Martha King: The Grand Dame of Aviation Ground Schools

Meg Godlewski

Friday, March 04, 2022 at 10:25 AM ET

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Martha King has been teaching people to fly for more than 40 years. [Courtesy: Martha King]

Key Takeaways:

Martha King, along with her husband John, co-founded King Schools Inc., a globally recognized online ground school that has significantly impacted aviation education and made her a celebrated pioneer in the field.
Despite initially having no interest in aviation, Martha discovered her passion for flying later in life with her husband, which ultimately led them to become flight instructors and establish their educational business.
King Schools evolved from providing in-person weekend ground school courses in remote areas to pioneering videotaped instruction, and now uses advanced digital platforms to deliver comprehensive aviation training.
Martha King has profoundly influenced aviation by teaching an estimated half of the pilots in the U.S., emphasizing a learning philosophy that prioritizes making education fun, engaging, and relevant to real-life flying.

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Editor’s Note: This article is part of a month-long series to mark Women’s History Month: March 1: Pioneers of Women’s Aviation | March 2: Carole Hopson | March 4: Martha King | March 8: Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance | March 11: The Air Race Classic | March 15: Sisters of the Skies | March 18: Women in Aviation Conference | March 22: Women In Aviation: The Numbers | March 22: The first graduating class of Air Force female pilots. | March 25: Bonny Simi of Joby Aviation | March 29: Top Female Difference Makers in Aviation

It has been said that just about every pilot who holds at least an instrument rating has spent some time with Martha King. She is, after all, one-half of the most famous flight instructor team on the planet. She and her husband, John, are the co-creators of King Schools Inc., one of the most utilized online ground schools in the world.