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Ground School

Introduction

Objective. The National Ground School Program (NGSP) is designed to provide essential ground school training for cadets preparing for the Qualifying Exam, a crucial part of the selection process for the Glider Pilot Training Course (GPTC) and the Power Pilot Training Course (PPTC) This program replaces the previous Online Ground School Program (OGS) and focuses on providing fundamental aviation knowledge to prepare cadets for the Qualifying Examination.

Program Delivery. While the OGS Program was conducted by a contractor for the last three years, the contract has now concluded and the new NGSP will be delivered internally. Building on lessons learned and using our own aviation Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), we aim to offer:

  1. Greater flexibility in training delivery - Adapt the delivery of training to better meet the varied needs and schedules of cadets, accommodating different time zones, language, and access requirements. To meet their personal learning needs, cadets can access online lectures with live instructors, recorded lectures, self-study materials, lesson content, lesson notes, reference material and a forum for questions and answers.
  2. Expanded access – While the training is still tailored to cadets who are eligible for GPTC or PPTC, younger cadets who are not yet eligible to apply for those courses can still access the content, read answers to questions, watch recorded lectures and self-study.
  3. National training with regional delivery – All lesson plans, visual aids and notes are standardized in both official languages to provide all cadets with the information they need to write the GPTC/PPTC Qualifying Examination as part of the selection process. Using Class A SMEs, the training will be delivered in all regions at various times for maximum flexibility. For those members interested in delivering this training, more information will be provided shortly by separate correspondence.

Important Dates:

Eligible Cadets

Cadets who are eligible to apply for the GPTC and PPTC as per CJCR Gp O 8060-7 and who intend to write the Qualifying Exam shall be registered for the NGSP through a regional FORTRESS serial. They will have access to all elements of the National Ground School Program.

All cadets have access to the following training materials: 

 Recorded lessons. Recordings of the live lessons from the previous weeks,

  1.  Course materials. Includes lesson plans, student notes and PowerPoints,
  2.  Self-Study Guides. Outlines the material that will be tested and the associated references,
  3. Reference Material. Includes publicly sources information and links,
  4. Question-and-answer forum. Organized database of questions posed by eligible cadets and answers from instructors, and Practice quizzes and tests. 

Additionally, eligible cadets have access to: 

  1.  Live lessons. Delivered by instructors in various time zones, days of the week, and regions;
  2. Question submission form. Allows cadets to submit questions based on the content of the lessons. Questions will be responded to in the question-and-answer forum with written responses, videos, or graphics as appropriate; and
  3.  Qualifying Exam. A single examination to test the knowledge and aptitude of cadets for further flying training.

Course Outline. For 2024/2025, the curriculum will be the same for both courses. Each of the following POs will have associated classes and content:

  1.  PO 400: Introduction to the NGSP including navigating the SharePoint page, the GPTC/PPTC selection process and overview of the courses, and other pertinent information,
  2. PO 401: Air Law and Procedures,
  3. PO 402: Navigation and Radio,
  4. PO 403: Meteorology,
  5. PO 404: Airframes and Systems,
  6. PO 405: Theory of Flight,
  7. PO 406: Flight Instruments,
  8. PO 407: Flight Operations, and
  9. PO 408: Human Factors and Human Performance.

Question

I took OGS last year and went to GPTC. Do I have to take OGS again to apply for PPTC?

Yes. OGS results are only valid for one year. All cadets must complete OGS and the 2024 Qualifying Exam to be eligible for PPTC or GPTC.

How do I apply for Online Ground School?

Air Cadets who meet the eligibility criteria for either GPTC or PPTC can be registered by squadron staff in Fortress. However, you may only register for one of the courses.

Cadets currently enrolled in 34 RCACS should send an email to [email protected] expressing their interest in order to enrol. The deadline for enrolling is 31 Oct 2024.

What do I study for the Qualifying Exam? How is it structured?

The Qualifying Exams for GPTC and PPTC are based on the OGS content which, in turn, is based on the FROM THE GROUND UP / ENTRE CIEL ET TERRE manual.

The Qualifying Exam will be conducted on paper at your home squadron under the supervision of an adult staff member. It is a closed book exam and no reference material is permitted. The exam consists of 40 multiple choice questions for GPTC applicants and 50 multiple choice questions (same 40 questions plus an additional 10) for PPTC applicants). All candidates will have 90 mins to complete the exam.

The Qualifying Exam is structured as follows:

Section 1 – (40 Questions) – GPTC and PPTC applicants

Questions come from the follow sections of FROM THE GROUND UP / ENTRE CIEL ET TERRE:

Section 2 – (10 Questions) – PPTC applicants only

Questions come from the follow sections of FROM THE GROUND UP / ENTRE CIEL ET TERRE:

The “pass” mark for both exams is 50%, however higher scores are more competitive.

When should I complete my Transport Canada medical examination?

As soon as possible. Delays of up to six months for unremarkable medical exams are common and any findings during the exam can create further delays. To avoid disappointment at the medical submission deadline, book your exam now! See https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/CAME-MEAC/r.aspx?lang=eng&p=&c=Regina&x=E&s=1&l=124 for a list of examiners in Regina.

There will be no allowance for late medical certificates and there will be no means of expediting the process at Transport Canada Civil Aviation Medicine so do not delay in starting this process. Medical Certificates are valid for 5 years and can be used for future applications to GTPC or PPTC if a cadet's application is unsuccessful this year.

As per the OPPLAN, medical certificates are due to your squadron staff by 16 May 2025.  Get yours now, as it takes at least 6 months to receive.

Information for Squadron Staff:

You must ensure that each cadet has successfully connected to Cadet365. Resources on how to support cadet onboarding are available here:

The Cadet365 email address will be used for OGS registration and for completing the Selection Exam in January. Cadets will receive OGS login instructions directly from the contractor within two weeks of receiving the cadet’s registration (in Fortress).

Cadets will only be eligible to write the PPTC/GPTC Qualifying Exam upon completion of the applicable (Glider or Power) Online Ground School course. Unlike the previous two years, this exam will be supervised by an adult staff member during the week of 1-7 Feb 2025 and. Further information on the exam will be published by separate correspondence.

As the OGS course is self-paced, encourage cadets to make regular progress in the content. OGS not intended to be crammed into final week as this does not set the cadet up for success on the Qualifying Exam. Cadets should plan to complete the course well in advance of the deadline to allow for potential internet issues, power failures, or others IT problems. OGS will be shut off at 2359hrs PST on 31 Jan 25 and no extensions are possible.

You may direct questions to your region J5 through the chain of command.

Additional Resources

Here are some additional resources to use to help with your ground school studies.