Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Instrument Ground - FW (Face-to-Face)

AVTN 1250-02

Course: AVTN 1250-02
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: AVTN
CRN: 10149

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive study of instrument flight fundamentals in accordance with FAA requirements for students pursuing an Instrument Rating. Topics include flight instruments, attitude instrument flying, navigation systems, air traffic control procedures, FAA regulations, meteorology relevant to instrument operations, instrument flight emergencies, and both terminal and enroute procedures.  

  • A FAA Exam fee is required for the FAA Instrument Knowledge Exam. 
  • Prerequisite(s): FAA Private Pilot Certificate or completed PILT 1145 or PILT 1150 or instructor permission (Prerequisite Min. Grade: C) 
  • Grading Method: Standard Letter

Required Texts

FAA PART 141 - TRAINING

This course is conducted under the authority of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and in accordance with Part 141 regulations. Students are required to read, understand, and adhere to the Part 141 Training Student Expectations agreement. These expectations fulfill the training standards and minimum requirements established by both the FAA and Southern Utah University. 

141 Student Expectations.pdf

The following grading standards will be used in this class:

COURSE ASSESSMENTS / COURSE OUTCOMES
Stage 1 - Exam (First Attempt) | 10%
Stage 2 - Exam (First Attempt) | 10%
Stage 3 - Exam (First Attempt) | 10%
Self-Study/Homework              | 20%
End of Course Exam (EOC)     | 50%
Total Graded Weights              | 100%

GRADING RANGE
A   | 100 % to 93.5%
A-  | < 93.5 % to 89.5%
B+ | < 89.5 % to 86.5%
B   | < 86.5 % to 82.5%
B-  | < 82.5 % to 79.5%
C+ | < 79.5 % to 76.5%
C   | < 76.5 % to 70.1%
C-  | < 70.1 % to 69.5%
F   | < 69.5 % to 0.0%

Extra Credit:  5% For Perfect In-Person Attendance.  
  • Must have a passing grade in the course 70.2% or better. 
  • Must have 100% perfect in-class face-to-face attendance (including any tardies) for the entire semester.  No exceptions.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• Successfully complete the FAA Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA) Knowledge Exam. (This exam is scheduled independently from the course.)
• Meet the general FAA requirements outlined in FAR 61.65(b)(1–10).
• Recognize that qualification under Part 141 requires successful completion of the Part 141 Instrument Flight Lab, which is scheduled independently from this course.
• Understand that, per the approved FAA Training Course Outline (TCO), a Part 141 ground graduation certificate is not issued upon completion of this ground course. 

Course Requirements

Enrollment Prerequisites

Students must:
 • Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.
 • Hold a valid FAA First- or Second-Class Medical Certificate prior to beginning the flight portion of the program.
 • Hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate with the appropriate aircraft category and class rating prior to beginning the flight portion.

Required Textbooks and Materials

• ASA Instrument Rating Test Prep with Testing Supplement
 • Instrument Flying Handbook
 • Instrument Procedures Handbook
 • SUU Maneuvers Manual – Section 2
 • FAR/AIM
 • Jeppesen Instrument/Commercial Manual

Required Charts (paper and/or electronic)

• Terminal Procedures Publication
• Low Enroute Chart
• Chart Supplement

Course Outline

Course Objectives

This course addresses the Aeronautical Knowledge Areas specified in 14 CFR Part 61.65, preparing students seeking to qualify for the FAA Airplane Instrument Rating. Instruction emphasizes key principles, procedures, and industry-standard practices for operating an aircraft solely by reference to instruments in the absence of a visible natural horizon.

Course Modules:
Module 1: Flight and Navigational Instruments
Module 2: Standard Instrument Procedures
Module 3: Aviation Weather and Flight Planning

Examinations

Stage Exams:
• Module 1 — Stage 1
• Module 2 — Stage 2
• Module 3 — Stage 3
• SUU End-of-Course (EOC) Exam or
• FAA IRA Knowledge Exam (optional. Additional course fee)

Stage Exam Policies

• Each Stage Exam consists of 40 questions, limited to the content outlined in the current Part 141 Ground Syllabus (Instrument FW & RW).
 • First-attempt scores will be posted to the SUU gradebook. Make-up exam scores do not replace the first attempt.
 
