Commute & Access
Conveniently Located in the Heart of Maryland
Centrally positioned at Tipton Airport (KFME) in Fort Meade, Maryland, Solid Ground Aviation proudly delivers professional-grade, FAA-approved simulator training with quick, direct highway access for student and licensed aviators commuting from communities across the entire Mid-Atlantic corridor, including Fort Meade, Odenton, Annapolis, Columbia, Baltimore, Bowie, Greenbelt, Laurel, and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Designed to maximize your time and budget, our facility offers hassle-free general aviation parking, direct entry, and zero congested airspace delays to keep your training on track.
Facility Headquarters
Solid Ground Aviation
Address: 7515 General Aviation Dr, Fort Meade, MD 20755
Airport: Tipton Airport (KFME)
Hours: Monday–Sunday, 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Direct: (410) 705-2250
The Solid Ground Advantage.
Train Smarter, Spend Less, Fly Confidently
Built for Weather-Proof, Cost-Effective Progress
No Weather Delays
Rain, fog, or winter ice won’t cancel your schedule. Our simulators run 365 days a year.
Save Big on Hourly Costs
Stop burning expensive aircraft rentals on the taxiway. Log certified time at a fraction of the cost ($55–$65/hr).
Experienced Instructors
Train one-on-one with professional military aviators and airline captains who bring real-world mastery to every session.
Stop Waiting on the Weather. Start Flying on Your Terms.
Take control of your aviation goals with year-round, weather-proof simulator training just minutes from Washington D.C. and Baltimore. Stop guessing and start progressing.
Questions & Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Does simulator training count toward FAA flight requirements?
Yes, within FAA limits. With an authorized instructor, time in our FAA-approved SG-2 can count toward your certificate or rating, up to the amounts in the device's approval, and you can log instrument currency in it too. The rest of your training happens in our Cessna 172s, so your airplane hours go to what only an airplane can teach.
Where is Solid Ground Aviation located?
We operate out of Tipton Airport at KFME in Fort Meade, Maryland. Our spot sits right outside the restrictive D.C. SFRA airspace. You spend your paid minutes learning instead of waiting out air traffic control holds.
How much money does training in a simulator save?
An hour in our simulator costs less than an hour in the airplane, so we move repeatable work like checklists, procedures and approaches into the simulator. Your airplane money then goes to what only an airplane can teach. How much you save depends on your program and your pace, and we'll walk you through a realistic plan before you start.
Can I start an airline career with zero prior experience?
Yes, you can start from zero. We take you from your first lesson through your Private Pilot certificate, Instrument Rating and Commercial Pilot certificate in our Cessna 172s, with the simulator built into every step. Many pilots then build hours, often as flight instructors, on the way to an airline job. Hiring is up to the airlines, so our job is to make you a sharp, well-trained pilot at every stage.
Got more any more questions? Contact Us