ever and when ever on any device.
Bridging the gap between 1-on-1 personal instruction & online ground school
1-on1 Instruction:
Pros: An expert at your fingertips to instantly answer your questions & show you how to understand a concept.
Cons: It costs at least $50 per hour.
Online Ground School:
Pros: The affordable price and the ability to learn where ever and when ever you want.
Cons: Trouble getting your questions answered.
Over the years student pilots had to choose between one or the other.
Getting an online ground school but having to search through books and online for answers to their questions.
Getting 1-on-1 instruction but having to drive to the airport only to stay in the hangar and spend $1000s on ground study.
But now, Part Time Pilot is giving student pilots the best of both worlds.
Study where you want, when you want, get ALL your questions answered instantly and only pay a small, one-time fee for lifetime access.
Part Time Pilot does this by providing the following features:
- Full Ground School & Written Test Prep (covers entire Practical Test Standards (PTS))
- Written, Video & Audio lessons for all learning styles
- In-depth and plain English explanations
- Visual aids & step-by-step examples
- FAA Written exam endorsement
- Complete on your own schedule
- Lifetime access
- 100% mobile friendly on all devices
- 100% money-back guarantee if you don’t pass
- Quizzes on every lesson
- FAA Written Practice Tests & custom Practice Test report from CFI
- Downloadable & Digital Flash Cards with over 1000 FAA ?s
- Online Study Groups
- Live Lessons & Live Q&As for members
- Trained AI Instructor chat on every lesson
- ATC Communications Voice-to-Voice practice simulator
- 7 Day a week support
- BONUS Cross-Country Planning guide, checklist, nav-log & eBook
- BONUS How to Become a Pilot & Save Money course
- BONUS 5 Step Study Hack course
- BONUS kneeboard downloads
- Recordings of all live lessons
- Mobile App with Practice Test Generator, E6B & soon to come offline lessons!
- Eligible to apply for our 4 yearly $1000 scholarships
- 33% Military & Veteran Discount (click here to request discount)
Why do student pilots like Part Time Pilot?
It could be because our students pass their exams 99.9% of the time. Or maybe it’s how we show up for our customers 24/7. Hear from the students themselves what is working for them:
“I am currently working toward my pilot license. I have used Kings, Sportys and now Part Time Pilot. I find part time pilot the most comprehensive and easily understandable ground school so far. I recommend PTP if you are just starting out.”
-Kyle S
Part Time Pilot Student
“Part Time Pilot has been and continues to be the best choice I have ever made! Coming from zero knowledge in aircraft or what it takes to become a pilot the podcasts, app, course lessons, and bonus material have paved a way for me to understand what it takes to become a pilot.”
-Ryan F
Part Time Pilot Student
“I researched quite a few online ground schools before committing to PTP. I chose PTP because Nick truly cares about his students & wants them to succeed. I appreciate the lifetime access to everything without needing to worry about subscription… From the live lessons, to the Facebook study group, to the podcasts, to the student portal chock-full of videos and quizzes… there are just SO many ways to learn through PTP!”
-Tracy S
Part Time Pilot Student
“Part Time Pilot is a hidden gem in the world of Online Ground Schools. The lessons are easily digestible and the quizzes at the end are really helpful as well. There are a ton of free resources included that are unique to the Part Time Pilot school, not just free downloads you can get from the FAA anyways.”
-Kyle B
Part Time Pilot Student
“From 9 to 90! I had no prior experience with aviation. I took a practice test before starting part time pilot and got a 9%. I now have been getting high 80s and 90s on the tests… Nick walked me gently through the program. He kept in constant contact as I felt defeated and lifted me up and celebrated when I began mastering the material.”
-Jason K
Part Time Pilot Student
“Amazing customer service and knowledge lessons. I had a little trouble with enrolling in the course. Nick responded to my email in like five seconds and helped me fix it. I’ve been listening to the audio lessons and am learning a lot. There’s so many ways to study in this course I recommend this for anyone looking for a ground school.”
-Chris O
Part Time Pilot Student
What subjects are covered in the course?
Part Time Pilot covers all required subjects in the FAA Sport Pilot Practical Test Standards but organizes them for ultimate retention of the material.
