Section 3
Ground School Syllabus — 79 Hours
Topics are covered in the sequence below. Hours are on-campus instruction time; the eLearning pre-course provides additional foundational coverage before campus arrival. Each topic concludes with comprehension questions administered by the instructor — these are formative, not graded, but unsatisfactory responses trigger review before proceeding.
7.9 hrs
Aircraft General & Certification
ACJ320neo type certificate A-320 — certification basis and history. Airframe construction materials and structural design philosophy. Pressurization system: maximum differential, cabin altitude schedule, outflow valve operation, safety valve. Emergency exits: location, operation, activation forces, slide deployment on applicable aircraft. Door warning systems integration with avionics alerting. Cabin altitude warning system. Oxygen system: crew masks (quick-don), passenger masks, diluter-demand vs pressure demand. Fly-by-wire architecture overview: flight control computers, control laws (normal/alternate/direct).
9.2 hrs
Powerplant — CFM International LEAP-1A
Engine type: CFM International LEAP-1A. FADEC — full authority digital engine control: operation, fault codes, degraded modes, FADEC failure response. N1/N2 speed relationships; ITT/EGT limits; oil pressure and temperature limits. Thrust ratings: takeoff, max continuous, climb, cruise derates. Engine bleed: sources, anti-ice demand effect on thrust. Thrust reverser system: deployment envelope, inadvertent deployment procedure, reverser locked-open drill. Engine start: normal, cross-bleed, APU-assisted (if applicable), hot start recognition and response. Engine fire detection: loop A/B, extinguisher discharge sequence, engine shutdown memory items. Single-engine performance: drift-down altitude, net ceiling, obstacle clearance. In-flight relight envelope.
4.6 hrs
Fuel System
Fuel tank configuration: main tanks, auxiliary/tip tanks (if applicable), center tank (if applicable). Fuel transfer: automatic crossfeed, manual crossfeed, transfer pump operation. Fuel imbalance limits: maximum allowable imbalance at MTOW, correction procedure. Fuel quantity indication: primary, backup, low-level warning thresholds. FMS fuel integration: fuel used, fuel remaining, estimated fuel at destination, range rings. Fuel system abnormals: pump failure, crossfeed valve stuck, fuel quantity discrepancy procedure. Fuel specification: Jet-A, Jet-A1, JP-8; contamination check; density correction for weight planning. Auxiliary fuel tanks: total capacity increase, transfer rate, long-range fuel planning for oceanic.
4.6 hrs
Electrical System
Generator architecture: starter-generators or dedicated generators per engine (aircraft-specific). Bus architecture: main bus, essential bus, emergency bus, avionics bus. Battery systems: main battery, emergency battery, battery charger. Ground power: external power acceptance, GPU connection procedure. Load shedding matrix: what drops on essential bus, what drops on emergency bus. Electrical abnormals: generator failure (single and dual), bus tie failure, battery only operations. Avionics bus protection: avionics master switch, cooling fan monitoring. APU electrical: APU generator capacity, APU as backup electrical source.
4.6 hrs
Hydraulics & Landing Gear
Hydraulic system architecture: system A and B (if dual), fluid specification, reservoir monitoring. Landing gear: normal retraction/extension; gear door sequence; position indication (green/unsafe/unlocked). Alternate gear extension: free-fall or mechanical extension; checklist; groundspeed limitations before extension. Nose wheel steering: tiller authority; differential braking below NWS authority. Brake system: carbon brake pads; anti-skid operation; anti-skid failure; brake energy limits (max landing weight brake temp check). Parking brake: application and release; failure mode (brakes applied). Hydraulic abnormals: hydraulic pump failure; hydraulic fluid low; hydraulic pressure loss — gear and brake backup.
4.6 hrs
Flight Controls
Fly-by-wire architecture: flight control computers, flight control laws, control law hierarchy. Normal law: full envelope protection (alpha, load factor, bank angle, pitch attitude); pilot feel cues differ from conventional. Alternate law: partial protections; pilot responsible for not exceeding structural limits. Direct law: pilot inputs directly to surfaces; no envelope protection; flight manual limits apply directly. Mechanical backup: if applicable — rudder pedal mechanical reversion. Sidestick operation (Airbus/Gulfstream GVII): dual input logic; sidestick priority; takeover button. Flight control surfaces: primary (elevator/stabilizer, ailerons, rudder); secondary (spoilers, ground spoilers, flaps, slats). Abnormals: single flight control computer failure; dual FCU failure; rudder travel limiter failure.
