THAI FLYING CLUB
FREE GROUND SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION
The Thai Flying Club is the oldest flying club in the Kingdom of Thailand. Our FREE ground school for PPL is designed to make learning to fly easy and fun. You can join at any time, and you can learn as slowly or quickly as you wish. Our classroom has all the materials you need to learn. We have a syllabus with Training Capsules for you to follow. You come and follow the syllabus and use the books, video, and powerpoint demonstrations to learn. When you don't understand something, you ask an instructor to explain. Your comprehension and understanding of each Training Capsule will be reviewed by an instructor when you are ready. If you want to fly while you are learning the groundschool, then you can do that too. This groundschool is a preparation for the DCA stipulated 60 hour PPL course.

INSTRUCTORS & STAFF
Khun Tom - Supervisor - 0890922711 - groundschool@thaiflyingclub.com
Kruu Piya - Senior Instructor - 0898980052 - piya@thaiflyingclub.com
Kruu Juk - Instructor - juk@thaiflyingclub.com
Kruu Ake - Senior Instructor - 0852857733 - ake@thaiflyingclub.com
Kruu Billy - Instructor & Aerodynamics Specialist - billy@thaiflyingclub.com
Kruu Gener - Instructor - generclass13@yahoo.com
Khun "Can Do" Worawoot - Booking - 0868342636
Khun Tui - Office Manager - 0819962957
Khun Nin - "Man-with-the-key" for Groundschool Room - 0847816434
(as of TFC committee meeting on 16 Sep 2010)

CURRENT STUDENTS ENROLLED (Jun 2011)

Student

Medical

SPL

Training

        PPL
Nagashima Tadashi (Japan) x x x  
Torleif Bruvik (Norway) x x x  
Michael Bert x x    
Marek x x    
Romas (Canada) x x x  
Patrick Brazil x      

HOW TO START
When you are ready to start your training, just call the club and arrange for the classroom to be opened. You read the introduction and follow the training syllabus. An instructor will check on you and answer your questions. It is not difficult, but it does take time to learn and understand all the material. You will be using Videos, PowerPoint, Texts with a computer in the Classroom. It is advisable to join the club and start your SPL application process when you start the groundschool, because it will take 2 weeks to get your SPL if you are Thai. If you are Foreign, the DCA needs 2-3 months to complete the background check before issuing your SPL. This is a perfect period of time to complete your groundschool and it is free. There is a lot of information to learn, so you can get started right away -- www.free-online-private-pilot-ground-school.com. If you have any specific questions, you can consult -- www.pilotfriend.com

SUBJECTS IN TRAINING CAPSULES
- PPL Course Orientation
- Powerplant
- Aerodynamics & Principles of Flight
- Aircraft Construction
- Cockpit Orientation (pass)
- Blindfold Check (pass)
- Course Rules & Airfield Check
- FAM Flight Procedure
- Radio Procedures & Signals
- Meteorology for pilots
- Interpreting Weather Data (see Resources -- Weather below)
- Flight Instruments and Radio Aids
- Air Law (Flight Rules and Regulations)
- AIP Familiarization
- Flight Plan
- Rules of the Air
- Air Traffic Services
- Basic Navigation
- Radio Navigation Systems
- Basic Instrument Flying
- Flight Safety
- Aviation Physiology
- Aeronautical Decision Making
- Preparation for DCA Exam
- Capsule Tests from Kruu Ake
- TFC Self-Study Groundschool Certificate

COMPLETION
When you have completed 60 hours flying and all the Training Capsules of the Groundschool Syllabus, you will be given a letter by the Thai Flying Club that you are ready to sit the DCA PPL exam. You pass the exam and take a flight test, and you will receive a PPL license.

