A problem, wondering how everyone else learnt...

[WX Man]

Hello all,. .. .As some of you know, I've recently started an Ab Initio course at Eurocontrol. Anyway, already(!), I'm having a major problem.. .. .We've got these exercises to do (Part Task Trainer) that try to get you to recognise headings. Like a green line that appears from the centre of circle, and you have to enter the angle in multiples of 5*. I can do it, but not without a lot of difficulty. The exercise is in groups of 20 angles. My best score so far is 80% (with most of the rest being off by 5*), but I am just so bloody slow at it!. .. .Is there another way to do this? How did you guys learn? Or do you chaps recommend that I just persevere this way and it'll become second nature soon?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I think you're just totally unused to working with angles. Did you never map read? It becomes second nature eventually.. (Usually) inexperienced controllers have the compass rose selected on their radar displays.. but after a while you don't need it and the assessment of a heading becomes second nature.

[spekesoftly]

Wx Man - persevere and it will get easier ...... and just pray that the 'E.U.' don't legislate for the Metric Compass !!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

[somewhatconcerned]

I'm not an ATC'er but I did have to learn to asses angles as an engineer and then 'developed' it when I started flying (diversions and such).. .Practice is obviously the key but having a good starting point helps.. .Mine was remembering what my 60/30 set square looked like from my days at school.. .Go to the nearest 90 degree point on the compass and visualise your 30 degrees set square from that point. Half of that is 15 degrees and half again is 7 ish.. .I'm sure I have made it sound more complicated than it needs to be but basicaly start at your 90 degree points then asses it against an angle you can visualise (30 degrees made it easy for me) then visualise what fraction of that angle it represents.