14.5 hrs
Avionics — Airbus Glass Cockpit
Display architecture: Airbus EFIS: dual PFDs, dual NDs, ECAM (dual screens); sidestick input (no conventional yoke); fly-by-wire flight controls. FMS: Dual FMGC (Flight Management and Guidance Computer): performance database, cost index, step climbs, oceanic procedures, ACARS, CPDLC. Approach capability: ILS, LPV, RNP AR, RNAV; FINAL APP mode for stabilized continuous descent; Cat III autoland; HUD optional. Autopilot/autoflight: Full Airbus autoflight: FCU (Flight Control Unit) interface; autothrottle; managed vs selected guidance philosophy; go-around; autoland. Failure modes: Airbus ECAM action philosophy: ECAM alerts, STATUS page, ECAM actions, paper QRH cross-check; flight control law degradation (normal → alternate → direct → mechanical). Aircraft-specific: ACJ320neo pilots must understand Airbus flight control law philosophy — alpha floor, high AOA protection, load factor protection — and law degradation sequence; sidestick cross-coupling in dual-input situations. Cockpit scan pattern: how the display layout affects instrument crosscheck; transition from other avionics suites. Checklist integration: electronic checklist (if equipped) vs paper QRH; CAS message hierarchy.
4.0 hrs
Ice & Rain Protection
Ice protection system type: hot bleed air (engine cowl and wing leading edge, if applicable) and/or electric (windshield, pitot/static, AOA). Ice detection: visual cues (ice accretion reference indicators), AOA degradation, ice detector (if equipped). FIKI status: approved for flight into known icing with all systems operative. Icing encounter procedure: pitot heat — windshield — engine anti-ice — wing anti-ice sequence; power implications of bleed demand. Structural icing limits: maximum continuous icing, maximum intermittent icing, freezing drizzle and freezing rain (FZRA) — most aircraft are not certified for FZRA. Icing abnormals: anti-ice system failure in icing conditions; pitot heat failure; airspeed unreliable with ice.
6.6 hrs
Emergency Procedures
Memory items vs checklist items: which emergency items require immediate action without checklist (aircraft-specific — must be memorized exactly). Engine failure below V1 (148–168 KIAS): rejected takeoff — maximum braking, thrust levers idle, reversers deployed. Engine failure at V1: continued takeoff — maintain V2 (158–178 KIAS), wings level, ball in center; engine failure items after positive climb established. Engine fire in flight: shutdown sequence, fire handle pull, extinguisher discharge — first then second bottle discharge timing. Emergency descent: recognition, 'Pan-Pan' or 'Mayday' ATC, passenger oxygen, descent profile (Mmo then Vmo then 250 KIAS below 10,000); target altitude for pressurization loss. Rapid decompression: oxygen mask — gloves — goggles sequence (15-second useful consciousness at FL410); emergency descent immediately. Smoke and fumes: source identification (electrical vs environmental system vs cabin); isolation procedure; smoke goggle use; oxygen mask. Electrical emergency: generator failure, essential bus configuration, load shedding, avionics priority. Windshear encounter: EGPWS/TAWS windshear alert — immediate full thrust — maintain target pitch — no configuration changes. Ditching: over-water emergency landing — checklist, ditching configuration, evacuation; relevant for ULR oceanic operations.
5.3 hrs
Oceanic & ETOPS Operations
NAT track system: track message, track selection, oceanic clearance format, position reporting. SELCAL: test before departure; in-range call; ATC oceanic clearance delivery. HF radio: ATC communications; SELCAL decode; SATCOM as backup. CPDLC: controller-pilot datalink; ATC clearance via datalink; voice backup procedure. ETOPS authorization: route authorization, alternate requirements, critical fuel scenario calculation, diversion decision. Minimum equipment for ETOPS: which systems must be operative before ETOPS departure. Equal time point: calculation; point of safe return; diversion decision criteria. Contingency fuel: ETOPS reserve; holding at alternate; priority of fuel management decision.
5.3 hrs
ACS Oral Preparation — Mock Oral
Mock oral examination structured as a full DPE session: examiner persona, applicant role. Areas of Operation from the A-320 ACS: aircraft systems (all of the above), limitations (recited from memory), normal procedures, abnormal/emergency procedures, instrument procedures, performance. Common examiner question patterns: 'walk me through what happens when...'; 'what are your memory items for...'; 'what would you do if...'. Limitations committed to memory: Vmo 340 KIAS, Mmo 0.82, MTOW 174,165 lbs, engine operating limits. Professional response technique: organized, complete, direct; know when to say 'I would refer to the QRH' vs memory item. Mock oral is conducted by an Apex check airman who is NOT the student's primary ground instructor — same person who reviews records before the practical test is scheduled.