PPL PROCESS
 1. Complete an Aviation Medical examination (one day in Bangkok Hospital)
2. Join the club (10,000 Baht)
3. Submit an application for SPL (200 Baht)
4. If you are Thai, it will take 2 weeks to receive a SPL
5. If you are Foreign, it will take 2-3 months to receive the SPL (DCA background check).
6. Study in the TFC FREE Groundschool under supervision of TFC instructors
7. Log 60 hours of flight time
8. Receive a letter from TFC that you are ready to sit DCA exam
9. Pass DCA written exam (given every month)
10. Pass DCA flight test
11. Wait 3-4 months for Thailand to conduct more background checks (1. Immigration, 2. Drug Enforcement Agency, 3. National Intelligence Agency) We wish this would be faster, because it is not safe to have to wait for such a long period of time to get a flying license, but this is the system at the moment. Questions can be directed to Khun Nittaya or Khun Wasana in DCA Licensing Department.
12. Congratulations -- You will have a THAI PPL
13. The estimated cost of your PPL is 300,000 Baht -- view details

FLIGHT EQUIPMENT LIST
There are some basic items you need for flying. You can buy these yourself or in our TFC GROUNDSCHOOL PILOT SHOP. As a student at TFC, you will have a black folder with your name on it in the Groundschool room. All of your guidelines and information will be in this folder. Here is a list of items you will need.
- Jacket File, Control Sheet, Assessment (Ground & Flight School)
- Flight Bag
- Map
- E6-B Flight Computer
- AIP Thailand (PDF file in Groundschool computers)
- Jeppesen PPL Manual
- Calculator
- Pen
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Fuel Drain Cup
- Screwdriver
GROUNDSCHOOL CAPSULES
The club groundschool is made up of various Capsules. Each Capsule has different subjects in it. As the student completes each Capsule, they will record the subject and date completed in their Student Folder (located in the groundschool classroom at the club). If you complete a Capsule at home, record the subject and the date and record it in your folder when you come to the club. You must show a record of Capsules and Subjects completed in your groundschool folder. Our course is designed to repeat some subjects to make sure you learn them. You will be introduced to subjects in the Video Capsule. You will study them in the PowerPoint Capsule. You will review them in the Text Capsule. You will test your understanding in the Exam Preparation Capsule -- GROUNDSCHOOL SYLLABUS.
VIDEO CAPSULE
This Capsule is intended for introduction or review of various topics. We use three systems to teach the material you need to know -- Video, PowerPoint, and Text. Click the subject to review a short video presentation on the subject. There are many videos on the groundschool computers. Here we just show two. When you have completed a video, then enter the subject and date completed in your Groundschool Folder (so we can monitor your progress).
01. Weight & Balance (A)
02. Weight & Balance (B)
POWERPOINT CAPSULE
The Navy Instructors at Thai Flying Club have helped us to prepare several PowerPoint courses for instruction. These same courses are in the computers in the TFC groundschool, but we also share them with you here, so that you can work on them at home or at work. If you have any questions, write them down and ask your instructor. After you have completed each subject in this capsule, write the name of the subject and the date of completion in your Groundschool Folder in the club classroom. This is important, so that we can monitor your progress. Remember, this is a self-study groundschool, so you need to record your progress in your Groundschool Folder at the club.
01. AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS
02. POWERPLANT
03. FLIGHT RULES (A)
04. FLIGHT RULES (B)
05. METEOROLOGY
06. AVIATION MAPS
07. AIR NAVIGATION
08. E-6B FLIGHT COMPUTER 
09. NAV-1
10. NAV-2
11. NAV-3
12. NAV-4
13. NAV-5
TEXT CAPSULE
The Pilot Shop at the Thai Flying Club has a copy of the Jeppesen PPL Training Manual for sale. Please buy a copy of this manual for reference during your training. In addition, we are attaching here a variety of different subjects for you to study on your computer. Some of this material is repetitive and you may have already covered it in the Video Capsule or the PowerPoint Capsule. All of this material is important, so if you don't understand something, ask your instructor. Please keep a record of which subjects you have completed and on what date in your Groundschool Folder at the club.