See below for our Sport Pilot Online Ground School syllabus:
Operation of Aircraft Systems
- Aircraft Overview
- Flight Controls
- Aircraft Lights
- Cockpit Instruments
- Electrical System
- Vacuum System
- Pitot-Static System
- Magnetic Compass
- Transponders
- GPS
- Fuel & Oil System
- Aircraft Engine
- Carburetor Heat
- Propeller
- Antennas
- ELT
- Landing Gear
Sport Pilot Certifications, Qualifications & Limitations
- Categories, Classes & Types of Aircraft
- Certificates
- Pilot in Command
- Alcohol & Drugs
- Incidents, Accidents and Emergencies
- FAA Advisory Circulars
- Other Airmen Ratings
- Formation Flight
- Dropping Objects
- Sport Pilot Limitations
Aircraft Airworthiness Requirements
- Required Documentation
- Required Inspections
- Required Equipment
- Inoperable Equipment
- Airworthiness Directives (ADs)
Weather Theory, Charts & Information
- Air Masses & Weather Systems
- Thunderstorms
- Wind Shear
- Temperature Inversions
- Fog
- Frost & Ice
- Dew Point
- Clouds
- Weather, Altitudes & Altimeter Settings
- Estimating Numbers on Charts
- Interpolating
- METARs & TAFs
- PIREPs
- Trusted Weather Sources
- Winds & Temperatures Aloft
- Significant & Wide Area Weather Charts
- Radar Weather Observations
- AIRMETs & SIGMETs
- Weather Briefings
National Airspace System
- VFR, IFR and Special VFR
- Class A
- Class B
- Class C
- Class D
- Class E
- Class G
- Primary & Satellite Airports
- Special Use Airspace
- Airspace Review
- Transponder Requirements
Fundamentals of Aerodynamics
- Forces of Flight
- Lift
- Stalls
- Spins
- Weight
- Thrust (Power)
- Drag
- Wake Turbulence & Ground Effect
- Left Turning Tendency
- Adverse Yaw
- Density Altitude
- Aircraft Speeds
More Regulations
- Seatbelts & Harnesses
- Right of Way
- Minimum Safe Altitudes
- ATC Clearance & Compliance
- Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
- Fuel Requirements
- Hemispherical Rule
- Aircraft Maintenance
Human Factors
- High Altitude Oxygen & Hypoxia
- Hyperventilation
- Ear and Sinus Concerns
- Motion Sickness
- Spatial Disorientation & Illusions
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Scuba Diving
- Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM) & Hazardous Attitudes
- Self-Assessments
Weight & Balance
- Weight & Balance Theory
- Procedure for Weight & Balance
- Weight & Balance Examples
Cross-Country Planning
- Procedure for Plotting your Course
- What Information do you Need?
- Choosing Checkpoints & Altitudes
- Distances Between Checkpoints
- Estimate Fuel Needed
- Measuring Courses
- Winds & Temperatures for Takeoff, Landing & Cruise
- Distance to Climb to Cruise Altitude
- Distance to Descend to Landing Destination Airport Traffic Altitude
- Airspeeds
- Calculating Airspeed During Climb
- Calculating Airspeed During Cruise & Descent
- Ground Speed and Magnetic Heading
- Time En Route
- Fuel Consumption & Planning
- Takeoff & Landing Perofrmance
- More Practice with Paper E6B
- More Practice with Electronic E6B
Before Takeoff Procedures
- Pre-Flight Assessment
- Flight Deck Management
- Engine Starting
- Taxiing
Airport Operations
- Airport Information
- Communications
- Flight Service Stations & Control Centers
- Filing Out, Filing & Activating a Flight Plan
- Collision Avoidance & Traffic
- Airport Light Signals
- Taxi-way & Runway Lighting Systems
- Taxi-way & Runway Signs & Markings
- Traffic Patterns
- Wind & Traffic Pattern Selection
- Land & Hold Short Operations
- Takeoff & Landing
Pilot Control & Ground Reference Maneuvers
- Steep Turns
- Turns Around a Point
- S-Turns
- Takeoff & Landing in Crosswinds
- Cross-Checking
Emergencies
- Types of Emergency Landings
- Landing Spot Selection
- Electrical Failure
- Gyro Failure
- Radio Failure
- Engine Fire
- Electrical Fire
- Engine Failure After Lift-Off (simulated)
Navigation
- Aeronautical Charts
- Pilotage & Dead Reckoning
- VORs, DMEs, TACANs & VORTACs
Money-back Guarantee if you don't Pass the Written Exam
Worry-Free Purchase
If you complete our course and receive an endorsement from us but then fail the FAA Knowledge Exam (Written Exam) we will refund you the cost of your Online Ground School.
