As explained earlier in this thread (which is itself the result of searching for and then merging threads), using the search function does require you to read the form you're using. It has been pointed out many, many times that the search function here does not accept 3-letter words, and there are many common longer words which it will not search for - but it will inform you of that when you try to search for them. There is also a short guide to using search in the 'Archive Reference Threads' on the
Wannabes - Professional Pilot Training forum. There is also a brief but useless mention of Search in the FAQs.
However, you shouldn't really need an instruction manual to read the search form - it's quite self-explanatory! If you really can't think of a word longer than three letters to describe your query, you can also use the advanced search options in Google, MSN or Yahoo to restrict your search to this website. However, if you are looking for three-letter words, you may be reading the search results for a week or two! Abbreviations are different, but searching for OAT, for example, on Google Advanced Search, restricted to posts in the last year on
www.pprune.org will probably give several hundred returns.
As potential professional pilots, you are expected to be intelligent and resourceful, and use initiative, lateral thinking and logic in your efforts to become a pilot. If Pprune Search defeats you, what hope for the rest of your career?
Scroggs