Per Part 141 requirements, students must earn a minimum score of 70% in each Stage Exam to advance to the next Stage. (Make-up exams will be allowed however their scores do not replace SUU grading book. 
 • If a student scores below 70%. retakes are permitted and must also meet the FAA Part 141 70% threshold to pass.
 • Retake exams are typically scheduled for the next day or during the same exam period. 
 • Retakes are proctored and allow multiple attempts.
  • No EOC retakes will be offered. 





Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Work and Submission Policies

No late work or exams are accepted.
• All assignments must be submitted through Canvas; email submissions are not accepted.
• Assignments are due the day before each Stage Exam.
• All coursework must be scanned, uploaded, and submitted as a single PDF file on Canvas. No other submission formats are permitted.
• Students are responsible for verifying the quality and accuracy of their PDF scans prior to submission.
• Clear penmanship, organization, and professional presentation are required.



Attendance and Make-Up Work

Students who miss class or leave before the daily roll call will be marked absent for that day. For each absence, students must complete all of the following:
  1. Handwritten Make-Up Paper
     • A three-page, handwritten paper covering the material missed.
     • Reference the lesson in the Part 141 Instrument Ground Syllabus and the course schedule.
  2. Make-Up IFR Written Exam
     • A 60-question mock FAA Written Test covering all IFR knowledge areas.
     • A minimum score of 70% is required to receive credit for the make-up exam.
Students must maintain at least 70% in-class attendance for each Stage (maximum of three absences per Stage).


Stage Exam Retakes

Retake policies for Stage Exams are as follows:
 • Retakes are administered in the Testing Center.
 • Retake exam format: 60-question FAA IRA-style test covering all subject areas.
 • Students must score 70% or higher to pass and advance to the next Stage.
 • Students are considered absent until the retake exam is successfully completed.
 • Attendance in the next Stage may be affected, and attendance make-up work may be required.


SUU End-of-Course (EOC) Exam
• No retakes are permitted for the SUU EOC Exam.

Attendance Policy

Attendance Requirements

100% attendance is expected.
• If a lesson is unavoidably missed, it must be made up with a 141-approved ground instructor before the student may advance to the next stage of training.
• All absences and incomplete lessons must be made up prior to attempting each Stage Exam.
• Students must maintain a minimum of 70% in-person attendance per Stage to be eligible to take the Stage Exams and the SUU End-of-Course (EOC) Exam.
• Students whose in-person attendance falls below 70% for any Stage will fail the entire course (AVNT 1250-02).


Stage Completion and Exam Requirements

• Each Stage concludes with a written exam. A minimum passing score of 70% is required.
 • Students who do not achieve a passing score will not be permitted to advance to the next Stage until a satisfactory result is obtained.
 • Per FAA regulations, students are considered absent until the prior Stage is successfully passed with a 70% or higher stage grade.
 • All lessons must be completed before attempting the Stage Exam.
 • Students must successfully complete each Stage Exam before beginning the subsequent Stage.
 • Failure to complete any of the three required Stages and their corresponding Stage Exams will result in failure of the course.


Additional Requirements for Re-Enrolled Students (Lab Retakes)

• Students who are retaking the associated flight lab must meet all Part 141 attendance requirements and must earn stage exam scores of 70% or higher during the current semester.



Course Fees

Course Costs and Recommended Materials

  • FAA Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA) Knowledge Test:
  • If not currently enrolled in the Instrument Flight Lab, this cost is an out-of-pocket expense.

Recommended Materials:

  • Paper charts and supplements (expired versions are acceptable)
  • Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), e.g., ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot (highly recommended)
    • Students may receive a 33% discount using their student email address.
  • Course textbooks (cost varies by source)


ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.