We are confident in guaranteeing this because we are so confident in our Test Prep process. After you finish the lessons of our course we take you through our custom Test Prep process that includes 1000s of FAA Written Test questions and a custom & personalized practice test report from our CFIs.
After students go through this process they pass the FAA exam with an average grade of ~93% and a passing rate of 99.9%.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions about the topic of the Sport Pilot certificate and Sport Pilot Online Ground School:
Is the Part Time Pilot Online Ground School FAA Certified?
Yes, the course was created by Nick Smith who is a certificated ground instructor by the FAA with privileges to provide students the endorsement required to take their FAA Knowledge Exam (Written Test). The endorsement is signed of by Nick himself and all content within the ground school follows the required FAA knowledge outlined in the Airmen Certificate Standards (ACS) (Airman Certification Standards | Federal Aviation Administration, 2024).
Can I get an FAA Written Exam Endorsement with the Part Time Pilot Online Ground School?
Yes! We will give you a printable PDF certificate with Nick Smith’s instructor certificate number and sign off for you to take the Sport Pilot FAA Knowledge Exam (FAA Written). This endorsement, is required for you to take the exam along with your ID. After you finish the lessons of the ground school, you will be given access to FAA Written Practice tests (Airman Testing | Federal Aviation Administration, 2025). In order to receive your endorsement, Part Time Pilot just needs to see you score an average of 81% or higher on your first attempt at a unique test before we send your endorsement. When you do these tests, we also send you a custom test report with review recommendations and we will work with your over email to answer any questions you may have. When students complete this process with us, they pass the FAA Written exam at a 99.9% success rate and an average score over 90%.
Does Part Time Pilot offer Refunds?
Yes! Part Time Pilot offers refunds. We believe that a good company and a good product is not one that you feel forced to keep and pay for. We believe in our courses ability to teach you to become a great, safe pilot and pass your exams with high scores. We only want people in our course who want to be in the course. As long as you have not completed over 50% of the content in the online ground school, we will allow a full refund.
Does Part Time Pilot have a Guarantee?
Yes! Part Time Pilot offers a 100% money back guarantee if a student receives an endorsement from us but does NOT pass their FAA Written Exam. This has only happened twice out of over 4000 students and each of those 2 times we refunded the student and helped them to pass their test on the 2nd attempt.
What do Sport Pilots need to learn?
Sport Pilots need to learn everything outlines in the FAA’s Practical Test Standards document (Practical Test Standards (PTS) | Federal Aviation Administration, 2024). The Part Time Pilot Sport Pilot Online Ground School covers all these topics and a little bit more in our syllabus. The syllabus is designed with bite-sized lessons that build upon one another to avoid any interruptions in your studies. These subjects include:
- Preflight Preparation
- Preflight Procedures
- Airport and Seaplane Base of Operations
- Takeoffs, Landings and Go-Arounds
- Performance Maneuvers
- Ground References Maneuvers
- Navigation
- Slow Flight and Stalls
- Emergency Operations
- Postflight Procedures
How much is the Sport Pilot Online Ground School?
The Part Time Pilot Sport Pilot Online Ground School is $249.99 for lifetime access which can come in handy.
What is the Best Sport Pilot Online Ground School?
There are not many dedicated Sport Pilot Online Ground Schools. Many companies that offer private pilot ground schools just have students take those because they are about 90% the same material. But, it can be nice to know you are studying only what is applicable to Sport Pilot.
Of the companies that offer Sport Pilot Online Ground Schools, Part Time Pilot has the best combination of price, features and average student rating.
What features are in the Sport Pilot Online Ground School?
