I couldn't think of a witty or exciting title for this blog...possibly because there's nothing witty or exciting about studying aviation law.
Tomorrow I have to sit my Law exam. The reading for this exam has been particularly brutal - even less interesting than Aircraft Tech. All I can do is read it through and hope to memorise enough information (there really is no comprehension needed to pass this exam) to pass the exam.
It's been a short turn around since the last exam, only two weeks. That's good though, it means I've had less time to agonize about getting through the book and that I've just had to push myself (and my husband) to read the chapters and do the reviews.
My next exams will be Meteorology and Navigation - both of which will require a concerted effort in studying, and perhaps some tuition from one of the instructors to help get me through. Hopefully I'll catch on quickly and actually enjoy the subjects!
Showing posts with label theoretical studies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theoretical studies. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
FRTO
Yesterday I sat my 3rd theory exam - Flight Radio Telephony Operator. I feel very positive about the exam - if there's one thing I know how to do, it's talk. And using the radio is all about talking. Although there are some confusing rules, the overall thing is to be clear, concise, and accurate and to use the proper terms associated with radio communications.
As a student, you start using the radio early on to make basic calls and as you progress with your flying skills, you begin to make more and more of your radio calls yourself. You get a good idea of what calls need to be made and what to say by listening to your instructor making calls for you when you're too busy learning to fly the plane.
For me, I think the fact that I've been using the radio and hearing other people's radio calls for some time now helped me with the written exam. I think it must be much harder to pass the written exam with no practical learning behind you in this case. While I was studying for and doing the exam, I would imagine in my head that it was a real person making a radio call - what they sounded like, what the pace of their speech was and how I would respond (including my tone of voice and pace). Imagining voices in my head seems a bit weird, but whatever works, right?
Other than studying for my exam, I have not been doing anything towards my flying. There was a weather system approximately the size of Australia moving over our little country and it took it's time. We had gale force winds, thunder, lightning, and hale - certainly not conditions to be out flying!
As a student, you start using the radio early on to make basic calls and as you progress with your flying skills, you begin to make more and more of your radio calls yourself. You get a good idea of what calls need to be made and what to say by listening to your instructor making calls for you when you're too busy learning to fly the plane.
For me, I think the fact that I've been using the radio and hearing other people's radio calls for some time now helped me with the written exam. I think it must be much harder to pass the written exam with no practical learning behind you in this case. While I was studying for and doing the exam, I would imagine in my head that it was a real person making a radio call - what they sounded like, what the pace of their speech was and how I would respond (including my tone of voice and pace). Imagining voices in my head seems a bit weird, but whatever works, right?
Other than studying for my exam, I have not been doing anything towards my flying. There was a weather system approximately the size of Australia moving over our little country and it took it's time. We had gale force winds, thunder, lightning, and hale - certainly not conditions to be out flying!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Exam 2 & Lesson 09
On Saturday, I sat my Aircraft Technical Knowledge exam and had a flying lesson. A bit crazy looking back on it as I was absolutely exhausted afterwards.
The exam was difficult. I won't lie, the internal workings of in line and radial piston engines don't hold much interest for me so studying was probably a bit sparse considering my learning curve. I will just wait and see the results when they're posted next week and be happy with a passing mark.
After the exam, despite feeling a bit brain dead, I went up for a lesson in the circuit. The lesson was Engine Failure After Take Off - you know what to do if for some reason the engine cuts out when you're a mere few hundred feet off the ground. So, how do you practice that? Well, you begin your circuit with a nice take off and at some point on the climb out the instructor pulls back the throttle, now you have to recover and get the plane flying toward a suitable landing site without power. Right. The first time we did it, I was a bit blonde and recovered by putting the throttle back in (right answer when doing a go around which feels similar in that you have no power on but you want to fly again, but wrong answer if there is no power available like on an EFATO). It took me a couple tries with the instructor feeding me my "lines" to get it right and not reach for the power. Next lesson we are going to have to do a few more of these and then add in the bit about glide approach to landing...
Good news is, my landing set up is getting a lot better and I was actually lining up the runway well despite a cross-wind. The cross-wind was making getting the plane onto the ground a lot different and I'm sure I'll appreciate learning the cross-wind technique once we get to it.
The exam was difficult. I won't lie, the internal workings of in line and radial piston engines don't hold much interest for me so studying was probably a bit sparse considering my learning curve. I will just wait and see the results when they're posted next week and be happy with a passing mark.
After the exam, despite feeling a bit brain dead, I went up for a lesson in the circuit. The lesson was Engine Failure After Take Off - you know what to do if for some reason the engine cuts out when you're a mere few hundred feet off the ground. So, how do you practice that? Well, you begin your circuit with a nice take off and at some point on the climb out the instructor pulls back the throttle, now you have to recover and get the plane flying toward a suitable landing site without power. Right. The first time we did it, I was a bit blonde and recovered by putting the throttle back in (right answer when doing a go around which feels similar in that you have no power on but you want to fly again, but wrong answer if there is no power available like on an EFATO). It took me a couple tries with the instructor feeding me my "lines" to get it right and not reach for the power. Next lesson we are going to have to do a few more of these and then add in the bit about glide approach to landing...
Good news is, my landing set up is getting a lot better and I was actually lining up the runway well despite a cross-wind. The cross-wind was making getting the plane onto the ground a lot different and I'm sure I'll appreciate learning the cross-wind technique once we get to it.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Theory Studies - Aircraft Tech
So I'm locked in, committed, to taking the Aircraft Technical Knowledge PPL exam on Saturday 21 Aug.
How did that happen? I opened the book and started reading about different types of piston engines, closed the book, and said I didn't think I'd be ready for that one any time soon.
When the time came to submit the applications for the exam, I told my husband to put me down for aircraft tech, with the assurance from him that he'd help me study. This assurance seemed perfect - my husband is a bit of a gear head and also doing his PPL exams; I assumed we'd be studying together for the same exam (I found out later that he has signed up to do Meteorology).
So with a tiny ember of glowing hope, I've devised a study strategy. It goes like this: skim the information in the chapter, answer the comprehensive list of questions at the end of each chapter from memory or by re-reading, get quizzed on the study questions, sit the two practice exams included in the book, sit the actual exam in 6 days time. Hopefully, my husband's not too busy with work and his own studies to help me a bit and hopefully I can motivate myself to find the time to study instead of working on the website, facebooking, tweeting, etc.
Wish me luck...
How did that happen? I opened the book and started reading about different types of piston engines, closed the book, and said I didn't think I'd be ready for that one any time soon.
When the time came to submit the applications for the exam, I told my husband to put me down for aircraft tech, with the assurance from him that he'd help me study. This assurance seemed perfect - my husband is a bit of a gear head and also doing his PPL exams; I assumed we'd be studying together for the same exam (I found out later that he has signed up to do Meteorology).
So with a tiny ember of glowing hope, I've devised a study strategy. It goes like this: skim the information in the chapter, answer the comprehensive list of questions at the end of each chapter from memory or by re-reading, get quizzed on the study questions, sit the two practice exams included in the book, sit the actual exam in 6 days time. Hopefully, my husband's not too busy with work and his own studies to help me a bit and hopefully I can motivate myself to find the time to study instead of working on the website, facebooking, tweeting, etc.
Wish me luck...
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)