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Whether the dream is of flying a single-engine plane, a jumbo jet, a helicopter, a military jet or a hot air balloon, it all begins with getting a pilot’s license, and Meridian Community College is offering a course to help those interested take their first step toward becoming a pilot.

The 13-week course, Aviation Private Pilot Ground School, is designed for those who want to obtain their FAA private pilot or sport pilot certificate, said Darren Bane, director of Workforce Development at MCC.

Whether they’re just interested in flying a single-engine aircraft or have dreams of one day being the pilot of a large commercial aircraft, the class will be beneficial to anyone in the initial stages of wanting to become a pilot, he said. 

The MCC course is designed to take a student with no aviation experience through the first step of obtaining an aviation medical certificate and then the Ground School knowledge portion of the FAA-mandated training, according to the course description. After taking the class, the student should be prepared to take and pass the FAA Knowledge Exam. 

“This class is to help students successfully pass that exam,” Bane said.

Students can register with a local instructor pilot to take flight lessons, which are separate from the MCC course and are required to earn a private pilot or sport pilot license. Some local pilots have agreed to take on students from the program for lessons, he said.

The one-day-a-week class will be held on Tuesday nights from 6-9 p.m., beginning Aug. 27 and running through early December, at MCC’s Riley Workforce Development Center on Highway 19 North. The cost of the 13 class sessions is $705.

Bane said MCC decided to offer the Ground School preparation course after it was approached by local pilots who saw a need in the community. Longtime local pilot Steve Webster is scheduled to teach the aviation course.

“This is the first time we have offered a course for those wanting to obtain their pilot’s license, and we are very excited about the response we have received,” Bane said.  

To register for the Aviation Private Pilot Ground School course, visit https://workforce.meridiancc.edu/products/private-pilot-ground-school/?catalog_variant_id=300315 or call 601-482-7445 for more information. The first class meets next Tuesday.