The Part Time Pilot Sport Pilot Online Ground School includes every lesson required to be learned by Sport Pilots from the FAA. Each lesson includes a written lesson with visual aids and step by step examples, an audio lesson, a quiz, and a trained AI instructor chat. The vast majority ~80% of the lessons also include a video lesson. The Sport Pilot membership also includes access to our VIP podcast which allows students to download ad free audio lessons and expert interviews straight to their device and listen anywhere at any time (even without internet). The Sport Pilot membership also includes a Bonus downloads and videos section with a ton of bonus videos from our live lesson recordings and downloads for test prep, cross-country planning and more. The membership also includes digital flash cards with over 1000 FAA Written Practice Test questions. Finally, each membership includes our new interactive AI tools such as our live voice-to-voice ATC simulator.
What is the difference between Recreational Pilot & Sport Pilot?
When considering pilot training, the main difference between a Sport Pilot and a Recreational Pilot boils down to aircraft type and medical requirements. A Sport Pilot flies lighter Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) and usually only needs a driver’s license for medical certification, but is limited to day VFR flight with one passenger. A Recreational Pilot can operate slightly larger aircraft but must hold at least a third-class FAA medical certificate, with limitations typically including day VFR flight with one passenger and a 50-nautical-mile radius from their home airport without additional training. Neither allows you to fly for hire as you work to become a pilot.
Can a Private Pilot fly as a Sport Pilot?
Yes, a pilot holding a Private Pilot certificate can absolutely fly as a Sport Pilot, provided they adhere to the privileges and limitations of the Sport Pilot certificate. This is a common scenario, especially for private pilots who might let their FAA medical certificate expire but still want to fly.
The main benefit for a Private Pilot wanting to operate under Sport Pilot privileges is that they can use their valid U.S. driver’s license for medical eligibility, rather than needing a current FAA medical certificate (as long as their last FAA medical wasn’t denied, suspended, or revoked). When exercising Sport Pilot privileges, the Private Pilot must operate a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) and comply with all the Sport Pilot limitations, such as flying only during the day, carrying no more than one passenger, and adhering to airspace restrictions unless they have specific endorsements. Essentially, their higher certificate allows them to “downgrade” their privileges to meet the less restrictive Sport Pilot requirements when desired.
Is a Sport Pilot License worth it?
A Sport Pilot license is certainly worth it for those who want to fly as a hobby and especially for those who do not want to take an FAA Medical Exam. However, if you want to fly as a career, fly as an instrument rated pilot, commercial pilot or airline pilot then you will not want to become a sport pilot.
What is the difference between LSA and Sport Pilot?
LSA stands for light sport aircraft and is the aircraft that those who hold a Sport Pilot certificate are allowed to fly. An LSA is a specific category of small, lightweight aircraft that adhere to strict limitations on factors like maximum takeoff weight (usually 1,320 lbs), stall speed, top speed, and seating capacity (maximum two persons). They are designed for recreational flying and sport, making pilot training to operate them often more accessible and less costly.
What Jobs are there for Sport Pilots?
Sport Pilots are not allowed to fly for hire and the number of money making opportunities or loop-holes are virtually non-existent for Sport pilots. However, there may be some jobs that a Sport Pilot license, and the skills that come with obtaining it, can aid you in getting hired.
Do I need a Medical Certificate to become a Sport Pilot?
No. You only need a valid US Driver’s License to become a Sport Pilot. It should also be noted that if you get an FAA Medical Exam and fail the exam or have it deferred, you will not be able to become a Sport Pilot.
What is MOSAIC?
MOSAIC, which stands for Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification, is a significant proposed new rule by the FAA designed to update and expand the existing 2004 Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) rule. Essentially, MOSAIC aims to greatly broaden the definition of what qualifies as an LSA and, consequently, expand the privileges for pilots flying under Sport Pilot rules.
Under MOSAIC, the restrictions on LSA aircraft are largely shifted from prescriptive weight limits (like the current 1,320 lbs) to performance-based criteria, primarily a higher “clean stall speed” (around 54 knots). This change is expected to allow much larger and more capable aircraft (potentially up to around 3,000 pounds and with speeds up to 250 knots) to be flown by Sport Pilots. It also aims to permit features like retractable landing gear, controllable-pitch propellers, and even more than two seats (though a Sport Pilot would still be limited to carrying only one passenger). The overall goal is to make general aviation and pilot training more accessible, safer, and to encourage innovation in aircraft design.