1. NAVIGATION
2. RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT
3. METEOROLOGY
4. TAF (TERMINAL AREA FORCAST)
5. AERODYNAMICS
6. FUEL & ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
7. HUMAN FACTORS IN AVIATION
8. DIFFERENT TYPES OF ENGINES
9. FUSELAGE STRUCTURE
10. THAI LANGUAGE INTRODUCTION (สอนบิน_ไทย)
11. V-SPEEDS
12. HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS
13. AIRCRAFT WEIGHT & BALANCE
14. PRACTICE SHEET FOR WEIGHT & BALANCE
15. RADIO NAVIGATION
16. RADIO TELEPHONY
17. SEE HOW IT FLIES
18. CESSNA 172 POH (PILOTS OPERATING HANDBOOK)
AIP & AIR LAW CAPSULE
This Capsule contains the Thailand AIP (Airmen Information Publication) and the Thailand Air Navigation Act. You are required to learn these. You will be tested on the Air Law. The AIP contains standard ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) regulations and procedures specific to Thailand. After you have reviewed each section record the section and date in your Groundschool Folder at the club.
1. GEN
2. ENR
3. AD vol1
4. AD vol2
5. AD vol2 chart
6. AMDT
7. SUP
8. AIC
9. AIR NAVIGATION ACT B.E.2497 (A.D.1954) *these regulations were drafted 56 years ago. You have to learn them to pass the DCA Air Law exam.
RADIO PROCEDURES CAPSULE
This Capsule is about communication. Aviation has its own language. You will need to learn to speak this language to communicate clearly and quickly on the radio. You can start learning this at anytime, because it will be useful to know during your training. There are many things to learn at the same time, so the sooner you get started, the more prepared you will be. If you work on one of these sections, record the subject and date in your Groundschool Folder at the club. 
1. COMM 1 -- This is an excellent computer CD course on Radio Communication. It will help you learn and practice Aviation Language. It is located in the club office. You can use it in the groundschool for free or buy it to use at home.
2. AOPA TRAINING LINK -- visit this online resource at home to improve your communications. It is free.
3. MORSE CODE -- print and try to memorize this code. You will need it when you identify VOR and ADF radio beacons in flight. ("Tune" & "Identify")
FLIGHT SAFETY CAPSULE
This Capsule is about Flight Safety. We introduce different aspects of Flight Safety. We also emphasize the importance of reading, understanding and using the POH (Pilot Operating Handbook) and CHECKLISTS. When you complete a subject, record it and the date in your Groundschool Folder at the club.
1. C150 POH
2. C172 POH
3. C152 CHECKLIST (Kruu Piya will update this checklist)
4. C172 CHECKLIST
5. COLLISION AVOIDANCE (AOPA)
EXAM PREPARATION CAPSULE
This Capsule provides a review of material covered with an introduction to the exam format and some sample exams.
1. SAMPLE EXAM (coming)
RESOURCES -- WEATHER
Pilots must learn to use resources available to them for interpreting weather information. Please use these links below to view weather information and then discuss them with your instructor. You must learn how to read and interpret METAR and TAF.
1. Current Chonburi Radar Precipitation Map
http://www2.tmd.go.th/radar/dmg120Loop.php
2. Enter VTBU (ICAO code for U-Taphao Airport) to view a METAR
 http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/metar.shtml
3. Enter VTBU to view a TAF
http://weather.noaa.gov/weather/taf.shtml
4. Bangkok Weather Office -- 025351256.
5. Bangkok NOTAM Office -- 022859836.
6. Bangkok Flightplan Office -- 025351266.
7. Other Phone Numbers
RESOURCES -- AIRCRAFT MANUALS
Before you fly an aircraft, you must read the POH (Pilot's Operating Handbook). This introduces a pilot to all the systems specific to that aircraft. It will also contain a checklist for pre-flight, starting, and emergency operations. You must print the checklist and carry it with you when you fly.
01. C150 POH
02. C172 POH
03. C152 CHECKLIST (Kruu Piya will update this checklist)
03. C172 CHECKLIST

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