Sacramento City College offers a one-year certificate program organized to offer aspiring pilots all the academic ground instruction required for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Private and Commercial pilot certificates with an Instrument rating, and the Ground Instructor certificate with Advanced and Instrument ratings.

Students will also study large commercial aircraft systems.

During the course of the program the student will qualify to take the written portions of the FAA Private, Instrument, Commercial Pilot, Basic and Advanced Ground Instructor and the Certified Flight Instructor Instrument examinations. Examinations are given at FAA-authorized locations not related to the college. Each exam is given on a PASS/FAIL basis, and costs between $150 and $165. Results of the exams are valid for 2 years after the date of examination.

No actual flight training is available through Sacramento City College.

This is an intensive, broad-based aviation program that brings participants with little or no aviation knowledge up to a knowledge level required by working aviation professionals. The program is taught in cohorts, with 12 to 15 credit units per semester.

All required courses must be passed with a grade of "C" or better.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

✔ demonstrate the knowledge and skills to qualify for the written portions of the Federal Aviation Administration examinations for pilot and instructor.

✔ perform navigational pre-flight planning.

✔ assemble and analyze terminal and en-route weather data.

✔ calculate departure, en-route, and arrival performance data.

✔ assess risk factors to aircraft operations and apply the appropriate safety and communications protocols to mitigate the risks.

To be eligible for enrollment in the program, the student must meet the following criteria:

✔ The Federal Aviation Administration requires that all applicants read, write, speak, and understand the English language. FAA guidance on language proficiency can be found in the current version of Advisory Circular AC60-28 and the Level 4 proficiency standards of ICAO Doc 9835.

✔ One of the following:

a) Successful completion of FLTEC 320, Private Pilot Ground, OR

b) Hold an FAA or ICAO-compliant Private Pilot certificate with a current biennial flight review (BFR), OR

c) Have significant documented recent (within the last 5 years) military or civilian commercial aviation operations experience.