Ground School Maryland 2026: New Class Starts January 11
It is November, and January feels far away. It will arrive faster than you expect. If you have been telling yourself you will learn to fly once things calm down, a class with fixed dates gives you a start line you can plan around.
We are opening a new Private Pilot Ground School class at Solid Ground Aviation, our Flight Training Center at Fort Meade Executive Airport (KFME) in Fort Meade, Maryland. This ground school in Maryland runs from January 11 to March 22, 2027, and seats are limited. Here is what you need to decide whether it fits your year.
The new class runs January 11 to March 22, 2027
The class starts on Monday, January 11, 2027 and ends on Monday, March 22, 2027. That is a little over ten weeks, with class on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Put both dates on your calendar now. The table below puts the details in one place, and our Private Pilot Ground School page has the full course description.
| Detail | What to plan around |
|---|---|
| Start date | Monday, January 11, 2027 |
| End date | Monday, March 22, 2027 |
| Class days | Mondays and Wednesdays |
| Class time | 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM |
| Total sessions | 21 |
| Location | Flight Training Center, 7515 General Aviation Dr, Fort Meade, MD 20755 |
| Format | In person or virtual |
| Cost | $750 plus a $50 fee for test-taking essentials |
| Availability | Limited seats |
Twenty-one sessions of three hours each add up to 63 hours of instructor-led class time. Because the schedule repeats every week, you can plan work, family and commuting around it from day one and know which evenings belong to ground school before the new year starts.
What you study in the room, and what you watch in the simulator
The class covers aerodynamics, flight planning, weather, aircraft systems and more. These are the foundations of private pilot training, taught by our instructors in person or online.
The class stands out for how it is taught. We reinforce concepts with live demonstrations and hands-on learning using our FAA-approved simulators. When your instructor explains how an airplane responds to its controls, you watch it happen on the screen instead of imagining it from a diagram. If you want a plain-English overview of the subject first, our post on what private pilot ground school is is a good place to start.
We also teach through scenarios. You practice decision making and risk management with real-world examples that connect classroom theory to cockpit application. Visual demonstrations of aerodynamics and aircraft systems sit alongside scenario-based decision making, so the lessons prepare you for real flight operations and not just the written exam.
In person or virtual: the same schedule and the same price
You choose how you attend. In person or virtual, the schedule and the price are identical, so you pick the format that suits your week. Whether you live near Annapolis, Baltimore, Columbia, Frederick or Washington, D.C., you can sit in the classroom at Fort Meade Executive Airport (KFME) or join online. Attending in person puts you at the airfield where our flight training happens, with your instructors a few steps away.
Life interrupts a Monday evening sometimes. Our classes are available virtually and recorded, so when you cannot make a session, you can study when your schedule allows. We call this the hybrid option. Our guide to fitting flight lessons around work and weather goes deeper on planning a training year around a busy schedule.
What ground school costs: $750 plus a $50 fee
The cost is $750 plus a $50 materials fee, which includes your test-taking essentials. That is $800 in total for the 21-session class. With one clear number up front, you can plan before you commit, and you can contact us with any question about what the fee covers.
If you are planning the cost of the full path to a pilot certificate, bring your budget or financing plan to your first conversation with us, and we will help you plan around it. Ground school is one step on that path. Our complete guide to pilot training in Maryland lays out the steps that follow.
Who the January class fits best
We built this class for three groups of people, and you may see yourself in more than one.
- New student pilots beginning Private Pilot training, who want to understand the subject before the first lesson.
- People planning to start flight training soon who want a head start on the knowledge side.
- Current students who want structured instruction and a deeper understanding of what they are already learning, with an instructor to guide the process.
Whether you plan to fly recreationally or pursue aviation professionally, the class builds the academic confidence to succeed. You do not need any flying experience to join, and if you are unsure whether it suits your goals, you can contact us to talk it through with an instructor. If you have never been in a small airplane, a Discovery Flight is the easiest way to see what training feels like, and the classroom makes more sense once you have flown.
Where ground school ends and flying begins
Ground school is the knowledge side of becoming a pilot. It does not replace flight lessons. Your flying happens in our fleet of Cessna 172s through our Private Pilot License program, and the simulator is built into that training. When weather or an airplane says no, we don’t cancel lessons: your lesson moves to the simulator or ground instruction, so your training keeps moving.
The course also prepares you for the FAA knowledge test, the written exam every private pilot takes. Your instructors prepare you for the test and provide your endorsement once you score 85% or higher on practice tests. Your own study time still decides your score.
The structure helps beyond the exam, because the lessons are built to prepare you for real flight operations. For a wider view of where this class fits among the other steps, see our pilot training guide for Maryland.
Quick answers about the January class
Do I need flying experience to join?
No. The class is built for people starting Private Pilot training and for anyone who wants a head start before their first lesson. You can read more on our ground school page.
Can I take the class virtually?
Yes. You can join in person or virtually with the same schedule and the same price. Classes are recorded, so you can also catch up when a Monday or Wednesday does not work.
What does it cost?
$750 plus a $50 fee that includes your test-taking essentials. The fee and the class together come to $800. Contact us if you want to talk through the cost of the full training path.
Will it prepare me for the FAA knowledge test?
Yes, that is the goal of the course. Your instructors prepare you for the test and provide your endorsement once you score 85% or higher on practice tests. Your own study time still decides your score.
Where is it held, and when does it meet?
At our Flight Training Center at Fort Meade Executive Airport (KFME), 7515 General Aviation Dr, Fort Meade, MD 20755, every Monday and Wednesday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, or online if you choose the virtual format. See our Fort Meade flight training programs for the rest of the path.
How long is each class?
Three hours. Every session runs from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM on a Monday or Wednesday evening, and there are 21 sessions between January 11 and March 22, 2027.
Are seats really limited?
Yes. Enrollment is limited, so the enrollment form below is the quickest way to hold your place in the January class.
Does ground school replace flight lessons?
No. It is the knowledge side of the training. Flight lessons happen in our Cessna 172s through the Private Pilot License program.
Reserve your seat before January 11
Seats are limited, and the class begins on January 11, 2027. If the Monday and Wednesday evening schedule works for your year, the fastest way to hold your place is the enrollment form on our Private Pilot Ground School page. You can choose in person or virtual when you enroll.